How to Cook Beans in a Pressure Cooker

I love beans. I'm so glad that they are healthy, because they are one of my favorite foods. But I don't like cooking dried beans when it's hot outside. And some days I discover that I want beans for supper, but don't have time to cook them. Plus, there are those days when I'm disorganized or just lazy. (Which happens more than I care to admit!) So, how do I cook beans then?

Well, actually my husband was the first one in our house to cook beans in a pressure cooker. I was surprised how quick it was. And they taste pretty good, too! Beans cooked in a pressure cooker won't have quite the same texture. They are a bit more firm. Plus, they don't have that natural broth that comes with beans cooked all day long on a stove or in a slow cooker. I don't like them as well, and my husband like them better in the pressure cooker. But they are still good, and learning how to cook beans in a pressure cooker has saved me and my grocery budget on many a hot (or lazy, or disorganized) day!

Pressure cooking beans is actually quick and simple, but you need to use oil whenever doing so. This helps to keep the beans from foaming up along with keeping the skins from popping off and obstructing the valve tube. Don't forget to not fill up the pressure cooker more than 2/3 total.

The following is the simple formula:

1 cup beans

4 cups water

1 tablespoon cooking oil (except large lima beans, which require 2 tablespoons)

Prepare beans in the pressure cooker based on the information below for each type of bean. Soaking for 8-12 hours can tremendously decrease the cooking time.

It's also possible to presoak beans really quickly by simply placing them in the actual pressure cooker together with the quantity of water mentioned above and getting the cooker to come to proper pressure. Switch off the pressure cooker and allow it to sit for about an hour. Next, continue by preparing the beans for the presoak times listed below.

Just like cooking beans any other way, be sure to inspect them first. Remove any gravel, bad beans, or loose skins. It's very important to remove loose skins when cooking beans with a pressure cooker. They can clog up the vent if you don't do this important step.

Unsoaked beans require the longest time to cook in a pressure cooker. Once the cooking time is up, quick-release the pressure cooker in the sink beneath cold running water to prevent foaming in the vent.

Should you notice a sputtering noise, put the pressure cooker in the kitchen sink and run cold water, covering the whole cooker, in order to take the pressure lower rapidly. After the pressure is down, take off and wash the cover, vent, and rubber gasket. Lock the lid back again and then proceed with cooking.

It's very important to always wash the lid and vent carefully after making beans in a pressure cooker. Make sure you examine the valve tubing well to be certain absolutely no bean skins are trapped inside it.

Here are the cooking times for various beans using a pressure cooker:


Blackeyed Peas - Cook for about 10 minutes. Makes about 2 cups of cooked beans

Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) - If soaked for 8-10 hours, about 11 minutes. If presoaked, approximately 23 minutes. If unsoaked, about 35 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 cups beans.

Great Northern beans - If soaked for 8-10 hours, about 10 minutes. If presoaked, about 16 minutes. Unsoaked beans take about 28 minutes to get done. Makes about 2 cups.

Kidney beans - Soaking them first for 8-10 hours, reduces the bean cooking time in the pressure cooker to about 11 minutes. If presoaked, about 14 minutes. Unsoaked kidney beans take approximately 23 minutes to cook in a pressure cooker. Makes about 2 cups of cooked beans.

Lentils- About 9 minutes. Makes 2 cups

Lima beans - If they are large lima beans, instead of baby ones, use 2 tablespoons oil for each cup of beans instead of 1 tablespoon. If soaked for 8-10 hours, about 6 minutes. If presoaked, about 11 minutes. Unsoaked lima beans take about 15 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Pinto beans - If soaked for 8-10 hours first, about 5 minutes. If presoaked, about 9 minutes. Unsoaked pinto beans take about 24 minutes to cook. Makes about 2 cups.

Navy beans - If soaked first for 8-10 hours, about 7 minutes. If presoaked, it takes about 12 minutes. If unsoaked, about 20 minutes. Makes about 2 cups.

Split peas - Split peas take about 9 minutes to get done in a pressure cooker. Makes about 2 cups.

Note: Black Eyed Peas, Split Peas and Lentils don't have to be soaked or presoaked. You may use all of them unsoaked and they cook in a short time.