Description
This recipe for The Best Instant Pot Black Beans for Tacos offers a quick, flavorful way to prepare tender and seasoned black beans using an Instant Pot. Infused with smoky chipotle, aromatic spices, and a medley of dried herbs, these beans make a perfect filling for tacos or a hearty side dish for Mexican-inspired meals. The beans are cooked under pressure, saving time while developing a rich, deep flavor and customizable texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Aromatics and Spices
- Olive or vegetable oil, for cooking
- ½ medium onion, any color
- 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped (+ scoop of adobo sauce)
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp dried cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) dried black beans
- 1 ¾ cups (415 ml) vegetable broth (or 2 cups for a soupier texture)
- Salt and pepper, to taste (recommend about ½ tsp salt)
Instructions
- Saute the aromatics and spices: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode. Heat a small amount of oil, then add the chopped onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and fennel seeds, cooking briefly until fragrant. Stir in dried cumin, oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, chopped chipotle, and a scoop of adobo sauce. Cook just until combined, preventing spices from burning. Add a splash of broth if mixture sticks.
- Add beans and seasoning: Incorporate dried black beans into the pot along with salt and pepper. Adjust salt accordingly based on the broth’s saltiness for balanced flavor.
- Add broth and pressure cook: Pour vegetable broth over the beans and spices. Close the Instant Pot lid, seal the vent, and set to the BEAN or HIGH pressure setting for 40 minutes.
- Natural release and texture adjustment: Once cooking completes, allow a natural pressure release for 20 minutes before opening the lid. Check the beans’ softness. You may leave them whole or mash slightly with a potato masher or immersion blender to thicken the liquid and achieve desired texture.
- Serve: Use the cooked black beans as a filling for tacos or as a flavorful side dish in any Mexican meal.
Notes
- Use vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegetarian and enhance the flavor. You may substitute with chicken broth if not vegetarian.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle and adobo sauce to control the smokiness and heat.
- Soaking beans overnight is not required but can reduce cooking time if desired.
- For creamier beans, slightly mash after cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Instant Pot black beans, black beans for tacos, Mexican side dish, pressure cooked black beans, vegetarian black beans, healthy black beans recipe
