• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Know Your Produce
  • Home
  • About
    • Resources
    • Privacy
    • Disclosure
    • Nutrition Disclaimer
    • Work With Us
    • Contact
  • Recipes
  • How To
  • Gardening
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • How To
  • Gardening
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Recipes / Instant Pot Recipes

    Instant Pot White Beans (Great Northern Beans, No Soak Method)

    BY: Courtney PUBLISHED: Nov 21, 2021 4 Comments UPDATED ON: Feb 4, 2024

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Learn how to cook white beans in the instant pot. We show you how to make Instant Pot White Beans step by step with video. Perfect for all your favorite white bean recipes.

    If you’re looking at how to cook beans fast, no soaking required, the instant pot is the best way to cook beans Make a batch now and then try them with our vegan white bean soup recipe!

    cooked instant pot white beans in a white bowl with instant pot in background

    The best part about this recipe is you can make these instant pot white beans no soak or make them using pre-soaked. No soaking will result

    HOW TO SOAK BEANS

    Soaking is optional and we do not soak our beans, but if you want to soak them prior to cooking in the instant pot follow these steps.

    Before prepping white beans, give the beans a rinse and remove any dirt or debris, if any. How much water you use to soak the beans will depend on the amount of beans you’re using. If you’re using 1 cup of Great Northern Beans, use 3 cups of water.

    You need to cover the beans in water by at least 2 inches or 3 inches over the beans. If you’re concerned to leave it without watching for hours like me I go for the 3 inches above

    Soaking too long or in a warm area can cause the beans to ferment. If your home is warmer than usual, you should place the beans in the refrigerator to soak.

    dry white beans on a blue background

    HOW TO COOK WHITE BEANS IN THE INSTANT POT

    1. Sift through the white beans to remove any large pieces of dirt or debris.
    2. Thoroughly rinse the beans under cold running water and then pour them into the instant pot. Use cool/cold water to do this.
    3. Pour in the water and set valve to Sealing, then select Pressure Cook setting to High for 30 minutes.
    4. Allow the pressure cooker to come to pressurize (time will depend on your altitude, mine took 12 minutes), once it’s pressurized cooking time will begin to count down.
    5. Once the 30 minutes are up, and the machine beeps, allow it to Natural Release for 20 minutes.
    6. When this time is up, release any remaining pressure in the pot by setting the valve to Venting. Do this carefully.
    7. Carefully open the pot turning away from your face. You can use a wooden spoon instead of your hand as well.
    8. Most of the water will have been absorbed by the beans. At this time you can add salt or any seasonings you would like.
    9. Serve and enjoy the white beans as desired.
    instant pot with white beans in front of it in a white bowl

    Recipe Tips:

    • Limit the amount of salt in your diet by reserving salt until after cooking and salt to taste.
    • You should always use beans that are in date, expired beans or even old beans can result in hard beans which are less than desirable.

    Recipes using white beans:

    • Vegan White Bean Soup
    • Vegan Sweet Potato Stew
    • Vegan Baked Beans

    STORAGE AND REHEATING TIPS

    • Allow the beans to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before placing them in the refrigerator.
    • Refrigate: Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days.
    • Freeze: To freeze leftover beans place in an air tigher freezer safe container with some of the bean cooking water. They can be store in the freezer for about 6 months.
    • Reheat: To enjoy them warm you can use a sauce pan or microwave to warm them up. We warm them up with a little bit of the bean cooking water and seaosnings. You can also use the beans in your favorite recipes that call for white beans.

    HOW TO SERVE

    White beans are excellent in soups, stews, dips, salads, thickening sauces, and more. Our favorite way to enjoy Great Northern Beans is our White Bean Soup

    FAQs

    Is it important to soak beans before cooking?

    Soaking your beans reduces the phytic acid and improves the absorption of nutrients and minerals. Also, if you suffer from gas from beans you’ll want to soak them as it can help reduce gas-causing compounds in the beans. Some notice a softer bean when soaking and it can take less time to cook.

    How many cups of dried beans to cooked beans?

    1lb of dried white beans is about 2 cups dried. Once you cook the beans and they plump up it becomes about 6 cups of cooked white beans.

    How many cups are in a can of beans?

