Instant Pot Cranberry Beans, a simple 11-minute recipe for cooking dried cranberry beans, or borlotti beans, in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Super tasty, super easy!
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Love cranberry beans but not sure how to cook them from dried? Use your Instant Pot! Cooking dried beans like cranberry beans is super simple in the pressure cooker and only takes 11 minutes for plump and perfect beans for your next soup or stew.
👉 Ready to learn how to make dried cranberry beans in the pressure cooker? Let's do it!
🌿 Ingredients
- Dried cranberry beans: dried cranberry beans, or borlotti beans, can be found in most bulk sections of grocery stores
- Water: Use 3 parts water for every 1 part dried beans (so for 1 cup, use 3 cups of water)
- Salt: A touch of salt in the water before pressure cooking helps the beans cook faster, and adds flavor
- Herbs: Optional, but fresh or dried herbs like sage or thyme (pictured here) add a punch of flavor
- Oil: Optional, but a bit of oil in the cooking water helps soften beans and adds a deeper flavor
- Recommended tools: medium bowl, Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, colander for straining
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Rinse cranberry beans(optional step)
If you’d like beans to cook slightly faster and to potentially make them easier to digest, give the beans a quick rinse and soak for 5-10 minutes before cooking.
To do this, simply add the dried cranberry beans to a bowl and cover with water for 5-10 minutes. Then drain them before cooking in the pressure cooker.
👉 Why should you rinse your beans before cooking? Sometimes certain beans, peas, and pulses may have indigestible fibers that may cause bloating in some people. Giving your dried cranberry beans a quick rise and soak will help to remove some of these compounds before cooking, which makes them easier to digest later. However, if you don’t rinse them they are still perfectly fine to eat.
2️⃣ Step Two: Cook cranberry beans in the pressure cook
Add cranberry beans, water (see below for the correct ratio), salt, any dried herbs you’d like, and a drizzle of olive oil to the Instant Pot.
Close the lid on securely, then pressure cook the beans on the high pressure or “beans” setting for 11 minutes. When time is up, release the pressure immediately.
👉 What is the correct ratio of beans to water in the pressure cooker? Generally we do 1 part beans and 3 parts water for a 1:3 ratio in the Instant Pot. So for this recipe we’re doing 2 cups of beans and 6 cups of water for 6 servings of beans (about ⅓ cup per serving). If you’d like more or less servings, use the servings adjuster in this recipe card or use the ratio of 1:3 for 1 cup of dried beans to give 3 servings.
3️⃣ Step Three: Serve or store beans
When the beans are done, remove them from the Instant Pot with a straining ladle or remove the pressure cooker pan from the pot and drain the beans in a colander.
Use the beans immediately if adding to soups, stews, salads, or serving as a side dish.
🧊 How to store
- Refrigerator storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer storage: We do not recommend freezing dried cranberry beans after cooking because they will not retain their texture after freezing and thawing.
❓ Recipe questions + quick tips
If stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container, dried cranberry beans will be stay shelf-stable for at least a year, and up to 2-3 years if stored properly.
Dried cranberry beans will stay shelf-stable for year if store properly, but throw them out if they have visible mold, have a stale or offputting smell, or if there are signs of pantry bug infestation.
🍛 How to serve
- Add to a soup: use cranberry beans in a soup or stew, like this plant-based Zuppa di Farro
- As a side dish: Serve immediately after cooking for a simple side dish, or add them to a pan with garlic and oil to add more flavor.
- Combine with rice: Spice it up with rice for a twist on traditional beans and rice
- Add to a simple salad: Add a serving of cranberry beans to a salad with sturdy greens like chard or kale for a punch of protein and fiber
♻️ Sustainable kitchen tips
Store dried beans safely. To keep dried cranberry beans shelf-stable when dried before cooking, store them in an airtight jar or container in the pantry in a cool, dry place and they will keep for a minimum of 1 year.
Reuse bean cooking water. Don’t throw out the cooking water for these beans! Instead use it in your garden to add extra nutrients to plants.
👉 More recipes using cranberry beans
Want more cranberry beans recipes? Try this plant-based take on Italian favorite Vegan Zuppa di Farro.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Cranberry Beans
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot or other pressure cooker
- 1 large mixing bowl for soaking (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberry beans dried
- 6 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons herbs fresh or dried, optional
- 1 teaspoon oil optional
Instructions
- Rinse cranberry beans (optional): Add dried cranberry beans to a bowl and cover with water for 5-10 minutes, the drain and set aside.
- Cook cranberry beans: Add 2 cups cranberry beans, 6 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons herbs, and 1 teaspoon oil to an Instant Pot or pressure cooker and close the lid securely. Cook on on high pressure, or on the “Beans” setting, for 11 minutes. When done, release the pressure immediately.
- Drain and serve (or store): When the beans are done, remove them from the pressure cooker and drain. Serve immediately by mixing into salads, soups, or as a side dish, or store for later use (see storing instructions in notes).
B says
I’m still cooking my beans. I put them on high for 11 minutes and they were hard as rocks when I opened it. I let them soak before hand for about 20 minutes. I added oil, salt, and garlic to the beans. I’m currently on 35 minutes and I think they will still be hard when I open them. I am unsure of how you got 11 minutes.
Kristina Todini, RDN says
I'm sorry to hear that B, did you use the "Beans" setting for a cook time of 11 minutes? This cook time does not include the warm up or pressure release time, but the actual time you enter into your pressure cooker. Each Instant Pot/pressure cooker is different, so it may be a slight range but 35 minutes of cooking time seems way too high to pressure cook beans from dried. For reference, for smaller beans I usually do 7-8 minutes (black beans, etc.) but for larger beans like cranberry beans I only need from 10-12 minutes, hence my 11 minute recommendation. Hope that helps!
Peg says
I have an Instant pot duo. followed your recipe to a T. Still hard after 8 min. Restarted for 5 min. Still too hard but not too bad. Restarted again for 10 min. Came out perfect with a little bit of bite. Instant pot instructions say 30 min at normal setting. Next time I will do for 20. I even checked date on the bean bag. Not outdated and kept in cupboard away from heat sources so I don't think it was the beans. Thanks anyway. it was still better than cooking 1.5 hrs etc
Thanks.
Kristina Todini, RDN says
Hi Peg, thanks for sharing this! I'm sorry that the cooking time didn't work for you, I've actually made these beans a few times in my Instant Pot and I set it on Beans/Chili for 8 minutes and it has worked every time. I wonder if maybe there's a difference in our pots? I'll give it another try next time I make these, and if it's different for me I will update this recipe. Appreciate your feedback.