When you just don’t know what to make for dinner, this recipe for Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice with a fresh avocado salsa swoops in to save the day! 268 calories and 6 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP. Thank you the California Avocado Commission for helping me share this recipe with you.
Instant Pot Black Beans & Rice with Fresh Avocado Salsa Recipe {Vegan}
If I had a dollar for each time I stood in front of my fridge or pantry, staring blankly and wondering what to make for dinner…well, I would have enough money to go out for a fancy meal! It’s those days that I’m grateful about my bordering-on-obsessive need to stock my pantry with staple items such as rice and beans.
Black beans and rice are a fantastic base for using up leftovers (less waste = less money out of our pockets!). Sometimes we pile on shredded chicken or grilled shrimp, and other times we tuck the mixture inside of burritos. But the beauty of a simple plate of beans and rice is that they can be a hearty vegetarian meal all on their own. Top them with a fresh avocado salsa and you have an easy, healthy meal that’s packed with protein and fiber.
If you caught my recipe for Korean BBQ Lettuce Wraps with Avocado Sauce last month, you know that I have a thing for iconic California recipes. And really, what’s more “California” than a fresh salsa made with creamy, flavorful California avocados? While this light and fresh salsa is the perfect foil for a hearty plate of black beans and rice, it’s equally good served on shrimp tacos, piled on top of grilled salmon or chicken, or served alongside a bowl of tortilla chips. And since California avocados are now in season, we will be making this salsa as often as we can over the next several months!
This Instant Pot recipe makes a large portion of rice and beans (8 cups!), which will stay good for a couple of days in the fridge so you can use it for a variety of meals during the week. The nutritional data provided in the recipe below accounts for 1 cup of rice and beans, along with the avocado salsa, to be served as a vegetarian entrée. Of course, you could serve up less as a side dish if you wish.
How to make Instant Pot black beans and rice:
• One of the many fantastic uses for the Instant Pot, or any other pressure cooker, is that it can cook dried beans in a fraction of time needed for stovetop cooking. Another bonus? It’s not necessary to soak the beans before cooking, which is a huge time saver!
• First, rinse the beans in a sieve and pick out any stones.
• Using the Saute mode on the Instant Pot, cook the onions until they start to soften. Stir in some minced garlic and the spices. If you’d like a little heat, stir in some cayenne pepper as well.
• Switch off the Sauté mode, then add the vegetable broth, water, rinsed black beans and brown rice. Give the mixture a quick stir to combine.
• Put the lid on the Instant Pot, close the steam vent and set to 30 minutes on HIGH pressure using Manual mode. It will take about 15 minutes for the pressure to build before the 30-minute cook time kicks in.
• Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest using quick release.
• Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with the avocado salsa.
Other recipes with California avocados:
Chimichurri Cucumber Noodles with Shrimp & Avocado {Cookin' Canuck}
Quinoa Avocado Breakfast Bowl {Cookin' Canuck}
Cobb Salad Bacon Cups {All Day I Dream About Food}
Grilled Corn & Avocado Salad {Bless This Mess}
Printable Recipe
Instant Pot Black Beans & Rice with Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
The rice and beans:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ cup dried black beans rinsed & stones picked out
- 1 ½ cup short grain brown rice
- juice of ½ lime
- salt and pepper to taste
The Salsa:
- 2 California avocados chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 3 tablespoons minced cilantro
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper seeds removed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
The Rice and Beans:
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and add the olive oil.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano and salt. Cook for 30 seconds. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, water, dried black beans and rice, and stir.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot, close the steam vent and set to HIGH pressure. Adjust the time to 30 minutes. The Instant Pot will take approximately 15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure the rest of the way.
- Squeeze in the the lime juice, fluff the rice and beans with a fork and season to taste. Serve with the avocado salsa.
The Salsa:
- While the rice and beans are cooking, stir together the avocado, lime juice, tomato, cilantro, jalapeno and salt.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission. All opinions are my own. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Camille St-Cyr
Delicious! Perfectly cooked rice & beans.
PK
Great recipe and even worked well with long grain brown rice. Definitely saving this recipe!
Jen
I love this recipe! I've made it 4 times and the last time, I added turmeric and black pepper. I also love cilantro and stirred in the entire bunch (chopped) after the black beans and rice was cooked.
Becky
I have a 6 quart Instant Pot. If I double the recipe, do I need to change the time cooked?
Steve S.
easy and excellent. I added extra salt and some chipotle powder to give it a bit of heat.
Dara
So glad to hear that, Steve!
Becky
Made this tonight and it was a hit! The Avocado Salsa was awesome! The only thing I will change next time is to add some hot pepper flakes for more zip. I used long grain brown rice because I couldn’t find short grain. I pressured it for 28 minutes instead of the 30. Thanks Dara for the delicious recipe.
Becky
I thought I had already asked this question, but I don't see it. Can I use medium OR long grain brown rice instead of short grain brown rice? I can't find short grain at my local stores. If so, do I need to adjust the cooking time? Thanks.
Dara
Hi Becky - I haven't made this recipe using medium or long grain rice, so can't answer this question definitively. My gut tells me it should work fine with the same cooking time.
Suee33
Delicious and Easy - I did not use the jalapeno as kids were eating it too ! However, I might try it sometime as I do put the pepper in my Guacamole and it is fine for all ages. I highly recommend this recipe thank you!
Dara
I'm so glad to hear that!
Amine @ instapot
I am so excited to try this in my IP! Sounds so delicious with the fresh avocado salsa!
Margaret
The recipe looks great, and I will try it soon. Not sure about the avocados though - you know that in Canada, avocados aren't such a big thing! I'm a vegetarian, and I would like to expand my vegetable choice because what I've been choosing lately is getting old, so I just may find an avocado for this.
Thanks for the recipe. As soon as I saw the word "Canuck", I knew that I would have to check out the recipe.
Margaret
Suee33
This was very quick and easy to prepare in the instant pot. I used Smoked Paprika instead of plain. Just what a chilly night calls for, with the fresh homemade salsa!! Will made this again - threw it together and went to a movie - dinner when we got home!! nothing better
Whit
That nutrition info is definitely off.... half a cup of brown rice is 100 calories and half a cup of black beans is over 100 calories so this doesn’t make sense
Dara
Whit, you're absolutely right! All of the nutrition info was off, but is fixed now. Thank you for catching that.
karim
I am so excited to try this in my Instapot
Dara
I hope you enjoy it, Karim!
Michelle
I made this last night and it was sooo good and easy to throw together. It’s definitely a recipe I will repeat especially for busy weeknights. I also love that I have leftovers for today. Keep the vegan instant pot recipes coming!!
Carolyn
That instant pot really is a miracle worker, isn't it?
Erin
Yes!! Love the instant pot, and my family love beans!
Jennifer Farley
This is my kind of food! YUM!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
Literally JUST made an avocado/black bean dish! This is the perfect side!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet
I am so excited to try this in my IP! Sounds so delicious with the fresh avocado salsa!
Rocky Mountain Woman
Love this combo. Black beans are one of my very favorite things and the Instant Pot makes it so easy!
Michelle
Going to try this this week! What size IP do you have? Mine is a small one, so just need to know how much to scale it down before I go grocery shopping
Thanks!
Dara
Hi Michelle, I have a 6 quart IP.
Michelle McVeigh
Great, thanks!