    There are about 1.5 cups in a 15oz can of beans. If you need these beans for a recipe for canned beans use 1 1/2 cups of beans to equal a can of beans.

    cooked white beans in a white bowl

    MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

    • Instant Pot Chickpeas (Soaked and No Soak)
    • Instant Pot Black Beans – Pressure Cooker Recipe
    cooked instant pot white beans in a white bowl with instant pot in background

    Instant Pot White Beans

    Author: Courtney
    Instant Pot White Beans are easy to make using dried Great Northern beans and an electric pressure cooker. Now you'll always have perfectly cooked white beans ready for recipes.  
    5 from 8 votes

    (click stars to vote)

    Print Pin SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    pressurize: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 308kcal
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: great nothern beans, instant pot beans, instant pot white beans
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb Great Northern Beans rinsed and sorted, dry
    • 5 cups water or broth
    • salt optional

    Instructions

    • Sift through the white beans to remove any large pieces of dirt or debris.
    • Thoroughly rinse the beans under cold running water and then pour them into the instant pot.
    • Pour in the water and set valve to Sealing, then select Pressure Cook setting to High for 30 minutes.
    • Allow the pressure cooker to come to pressurize (time will depend on your altitude, mine took 12 minutes), once it’s pressurized cooking time will begin to count down.
    • Once the 30 minutes are up, and the machine beeps, allow it to Natural Release for 20 minutes.
    • When this time is up, release any remaining pressure in the pot by setting the valve to Venting.
    • Carefully open the pot turning away from your face. You can use a wooden spoon instead of your hand as well.
    • Most of the water will have been absorbed by the beans. At this time you can add salt or any seasonings you would like.
    • Serve and enjoy the white beans as desired.

    Tried this recipe?

    We’d love to know what you think! Please leave a rating and comment to share your thoughts on this recipe. Your feedback helps us continue sharing free, high-quality recipes with you. Thank you so much!

    Video

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Instant Pot White Beans
    Serving Size
     
    1 cup
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    308
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Sodium
     
    25
    mg
    1
    %
    Potassium
     
    1258
    mg
    36
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    57
    g
    19
    %
    Fiber
     
    18
    g
    75
    %
    Sugar
     
    2
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    20
    g
    40
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    5
    mg
    6
    %
    Calcium
     
    166
    mg
    17
    %
    Iron
     
    5
    mg
    28
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    full nutrition disclaimer

    The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.

    Did you make this recipe?Tag us on social media using @knowyourproduce and or use #knowyourproduce!

    Did you try this recipe? Be sure to leave a recipe rating! Also, tag us @knowyourproduce on Instagram and hashtag it #knowyourproduce so we can share it!.

    POSTED IN: Gluten Free Recipes Instant Pot Recipes Main Dish Recipes Recipes Side Dish Recipes Vegan Recipes Vegetarian Recipes great northern beans white beans

    About Courtney

    Fruit and Veggie lover. I love making produce fun and delicious, not to mention taking tons of pictures in the process! :-)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lori Adams

      August 31, 2023 at 11:08 am

      Did not have all the spices this called for so, substituted a spoonful of better than bouillon Italian flavor. Turned out awesome. Leftover was made into hummus

      Reply
      • Courtney

        September 02, 2023 at 12:45 pm

        We’re so glad you enjoyed!!

        Reply
      • Rebecca J Buckley

        April 08, 2024 at 10:09 am

        I’m failing to see the spices this recipe calls for but, okay!

        Reply
        • Courtney

          April 08, 2024 at 4:50 pm

          Adding spices and seasonings during the cooking process is optional. We prefer to use our beans in recipes so this recipe is as if you would open a can of cooked beans and then you can use for any recipe. Hope that helps 🙂

    5 from 8 votes (7 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    fall family photo, mother, son, daughter, father.

    Welcome to know your produce.

    Hey there! We're sharing our love for fruits and veggies and making sure that they are in each and every meal.

    More about us →

    sign up for recipes and tips




    Popular Recipes

    • Apple Carrot Bread
    • homemade zucchini bread recipe
      Zucchini Bread Recipe
    • peach bread recipe
      Peach Bread Recipe
    • Easy Fruit Salad

    More From The Blog >

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Cookie Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Us

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Know Your Produce

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.