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A wooden bowl of pressure cooked great northern beans with a sprig of basil on top and a gold and white napkin and instant pot in the background.
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Instant Pot White Beans

Make Instant Pot cannellini beans with this easy, no-soak recipe! These pressure cooker white beans are a perfect homemade alternative to canned beans.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
pressurize/depressurize20 minutes
Total Time47 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: butter bean, Cannellini, dry beans, great northern white bean, Instant Pot recipe, lima bean, No-soak dried beans, white beans
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 168kcal
Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker)
  • colander

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried white beans Cannellini or navy, butter or Lima
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups hot water preheating your liquid saves time
  • 3 cups hot chicken broth or equal amount of water

Instructions

  • Rinse and pick through your beans, removing any shriveled beans or rocks. Place the dry beans in the Instant Pot bowl, then add the salt, broth, and water. Using hot water and broth helps bring the pot to pressure faster, reducing your cooking time.
  • Twist on the pressure cooker lid, turn or press pressure lever (if needed), and set on high pressure for 25 minutes. Add 10 minutes for large beans like cannellini . When done, allow a 20 minute natural pressure release (leave pot undisturbed), then do a quick release my twisting or pressing the pressure lever/button.
  • Using pot holders, carefully remove the pot liner and drain the beans into a colander. Rinse the beans until the water runs clear. Serve the beans or store in the refrigerator or freezer for later (see notes below).

Notes

  • For large white beans, add 10 minutes to pressure cooking. 
  • Presoaking is optional with this recipe. If you use presoaked beans, reduce the natural pressure release time to 10 minutes.
  • If you plan on freezing these white beans, I suggest cooking them without any salt or other seasonings. That way, you can add fresh seasonings when you reheat them. This will help them taste fresher.
Recipe Variations:
  • Use water only instead of chicken broth for a vegetarian version.
  • Include some aromatics - A few cloves of garlic, diced onion, bay leaf, or herbs like rosemary will add extra flavor.
  • For a creamier texture, mash some of it before serving.
  • For firm beans, shorten the natural pressure release time to 15 minutes. For softer beans, use a 25-minute natural pressure release.
Storing Instructions:
  • Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
  • When ready to use, reheat them on the stove over low heat until warmed through. Add a little water or broth to moisten them if needed.