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The BEST Colombian Red Beans

5 from 2 votes
Bursting with the flavors of cumin, cilantro, and tomato, this Colombian-style red beans recipe can be made in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
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Prep Time:8 hours
Cook Time:35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
Author: Caroline from Nourish Yourself

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure Cooker (or Instant Pot)
  • 1 Cutting board and knife
  • 1 Bowl optional
  • 1 Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. dried red beans
  • 1 bunch cilantro stems and leaves chopped
  • 2-3 medium tomatoes chopped into large chucks
  • 1 small yellow onion (optional) chopped
  • 12 oz. raw bacon chopped into 1 in. pieces
  • 1 tbsp. cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. white pepper
  • filtered water

Instructions

  • 8-12 hours before you plan to start cooking the beans, rinse them in strainer and remove any debris.
  • Once rinsed, cover the beans with 2 inches of filtered water and let soak for 8-12 hours. Add more water throughout the soaking period if needed.
  • Once the beans have soaked for 8-12 hours, pour the beans and remaining soaking water into the pot of the pressure cooker.
  • Add the chopped tomato, cilantro, onion (optional), and bacon to the pressure cooker pot. Then add the salt, white pepper, and cumin. Stir to combine ingredients.
  • Add additional water to the pot to cover the beans by approximately 1-2 inches (or to suit your preference). More water will result in a souper pot of beans, and less water will result in a thicker pot of beans.
  • Lock the pressure cooker lid into place, and turn the valve to "pressure". Turn the stove heat on high and wait for the pressure indicator button to pop up. Once the pressure indicator has popped up, reduce the heat to medium and allow to pressure cook for 35 minutes.
  • Once the 35 minutes have elapsed, release the pressure and check the beans for doneness. They should be completely tender, yet holding their shape. If the beans are still too firm, bring the pressure cooker back up to pressure and cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes or until the beans are tender.
  • Serve with rice or in burrito bowls or tacos. These leftovers get better each day in the fridge!

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Follow the soaking times, ingredient amounts, instructions, etc. as listed.
  • Once all the ingredients have been added to the Instant Pot, lock the lid into place and turn the valve to "pressure". Select the "Chili/Beans" function for 35 minutes.
  • After 35 minutes, check the beans for doneness. If still firm, replace the lid and select the "Chili/Beans" function for another 10-15 minutes or until the beans are tender.
  • Once fully cooked, taste, and add more salt if needed.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Chop both the stems and leaves of the cilantro. You don't need to pluck the leaves from the stems unless you are using a woody herb in a recipe such as thyme.
  • If you don't have enough time to soak the beans for the full 8-12 hours, then you will need to increase the cooking time to achieve tender beans. For example, if you were only able to soak the beans for 4 hours, then I would start at a 45-minute cooking time, then add more time if the beans are still firm.
  • This is an excellent freezer meal. Fully cook the beans and then freeze in ziplock bags (including the broth).