When you make recipes like Instant pot black beans and rice, you are usually trying to recreate a dish you had somewhere.
Often you cannot recreate the amazing flavors you tasted at a restaurant or a friend’s house.
It’s disappointing when that happens.
This recipe is just the opposite.
I figured I would have to make it several times to get it right, but every once in a while, you hit a home run on the first try.
Want to know how much I love this?
I had to put it in the fridge to stop myself from eating it.
I woke up thinking about it, and I ate it for breakfast with a couple of eggs.
Not even kidding.
Beans and rice around the world
While beans and rice show up in American cuisine here and there, rice and beans is a staple around the world.
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, you’ll find recipes with rice and beans in them.
Some are spicy.
Some are simple, and some are quite complex.
If you saw my Simple Instant Pot Bean Soup, you know there are over 400 types of beans.
They are used in everything from appetizers to dessert.
Black beans are one of my favorite.
Maybe that’s why I love this recipe so much.
I have a recipe for Chicken Black Bean Soup that I’ve already shared, and a Cuban Black Bean Soup I make regularly.
If my family liked black beans as much as I do, we would have them more.
Since they don’t, I make them occasionally and freeze the soups so I can enjoy their yumminess for a long while.
Or I share that deliciousness with others because I love cooking for others and giving them food that makes them happy.
Tips for Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice
Be sure to gather your ingredients before you start cooking, especially if you’ve never made rice and beans before.
Lining up your ingredients make it so easy to assemble this dish.
I you’re new to cooking, soups are a great place to start learning because leaving out an ingredient here or there is usually OK.
I suggest making this recipe exactly as it is written the first time and then adapt it to your own taste later.
Here are a some extra tips to make sure your soup is as yummy as possible.
- Assemble all of your ingredients in the order that you will use them. I cannot stress how much this helps.
- Peel and dice your onion.
- Chop your peppers.
- Mince the garlic if not using prepared garlic.
- Slice the carrots and dice the celery
- If possible, cook with someone and have them read the recipe to you as you cook because cooking is more fun with people so you don’t skip any steps, not that I’ve ever done that (hah!).
- If you’re cooking this on your own, read through the entire recipe before you start cooking. There are a few important steps, and I write recipes as if people are brand new cooking.
- Have fun. Cooking is a skill I believe anyone can learn and master with practice. Everyone who cooks well has messed up and thrown a meal in the garbage. Fortunately rice and beans in the Instant Pot is easy so, you should be just fine.
Let’s get cooking!
Instant Pot black beans and rice
This dish is so good I could have eaten the entire pot. In fact, It is so delicious, I've been known to eat it for breakfast.
Ingredients
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion- (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup chopped red, and yellow peppers
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 1 tsp Sazon Tropical
- 15 ounce can black beans (do not drain)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup white rice
Instructions
- Select Saute on your Instant Pot, add olive oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the onions, peppers and garlic
- Saute for one minute.
- Stir in the Sazon seasoning, and tomato paste.
- Mix in the undrained black beans, rice and chicken stock.
- Press Cancel/Keep Warm. Place the lid on the Instant Pot making sure the vent is in the closed position.
- Press the Rice button.
- Since this dish currently contains no meat, you can release the pressure as soon as the cooking cycle is complete.
- I choose to still wait for five minutes of natural pressure release before manually releasing the rest of the pressure.
Notes
While this is a lovely side dish for taco night or a main meal for a vegetarian, although I would double the recipe for a family vegetarian meal. To make this a complete meal for a meat eating family, add 12-16 ounces of diced ham shredded chicken, chorizo or smoked sausage.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Organic Yellow Onions, 3 lb
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Pepper Sweet Mix Organic, 0.25lb
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Spice World, ORGANIC GARLIC - LARGE Container - 32 OZ
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Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste, 7 Ounce (Pack of 12)
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Badia Sazon Tropical With Coriander And Annato, 6.75 oz
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365 Everyday Value, Organic Black Beans, 15 oz
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Swansons Chicken Stock, 32 oz
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La Preferida Long Grain Rice, 1 lb
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Accmor 11 Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons Cups Set, Premium Stackable Tablespoons Measuring Set for Gift Dry Liquid Ingredients Cooking Baking
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Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup Set (4-Piece, Microwave and Oven Safe ),Clear
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Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Sterilizer, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 6 Quart, 14 One-Touch Programs
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Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Sterilizer, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, and Warmer, 8 Quart, 14 One-Touch Programs
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 cups Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 522mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g
All nutrition information is approximate and for informational use only. Your serving sizes and nutrition information may differ.
I like recipes that share pictures of the cooking process so I do that when I can.
It gives you a visual reference so you know your recipe looks right.
Happy eating!
Follow along with pictures of the cooking process.
One final note about this and any recipe you make.
Recipes are a guideline.
Some people like their food on the spicy side.
If that’s you, add some jalapenos or serrano peppers to the dish.
It you want more meat flavor, add a smoked ham hock or ham bone to impart flavor during the cooking process.
This dish is also a great side dish to serve on Taco Tuesday along with several dishes in 10 tasty treats to serve with tacos.
If there’s a recipe you would like to see adapted for your Instant Pot, send me an email at whatsup@movingtowardbetter.com and let me know what it is.
Who knows?
You may inspire a future recipe.
Additional Instant Pot recipes you might like
Click here for recipe Champagne Chicken Dirty rice Chicken black bean soup
Final notes about this dish
I’ll let you in on a little secret.
I don’t wash my rice.
I know that appalls some people, but my family prefers their rice on the sticky side.
It makes cooking quicker for me so who am I to argue?
Enjoy!