I’ve been waiting for months to share this new book with you, you guys! My friend, Daniel Shumski (author of Will it Waffle? and Will it Skillet?) just came out with his third book, How to Instant Pot and I know it’s going to be a life saver for a lot of you. I get questions about using the Instant Pot (a multi-function pressure cooker) on pretty much a daily basis, but Instant Pot cooking is just not my specialty. I use mine on occasion, but I am by no means an expert. So when I got to preview this book, I immediate emailed back asking for permission to share one of the recipes on my blog because THIS book, my friends, is the answer to all those Instant Pot questions you send me.
If you have an Instant Pot then you know that the instruction manual that comes with it is less than helpful. How to Instant Pot, provides all the instruction and information you need to really get the most out of this super-appliance. It breaks down each function, detailing how it cooks, how it’s different from the other functions, and provides plenty of tips and recipes specific for each function. Basically, Instant Pot should be including this book inside the box of each machine it sells. :P
Anyway, BACK TO THE BEANS. These Instant Pot Pinto Beans with Chorizo are seriously the best tasting beans I have ever eaten, hands down. I chose this recipe out of all the recipes in the book because I think cooking beans is one of the best uses for the Instant Pot, and this recipe uses a trick that I often employ in my recipes—using a small amount of heavily seasoned sausage to season your whole dish, instead of adding several different herbs and spices individually. This recipe uses dry or Spanish chorizo (not raw Mexican chorizo), which is a cured meat similar to pepperoni or salami, and boy does it deliver! I definitely need to be cooking with Spanish chorizo more often.
How to Serve Instant Pot Pinto Beans with Chorizo
You can serve these beans as suggested in the book with tortillas, shredded lettuce, and cheese, or you can serve it kind of as a dip with tortilla chips (that’s what I did), or spoon the bean mixture over a bowl of hot rice. It’s very versatile and so yummy that you might just end up eating it straight out of the pot with a spoon. :)
I made a few small changes to the pinto bean recipe, but I’m listing the recipe as it is written in the book below. Check the recipe notes to see what I did differently.
Instant Pot Pinto Beans with Chorizo
Servings 6 1 cup eachIngredients
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 4 oz. dry (Spanish) chorizo ($4.39)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 3 cloves garlic ($0.24)
- 2 cups dry pinto beans ($1.19)
- 2 bay leaves ($0.30)
- freshly cracked pepper ($0.05)
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth* ($0.39)
- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes** ($1.00)
Instructions
- Dice the chorizo, then add it to the instant pot along with the cooking oil. Press the Sauté button, then the Adjust button to select the “less” temperature setting. Sauté the chorizo in the oil, without a lid, until it becomes slightly crispy on the edges.
- While the chorizo is sautéing, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Once the chorizo is crispy, add the onion and garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent.
- Add the beans, bay leaves, and pepper to the pot and wait a moment to let the beans absorb some of the heat and prevent the broth from splattering when it hits the hot pot.
- Add the broth to the pot, stir briefly to combine, then place the lid on the Instant Pot. Close the steam valve, press the Manual button, select high pressure (if not selected automatically), then press the + button to increase the time to 35 minutes.
- Allow the beans to cook through the 35 minute cycle, then let the pressure release naturally (you’ll know the pressure has released when the silver float valve has fallen back down and is no longer flush with the top of the lid).
- Once the pressure has released, open the steam valve, and then remove the lid. Discard the bay leaf. Add the canned diced tomatoes with all their juices, then stir to combine.
- Press the cancel button to cancel the “keep warm” function, then press the Sauté button and use the Adjust button to select the “normal” heat level. Let the mixture simmer, stirring often, until the beans are very tender and the liquid has thickened.
- Serve the beans with tortillas, tortilla chips, or over a bowl of rice, and with optional toppings like cheese, cilantro, green onions, or finely diced red onion.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Pinto Beans with Chorizo – Step by Step Photos
Begin by chopping 4 oz. dry chorizo. Make sure you’re not using raw Mexican chorizo. This “dry” type is a cured sausage, like pepperoni, and does not need to be cooked (although it’s quite tasty when it is!).
Add the chorizo and 1 Tbsp cooking oil to the Instant Pot, select the Sauté function, then use the Adjust buttons to adjust down to the “less” temperature setting. Sauté for a few minutes or until the chorizo is a little crispy on the edges.
While the chorizo is sautéing, dice a yellow onion and mince three cloves of garlic. Add them to the pot with the chorizo and continue to sauté for a few minutes more until the onions are soft and transparent.
Add 2 cups of dry pinto beans, 2 bay leaves, and some freshly cracked pepper to the pot. Wait just a minute or so to let the beans absorb some of the heat and prevent the broth from spattering when it hits the hot pot.
Add 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth to the pot, stir briefly to combine, then place the lid on the pot.
Close the steam valve on the lid (turn it to the “sealing” position).
Then select the Manual button, and adjust the time up to 35 minutes using the + button. (It should auto-select high pressure, if not use the Adjust button to select high pressure.)
Allow the pot to come up to pressure, at which time that little silver float valve will rise up to be flush with the lid. Let it go through the 35 minute cooking cycle, then let it release pressure naturally as the temperature falls.
You’ll know the pressure has released when that little silver float valve falls back down and is no longer flush with the top of the lid. Turn the steam valve on top from the “sealing” position to “venting” then open the lid.
And this is what you see when you open the lid. It looks dry, but that’s because the beans have floated to the top. There is liquid underneath. Remove the bay leaves.
