Beans are just about the most versatile of budget foods, and I’ve pretty much nailed down the easiest way to cook them. Pre-instant pot days, I would soak them for 48 hours, changing the water every 8-12 hours until the beans were nearly sprouted, then slowly cooked them for 12 plus hours. Now I can go from no beans to beans in 3 hours flat and the quality is just as good.

Ingredients

4 cups dry pinto beans

12 cups water

1 T salt

Directions

Combine all three ingredients in your instant pot. The water level should be just below the fill line. Close and seal your instant pot, then set it to cook for 1 hour. After the hour cooking time, leave the beans closed up on the “keep warm” setting for another hour. The pressure will naturally release over this time. Open the lid up and you have perfectly cooked beans, ready to eat or freeze.