Instant Pot Pinto Beans
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Soaking Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 55 mins
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
South American, Brazilian
Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Description
Starting with dried pinto beans soaked twice to soften, this recipe uses the Instant Pot pressure cooker to quickly prepare the beans with bay leaves and water. Soaking helps hydrate the beans, reducing cooking time and improving texture. After the pressure cook and natural release, a sauté of onions, bell peppers, Brazilian sofrito or garlic, tomatoes, and green onions is prepared to add flavor and aroma.
Spices such as smoked paprika and cumin build a smoky, earthy profile. The seasoned vegetable sauté is combined with the cooked beans, yielding a hearty dish with tender beans and a flavor base typical of Brazilian-style cooking. The use of olive oil and white wine vinegar adds depth and brightness to the final beans.
This recipe is practical for anyone wanting from-scratch dried beans with complexity beyond plain boiled beans. Optional additions like smoked sausage or bacon can enrich the dish further where desired, though the recipe stands well as is for a flavorful side or base for meals involving beans.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pinto beans dry
- 2 bay leaf
- 2 tomato seeded and diced
- 1 bell pepper small orange or red, seeded and diced
- 1/2 onion medium, diced
- 4 green onion use some of the green for garnish!!, minced, white and green parts
- 2 Tbsp Brazilian sofrito or 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin ground
- black pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
Instructions
Cooking the Beans:
- Pick, wash, then soak* the beans in cold water for 30 mins.
- After 30 minutes, drain all the water, and soak in new cold water for another 30 mins.
- Drain beans, wash them well, then add them an instant pot, or pressure cooker. Add the bay leaves**, and the 5 cups of water.
- Close the instant pot, and cook on manual for 30 mins.
- When your instant pot reaches 30 mins, wait 10 minutes for natural release.
Flavoring the Beans:
- During that time, heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil*** in a sauté pan over medium to high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and sauté until they are soft - about 3 minutes.
- Add the Brazilian sofrito, or minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden - about 2 minutes.
- Add in the last Tbsp of olive oil and then add in the green onions. Sauté for about a minute.
- Add in the diced tomatos, and cook for about 2 minutes.
- After 10 minutes of natural release, safely release any renaming pressure manually, and then safely open the pan. Change the now open/uncovered instant pot settings to sauté mode and pour in the sautéed veggies, the spices, the vinegar, and salt and pepper.
- Cook on sauté mode uncovered for about 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
Bom Apetite!
Notes
- Soaking the beans twice for 30 minutes each is recommended to improve texture and reduce cooking time.
- Adding smoked sausage or diced bacon is optional for extra flavor.
- The recipe uses Brazilian sofrito or garlic as the base seasoning for the sautéed vegetables.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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