Add one 15oz. can of diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Press the Cancel button to cancel the “Keep Warm” cycle, then press the Sauté button and use the Adjust button to select the “normal” temperature setting. Let the beans simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender and the liquid has become nice and thick.
This is what it looks like once it has simmered down. It becomes a thick mixture, similar to chili. And soooooo tasty!
And then it’s time to dig in! I seriously can’t wait to eat my leftovers for lunch today. I’m already droolin’!
Quick question about the water to dry bean ratio – I normally use 2 to 1 (water to dry beans) when using my pressure cooker. This recipe only calls for a ration of 1.5 to 1. Do the beans fully cook without presoaking them? It just runs counter to everything that I have ever read about cooking dry beans in the pressure cooker.
They weren’t completely cooked after the pressure cooking cycle, but they finish cooking when they simmer on the sauté function at the end.
Oh this looks very good but I don’t have an instant pot. I’d be very happy if you sent out a slow cooker or stove top replacement so I can make this.
You could easily replicate this in a slow cooker by doing steps 1 and 2 in a separate pot on the stovetop, then transferring it to your slow cooker, adding the beans, bay leaves and broth, then letting it slow cook on low for 8 hours (the dried beans will still cook, no soaking required!). After 8 hours, add the tomatoes, switch the slow cooker to high and let cook for another 30 minutes to an hour.
No you can’t. I JUST tried it in a slow cooker and I had to throw everything out. The beans soak up all the broth and the meat just gets dry and grainy.
DO NOT DO THIS RECIPE IN A SLOW COOKER. DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS COMMENT.
It seems you don’t know how to read simple directions for recipes to where you’re constantly bashing Beth and her blog. Not too many people can afford to purchase a pressure cooker to where they have to make adjustments using a slow cooker. I’m going to give this recipe a try, despite what you think, Ryuuie. Do yourself a favor and shut your mouth!! No one is forcing you to cook anything from this blog. Carry on!!!
I have just recently been able to find the dry Spanish chorizo and I cook beans often so am excited to try this recipe.
re the Instant Pot. I’ve had mine for almost 3 years and use it more and more. I do use it for things that it doesn’t actually save time BUT it is “load and forget” time vs monitoring a pot on the stove: potatoes for mashed potatoes, pasta, rice. Also for things that it does save time and makes the process easier: beets, pumpkin and other largish squash. I like it for shredded chicken/pork/beef also. I could go on but all depending on personal preference and cooking style, it can be a very useful item and depend on it … it will be on a super deal on Amazon for Black Friday! Oh, the other thing … in the heat of the summer … I make things I might not as using the Instant Pot or any electric pressure cooker … does not add heat to the kitchen!
At any rate, thanks for this recipe, Beth!
My whole family loved this meal!! We served it over cauliflower rice and with your chili cheese cornbread- perfect budget-friendly meal!!
This is so good! I love that it’s not meat-heavy; the chorizo adds just the right amount of ‘umami’ and really carried the dish. We served this over rice alongside a green salad with a bright, orange dressing and it was a huge hit. Thanks for another home-run!
Sweet Heavens ! I’m in ! Thank you !
I was happy to see this since the only kind of Chorizo I can buy around here is Spanish. I sometimes use it as a sub for mexican chorizo, where it would work, but the texture is never the same, so I’m happy to see more recipes that call for Spanish Chorizo specifically.
But, I don’t have an instant pot! Argh!
Could I make this in a slow cooker? Looks amazing!
Could I make this in a slow cooker instead of an instant pot? Looks amazing!
Probably although I need to do some testing to figure out the best technique.
Could I substitute hot chicken sausage? That’s what I usually use instead of regular chorizo. I don’t want to shop. It’s what I have in my kitchen. :)
This chorizo is a cured sausage like pepperoni, not fresh chorizo which the chicken sausage would be a good substitution for. The two types of chorizo have different flavors and textures. You definitely want the cured kind for this recipe.
This looks delicious but … my issue is that I haven’t bought an instant pot yet! Any ideas on how to adapt to slow cooker or stovetop would be very appreciated! I want to try it! :)
I think I’d need to test it out for slow cooker or stove top before giving specific advice. You’d probably want to soak the beans, which would alter the amount of liquid needed in the pot when simmering them, which will also change the flavor. So it might be a little trickier than a straight conversion.
DO you use presoaked beans? I don’t like chorizo, what else could I use?
When using the pressure cooker you don’t need to soak them. :) Chorizo is the main flavor in this dish, so I wouldn’t suggest substituting it.
Hi! This looks awesome and a cool alternative to how I’ve been cooking pintos in the IP. Where did you find Spanish Chorizo? I live in an area with a significant Mexican population and only have seen Mexican, raw chorizo…
It’s usually in the deli area near specialty cheeses and meats like salami (not in the refrigerated deli meat area). I got mine at Publix. :)
Thanks for sharing this recipe; I’ve been wanting to use my Instant Pot more, especially for beans! Quick question: Trader Joe’s makes a meatless soyrizo that I often substitute for chorizo in recipes. Do you think it would work in here to sub that in (along with veggie or no-chicken broth) to make this recipe vegetarian? Thanks!
My guess is that the soyrizo is a substitute for fresh Mexican chorizo, which is a totally different beast from dry or Spanish chorizo. It might still taste good, but it will probably taste different than what I used. :) Also the fat in the chorizo plays a significant roll here, so I’m not sure how fatty the soyrizo is, but hopefully it has some!
I am a vegetarian so I tried it with the soyrizo — it worked well! I’m obviously not sure how it is supposed to taste but the soyrizo version tasted delightful. :)
what size instant pot are you using?
This is the 6 quart, 7-in-1 model. :)