This Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice is big on flavors! Brown Rice loaded with flavorful nutritious un-soaked dry Black Beans, onion, garlic, pepper and tomatoes. You’ll love this dish!
Black Beans and Rice Instant Pot
Have you ever cooked dry black beans and rice together? It’s fun and delicious I tell you! The dish lasts long in the fridge and freezes so well.
Loaded with nutritious protein and fiber packed no soak dry black Beans, the goodness of brown rice, a few dashes of seasoning, onions, garlic and tomatoes.
If you love garlic go heavy on that, drizzle chopped cilantro and squeeze a good dose of lime juice before serving. Ummm it’s certainly good food 😀
You’ll love the flavor profile. So good in every way.
I’ve made this Black Beans and Rice Instant Pot Vegetarian but if you wish you can add proteins like diced chicken or even lamb meat.
A wholesome, flavor packed one-pot meal ready under 40 mins tops!
Just be mindful about the water ratio.
Todays’ rice and beans combo makes great Burritos and you can always enjoy this dish with a protein of your choice, yogurt and a small salad.
Ingredients
Find the Ingredients with actual measurements way below the post on the “Recipe Card“. The list below is just a reference.
- Un-soaked Dry Black Beans.
- Brown Rice: I used Basmati.
- Onion: Use Yellow onion and roughly chop them.
- Garlic
- Tomatoes: I used Rotel Hot diced tomatoes with Habanero. It gives a fantastic kick to the dish. However, you can use regular diced canned tomatoes. Also, I used tomato paste.
- Bell Pepper: Pick any color of your choice.
- Seasonings: Cumin Powder, Cayenne Pepper Powder, Paprika Powder, Red Chili Powder, Dried Chives.
- Liquid: A combination of Chicken Stock and water. You can however, use only chicken stock or only water.
- Oil: Olive Oil.
- Garnish: Chopped Cilantro and lime juice.
Tips & Tricks
- Use the same cup to measure the ingredients: This is very important. If you change the measuring cup the ration of dry ingredients to liquid might alter and hugely impact the dish.
- Be mindful of the water to rice and black beans ratio.
- For best flavors use equal quantities of brown rice and black beans.
- Dried Chives goes very well with the dish. However, if you do not have it stocked up sub it with oregano or cilantro.
- Do not use old black beans. They will take much longer to get fully cooked.
- Rinse the Brown Rice and the dried Black Beans very well before beginning with the recipe.
- If you love really spicy food do add chopped Serrano peppers or Jalapeno.
- Allow 10 mins Natural Pressure Release. The residual heat helps marry the flavors and makes the dish so delish.
- If you want to make the recipe Vegan sub the chicken stock with either vegetable broth or water.
Method
Find the detailed step by step recipe along with measurements way below the post on the “Recipe Card“.
Step #1 Saute Onion, Peppers and garlic & add all other ingredients
Set the Instant Pot on SAUTE and keep it on NORMAL.
Add oil and Saute the onion and garlic for a bit.
Dump all other ingredients like rinsed beans and rice, tomatoes and seasoning.
Step #2 Mix well and Pressure Cook
Give everything a good mix.
Add the liquids and de-glaze the pot very well so that there are absolutely no bits and crumbs stuck at the bottom of the pot. Add salt.
And PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 35 mins followed by a 10 mins NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE.
Release the rest of the pressure manually, open the lid and gently mix the Black Beans and Rice dish.
Squeeze lime or lemon juice and enjoy!
Serving Ideas
Today’s recipe makes great Burritos.
You can also serve it with grilled meat like chicken, Beef or Lamb, grilled fish like Salmon or Ahi Tuna, some yogurt and a small salad.
If you want to make a Vegan meal out of it go for grilled Tofu.
FAQs
You can store Brown Rice and Black Beans for upto 7 days in the fridge in moisture free air tight containers.
Yes, you can freeze Rice and Black Beans for upto 3 months. Thaw for 24 hrs in the fridge. Re-heat and serve.
More Instant Pot Rice Dishes:
Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Brown Basmati Rice
- 1 cup Black Beans (Un-soaked, dry)
- 1 medium bell pepper roughly chopped (use any color)
- 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 can Diced Tomatoes, use any variety (10 oz / 283 g)
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt (to taste)
Seasonings
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tsp dried chives
Liquid
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1.5 cups water
Garnish
- Lime Juice according to taste (or lemon juice)
- roughly chopped cilantro (according to taste)
Equipment Used
Instructions
- Rinse the black beans and brown rice very well several times under running tap water. Keep aside.
- Set the Instant Pot on SAUTE and set it on NORMAL.
- Add oil and throw in the onions Saute for 1 min. Than add the garlic and saute until the onions begin to become translucent. About 2-3 mins.
- Next, ass the bell pepper and mix well.
- Add rest of the ingredients into the pot like – diced tomatoes, seasonings, rinsed black beans, rinsed brown basmati rice, chicken broth and the water, Give everything a very good stir and de-glaze the pot so that there are absolutely no bits and crumbs stuck at the bottom of the pot.
- CANCEL the SAUTE function. Close the lid of the pot, seal the valve. PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 35 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is over the Instant Pot will begin to make a beeping sound. Wait for 10 minutes of NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR) and than release the rest of the pressure manually by moving the valve from the SEALING to the VENTING position.
- Carefully open the lid of the pot. Squeeze a generous dose of lime or lemon juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and enjoy! Read NOTES below for extra TIPS.
Notes
- Measuring Units Used, 1 Cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
- Can I use White Rice? No you cannot use white rice for this recipe. Every rice has different cooking time and the ratio of liquid to varies. I tested the recipe using brown basmati rice. It’ll be great if you use the same.
- Older Black Beans takes much longer to get fully cooked. In case you find the beans a little under cooked after 35 mins of high pressure, close the lid and cook for 5 more mins on high pressure. No need to add any extra liquid.
- You can add variety of canned diced tomatoes. I used diced tomatoes with green chilies. It gives the dish a slight kick.
- The cooked Black Beans and Rice thickens as it cools down. You can sprinkle little water and re-heat before serving it.
- Skip adding the Cayenne pepper and the chili flakes if you do not prefer spicy food. Though it adds a slight kick to the dish and doesnot make it spicy.
- Chicken Broth: You can sub the water and cook the dish entirely with chicken broth.
- Want to Freeze it? We love using portion sized freezer safe bags. Lasts for 3 months in the freezer.
- In the Fridge: Lasts for 7 days when stored in moisture free airtight containers.
Delie says
I can’t believe how easy this is! I’m used to cooking the rice and beans separately (sometimes soaking the beans) and then combining them for a similar dish. This will be a game changer. Texture and flavor were great!
Foodies Terminal says
Hey Delie so glad you enjoyed the recipe so much 🙂 Thanks a lot for such an amazing feedback 🙂 – Meghna xoxo
Tara Hines says
This recipe is incredible. Easy to scale. Instructions are clear. Everyone loved it. I love being able to go from dried beans to table top in less than an hour! Winner!
Foodies Terminal says
Hey Tara! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Thanks a lot for the amazing feedback, oh yeah and the cook time is incredible, no soaking beans required. Bingo! – Meghna. xoxo
Trina says
So flavorful recipe, I made a big batch that’s ready for freezing. I won’t make black beans and rice any other way, this is my favorite recipe. Thank you so much.
Foodies Terminal says
Thank you Trina 🙂 so glad that you loved the recipe, do keep coming back for more such easy recipes and take care. – Meghna.