With an Instant Pot and less than 1 hour, you can make perfectly cooked Great Northern white beans every time! Let us show you how.
Instant Pot White Beans
The Instant Pot is our preferred method for cooking Great Northern (white) beans because it’s quick & easy (no soaking required!) and yields perfectly tender beans!
Here’s what you need to know:
Ratio = 1 part Great Northern (white) beans : 3 ½ parts waterCook Time = 30-32 minutesRelease = 15 minute natural release, then release any remaining pressure
They go well in stews, soups, white chili, and salads, or as a sub for some of the cashews in vegan alfredo sauce.
Did you find this helpful? If so, be sure to check out our Instant Pot Cooking Times Guide for perfectly cooked grains and beans every time!
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Instant Pot White Beans (Great Northern, Fast, No Soaking!)
A quick & simple method for making PERFECT white beans in the Instant Pot every time! Just 1 ingredient and 1 pot required! Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 23 minutes Cook Time 32 minutes Total Time 55 minutes Servings 4 (3/4-cup servings)Course Helpful How-to, Side DishCuisine Gluten-Free, VeganFreezer Friendly 1 monthDoes it keep? 5 Days
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Ingredients
US Customary – Metric1 cup white beans (Great Northern // see notes for cannellini or white kidney beans)3 ½ cups water (or vegetable broth for more flavor)
Instructions
Add white beans and water (or vegetable broth) to the Instant Pot and stir to prevent sticking. Pressure cook on high for 30-32 minutes (30 minutes for more firm, 32 for more tender // it will take about 8 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking begins).Once the timer goes off, allow to naturally release for 15 minutes, then release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove lid once steam has fully escaped and strain off any excess cooking liquid.Enjoy immediately in stews, soups, white chili, or salads, or as a sub for some of the cashews in vegan alfredo sauce. Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop, adding a little water, as needed, to prevent sticking.
Notes
*If using cannellini (white kidney) beans, we suggest soaking them for 6-8 hours, draining the water, and adding the soaked beans to the Instant Pot with ~3 cups (710 ml) fresh water. Then pressure cook on high for 5-7 minutes (5 for more firm beans, 7 for more buttery) and natural release for 15 minutes as specified in instruction 2.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Total time includes active cook time, release time, and the time it takes for the Instant Pot to heat up (~8 minutes).
Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)
Serving: 1 three-quarter-cup serving Calories: 185 Carbohydrates: 33.3 g Protein: 12.9 g Fat: 0.5 g Saturated Fat: 0.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 8 mg Potassium: 745 mg Fiber: 8.4 g Sugar: 0.5 g Vitamin A: 0 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 119.48 mg Iron: 4.91 mg