Black Beans: Instant Pot Recipe for Authentic Mexican Flavor

The humble bean…Beans have been a quintessential part of Mexican culture for millennia and can be traced back to 1500 BC and the Olmecs in the southern regions of Mexico. The Olmecs considered beans a gift from the Gods, and it is believed that they used them in religious ceremonies.  The Aztecs used them as a form of currency, and ancient Egyptians left them in their loved ones’ tombs to be used in the afterlife.

Somewhere along the line, they discover you could eat them. Boiling in water or adding to soups and stews, or grinding into a powder for bread or other culinary uses.

Beans are a great source of protein and fiber, rich in minerals, and low in fat and calories. Potential health benefits of regular bean consumption have been linked to various health benefits, including improved cholesterol levels, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and better gut health.

My favorite way to make beans is by canning them from their dry state. It is one of the easiest pressure canning recipes you can make. I will do a blog post going over this process soon.

Since we are in our tiny apartment in Puerto Vallarta, I find the Instant Pot a fast and easy way to make them.  You can use this same technique with any beans, but I am making black beans today.  The black beans in Mexico are a smaller variety than we get in the United States.

All the ingredients are straightforward: beans, water, onion, but I also add in a Mexican herb, epazote, and a little fat. This is a picture of a sprig from my friend Lizzie’s garden.

You can also purchase it in the produce section or dried in the herb section of Mexican markets.

It has an earthy flavor and helps break down the complex carbs in beans, to make them more easily digested.  It also contains compounds that are supposed to help prevent gas.

For the fat, my go-to is bacon grease (you can’t take the southern out of the girl). You could also substitute any oil you prefer (coconut, olive) to keep them vegan.

It is super easy to make the beans in the Instant Pot. You can adjust the amount of beans you use to suit your meal. The general rule is 2 parts water to 1 part dry beans. 

For our cookout, I’m using 2 cups of black beans with 4 cups of water. Sort the beans, removing any stones or broken beans, then rinse to remove any dust and add to the instant pot with the water.

Next, add in the rest of the ingredients. I used a quarter of a white onion, 3 sprigs of epazote, and 2 tablespoons of bacon grease

Put on the lid, close the vent, and set the instant pot on high pressure for 1 hour. And turn off the “keep warm” feature. When it is finished you can do a quick release and turn the sauté button on.

This is the time to taste your beans and add salt to taste. Let them boil for a few minutes to thicken the liquid.  

Remove the Epazote stems, and you are ready to serve.

We love these as a side to many dishes, or even as a main meal with some cornbread. You could also mash them to make refried beans or enfrioladas.

If you want to make these on the stovetop. Cover the beans and the other ingredients with 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 1 ½ – 2 hours, check the beans every 30 minutes add more water if the beans look dry.

Please leave a comment. What is your favorite bean? Or bean recipe?