These Instant Pot Cuban style black beans are easy to make with pantry staple ingredients. They're a vegetarian and gluten free way to add both protein and fiber to your family's meal.
This recipe is Cuban-approved and taste-tested by my Cuban immigrant husband. I hope you enjoy!
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My husband likes black beans that are well cooked. If you prefer beans that are more firm, decrease cooking time to 40 minutes.
Instant Pot Cuban style black beans ingredients
I prefer to soak my beans overnight in salted water with a bit of whey reserved from yogurt making. If you don't have time for this step, that's okay, but it helps make the beans more digestible and softer once they're cooked.
This recipe does not include soaking in the directions and can be made without soaking the beans.
I've found that the quality of your black beans matters tremendously for your final product. I purchase my black beans from the monthly grocery co-op delivery Azure Standard.
If I run out and need to purchase something else, I like these ClearCreak black beans.
- Clear Creek Black Beans are sourced from beautiful Pacific Northwest farms
- Perfect for creating delicious vegan burritos, chilis, and other plant-based dishes
- Black Beans are a great source of fiber, and their high protein content makes them a fantastic choice for plant-based diets
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes (+ time to come to pressure)
Natural release: 20 minutes natural release
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 c. dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
- 1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped (can sub green or yellow)
- ½ medium white onion, chopped
- 2 t. dried oregano
- 2 t. dried cumin
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 T. olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1½ c. chicken or vegetable broth (can swap water but it won't be quite as flavorful)
- 1 T. red wine vinegar
- 2 T. red pepper, diced
- 3 T. avocado, cubed (optional)
- 2 T. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 whole lime, cut into wedges (optional)
- 2 c. cooked white or yellow rice
Please note - the and onions were left larger in the photos so they were more visible, but I recommend chopping them small.
Directions:
Add olive oil to the Instant Pot® and set to "sauté." Add onions and bell peppers and stir to coat.
Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and becoming transparent, about 5 minutes.
Alternatively, you can skip the sauté and just put everything in the pot. The Sauté brings a bit more flavor, though.
Add the beans, red pepper, onion, oregano, dried cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and bay leaves to Instant Pot®.
Pour broth on top and add the lid. Set the pressure valve to “sealing” and select the “Manual” cooking option on the “High” setting. Set cook time to 50 minutes.
When the beans are done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, and then do a quick release of any remaining pressure. You can also let it release naturally all the way until the valve falls for even softer beans.
Turn the unit off and carefully remove lid.
Mash lightly with a potato masher or large spoon. This step is optional but my Cuban husband loves when they're slightly mashed.
Season with additional salt and black pepper, as desired, and stir to combine.
Serve immediately over a bed of cooked rice, topped with avocado and cilantro, if desired. Offer lime wedges. Enjoy!
The photos also show chopped red pepper on top. I think this is tasty, but my Cuban husband disagrees. He prefers peppers that have been cooked for at least an hour.
I hope you enjoy this easy Cuban side dish recipe! Grab a printable version from the recipe card below to store in your recipe binder:
Instant Pot Cuban Style Black Beans
These Cuban style black beans are easy to cook up in the Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- 1 c. dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
- 1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped
- ½ medium white onion, chopped
- 2 t. dried oregano
- 2 t. dried cumin
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 T. olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1½ c. chicken or vegetable broth (can swap water but it won't be quite as flavorful)
- 1 T. red wine vinegar
- 2 T. red pepper, diced
- 3 T. avocado, cubed (optional)
- 2 T. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 whole lime, cut into wedges (optional)
- 2 c. cooked white or yellow rice
Instructions
Add olive oil to the Instant Pot® and set to "sauté." Add onions and bell peppers and stir to coat.
Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and becoming transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, red pepper, onion, oregano, dried cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and bay leaves to Instant Pot®.
Pour broth on top and add the lid. Set the pressure valve to “sealing” and select the “Manual” cooking option on the “High” setting. Set cook time to 50 minutes.
When the beans are done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, and then do a quick release of any remaining pressure. You can also let it release naturally all the way until the valve falls for even softer beans.
Turn the unit off and carefully remove lid.
Mash lightly with a potato masher or large spoon. This step is optional but my Cuban husband loves when they're slightly mashed.
Season with additional salt and black pepper, as desired, and stir to combine.
Serve immediately over a bed of cooked rice, topped with avocado and cilantro, if desired.. Offer lime wedges, if desired. Enjoy!
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