Instant Pot Pinto Beans and Rice | (No Pre-Soaking) 2022

Here we are today gonna make Instant Pot Pinto Beans and Rice and I am sure you will love this recipe. This healthy Instant Pot Rice and Pinto Beans recipe is a dinner saver for the week! Pinto beans and brown rice cook together in a pot for 20 minutes.

Hardly cutting is required and you don’t need to soak or wet the pinto beans. And don’t even think about skipping the onion. Foods cooked under pressure come out tastier than those cooked in the pan or skillet. I am using Instant Pot in this recipe.

Are you ready to have a healthy dinner on the table in 30 minutes?

What are instant pot pinto beans and rice ingredients?

This delicious Mexican dinner consists mainly of pantry ingredients:

• Integral rice
• Pinto beans
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Onion
• Spices: cumin, chili powder, and garlic, and salt.
• Coriander

Frequently asked questions?

Cooking in a pressure cooker is a trial and error method. I thoroughly test Instant Pot recipes because different types of rice or beans require different cooking times, for example.

For the best results, I recommend following the instructions given in the recipe. Below, I hope to cover all possible questions about variations and substitutions of the Instant Pot Rice and Pinto Beans recipe.

Can I use white rice?

No. We are using brown rice in this recipe. White rice and brown rice require a different amount of liquid and cooking time. Also, brown rice is believed to be more nutritious.

It’s so nutty and hearty. Why don’t you try it? It may take some time to get used to, but the health benefits will be worth it.

Do I have to soak the pinto beans?

No. The beauty of Instant Pot is that you don’t need to soak the pinto beans. There is a popular belief that soaking makes beans more nutritious and soaked beans take less time in cooking.

But, in this recipe, we are using Instant pot that takes less time to cook rice and beans. So, you don’t need to soak the pinto beans.

Can I use red kidney beans?

No. Believe it or not, red beans take longer to cook in a pressure cooker. This discovery completely amazed me while cooking red kidney beans in the Instant pot.

I still haven’t found the perfect ratio of water and time for kidney beans. Pinto beans are perfect for this recipe, cooking them with rice in Instant pot.

Can I use canned beans?

No. Canned beans are already cooked. If we use canned beans, what will happen to all that liquid that dry beans absorb while cooking?

Can I add chicken?

Yes. Finally, I said “yes”. Small pieces of chicken breast or thighs added on top of the rice will work. No other changes are needed. The chicken can add more flavor and nutritious value to this dish. You can also check my chili bean salad recipe.

Are these Instant Pot rice and beans soft enough for kids?

Yes. Here’s the deal. It is tasty enough but not too spicy and the beans are not too hard. You can add red pepper flakes before cooking or hot sauce afterward. You can also substitute all spices with taco seasonings. Or add more spices to taste after the rice and instant pinto beans have finished cooking according to the taste of your kids.

How to make instant pot rice and pinto beans?

Add all ingredients to the instant pot:

1. It is very important to add ingredients in the following order: onion, brown rice, black beans, water, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and diced tomatoes.
2. Do not change.
3. Do not stir
4. Close the lid, turn the pressure vent to Sealed, and press Pressure Cook at high temperature for 22 minutes.
5. Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to press.
6. In the meantime, you can chop coriander or make a cucumber-tomato salad. It goes amazing with this vegan rice and beans.
7. Relieve pressure using the Quick Release method by turning the valve to Vent and open the cap.

What if the rice came out crispy or too soft?

When it comes to rice cooked in a pressure cooker, it’s a trial and error method for everyone. Sometimes different varieties of brown rice are cooked differently. Also, the rice could be old.

I always use long-grain brown rice and buy a brand. Once you find “your rice” you will know how long it cooks and you can add additional minutes.

• If your rice is crispy: stir, close the lid and let sit for 20 minutes. It will get there. Also, try adding a few more minutes to the cooking time next time. Unfortunately, you can’t re-close the lid, cook for an additional 2 minutes, and say it’s your new cook time. You have to try the recipe from scratch again to find the cooking time of the rice.
• If your rice is soft: cook a few minutes less next time. Easy peasy.

Can I use Natural Release?

You can use natural release where the pressure decreases on its own. You can pre-program this recipe and dinner can wait for you at the counter when you get home.

As Instant Pot continues to cook while slowly releasing pressure, the consistency may be a little softer. Which is not a big deal. It is a hearty recipe anyway.

Add coriander and stir

1. Add coriander and stir gently. Don’t attack the instant pinto beans and rice recipe with a wooden spoon at 100 miles per hour.
2. I see a little liquid. My beans are “dry”. Don’t panic, just stir. The agitation must take care of the excess liquid. If the beans or rice are crispy, close the lid and let sit for 10 minutes. It will get there.
3. Don’t forget to add a small bunch of finely chopped coriander at the end of cooking. It changes everything!

[su_note note_color=”#cef5e3″]Please do not use white rice. It is cooked differently than brown rice. All dry beans require different cooking times. I do not recommend using other types of beans besides pinto beans. [/su_note]

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice, rinsed
• 1 cup pinto beans
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cups water or low sodium broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of cumin
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons of chili powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes, low sodium
• 1 bunch of coriander, chopped
• Hot sauce, optional

Instructions

1. In Instant Pot, add ingredients in the following order (do not change): onion, brown rice, pinto beans, water, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and diced tomatoes. Do not stir
2. Close the lid, turn the pressure vent to Sealed, and press Pressure Cook at high temperature for 22 minutes.
3. After Instant Pot has finished cooking, relieve pressure using the Quick Release method by turning the valve to Venting and open the lid.
4. Add coriander and stir gently. If the rice and beans are a little liquid or crispy, close the lid and let them sit for another 10 minutes.
5. If desired, serve hot with hot sauce and our favorite addition: cucumber and tomato salad. We love the combination of hearty rice and beans with fresh and healthy vegetable salad.

Print Recipe

4 from 1 vote

instant pot pinto beans and rice

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: instant pot pinto beans and rice

Servings: 6

Calories: 282kcal

Equipment

• Instant pot

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice, rinsed
• 1 cup pinto beans
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cups water or low sodium broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of cumin
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons of chili powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes, low sodium
• 1 bunch of coriander, chopped
• Hot sauce, optional

Instructions

• In Instant Pot, add ingredients in the following order (do not change): onion, brown rice, pinto beans, water, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and diced tomatoes. Do not stir.
• Close the lid, turn the pressure vent to Sealed, and press Pressure Cook at high temperature for 22 minutes.
• After Instant Pot has finished cooking, relieve pressure using the Quick Release method by turning the valve to Venting and open the lid.
• Add coriander and stir gently. If the rice and beans are a little liquid or crispy, close the lid and let them sit for another 10 minutes.
• If desired, serve hot with hot sauce and our favorite addition: cucumber and tomato salad. We love the combination of hearty rice and beans with fresh and healthy vegetable salad.