Pressure Cooker Vaquero Beans - beans in broth as a side dish. Simple, delicious, and done in about an hour thanks to the pressure cooker.
Vaquero beans remind me of dairy cows, with their black and white spots. (They’re also called Orca beans for a similar reason…but I’m from Ohio. When I see that pattern, I think cows.)
I got these beautiful beans in my Bean of the Month Club bean box from Rancho Gordo. What, why are you laughing? Doesn’t everyone belong to a Bean of the Month Club?
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Don’t have Vaquero beans? Anasazi or Pinto beans work just as well in this recipe. And, if you are a long-time reader and this technique seems familiar…that’s because it is my Pressure Cooker Beans Basic Technique, and very similar to my Pinto Beans recipe.
🥫Ingredients
This is a simple dried bean recipe, so the ingredients list is pretty basic
- Dried Vaquero beans
- Onion
- Bay Leaf
- Green onion for garnish
See recipe card for quantities.
🥘 Substitutions
Can't find Vaquero beans? Pinto beans or Anasazi beans make a good substitute.
On the flip side, Vaquero beans make a good Pinto bean substitute - use them in Refried beans, bean stews, or anywhere you would use pintos.
You can replace the onion with 2 cloves of unpeeled garlic if you like garlicky beans, and skip the bay leaf if you don't have it.
The green onion garnish is optional - but I like the crunch of fresh onion on my beans.
🛠 Equipment
A 6-quart pressure cooker. Pressure cooker dried beans are one of the reasons I became a pressure cooker convert, and love my Instant Pot. Try them - you’ll never go back to canned beans. (OK, maybe you will, for convenience - but see the Storage section for tips on make ahead freezer beans.)
📏Scaling
This recipe scales down easily - cut everything in half if you don’t need as many beans, or have a 3-quart pressure cooker. Scaling up runs into space issues; if you have an 8-quart pressure cooker, you can double this recipe, but it’s too much to fit in a 6-quart pressure cooker.
🤨 Soaking vaquero beans?
I get the “to soak, or not to soak?” question all the the time. I didn't soak the vaquero beans in this recipe. They don’t need an overnight soak, and cook to tenderness with 35 minutes at high pressure.
That doesn’t mean you can’t soak the beans. They turn out fine, though the bean broth isn’t quite as full bodied. Soaked beans cook much quicker, 15 minutes at high pressure. I use that when I’m cooking the beans with other ingredients, where the shorter cooking time keeps me from overcooking the whole dish just to get the beans tender.
💡Tips and Tricks
- Salt your bean water! “Salt toughens beans” is a myth. Salting before cooking helps season the beans all the way through as they cook.
- Try to buy beans from a store with lots of bean turnover. Beans dry out as they age, which makes them a little tougher to cook.
- If your beans are still tough when the cooking time is over, especially any “floaters” at the top of the pot, you probably got some old beans. Give the pot a stir, lock the lid, and pressure cook the beans for another five minutes.
- Simmer to thicken: If you have the time, and want thicker bean liquid, simmer the beans for 20 minutes after pressure cooking. I set my Instant Pot to Sauté mode adjusted to low, set the timer to 20 minutes, and leave the lid off to let the broth evaporate.
🎬 Video: Pressure Cooker Vaquero Beans in Broth - Time Lapse (1:18)
Pressure Cooker Vaquero Beans in Broth - Time Lapse [YouTube.com] Print
Pressure Cooker Vaquero Beans in Broth
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 7 cups 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker Vaquero Beans - beans in broth as a side dish. Simple, delicious, and done in about an hour thanks to the pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried Vaquero beans, sorted and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups water
- (Optional) Chopped scallions (green onions) for garnish
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the beans: Sort the vaquero beans, removing any broken beans, stones, and dirt clods. Rinse the beans in a strainer under running water.
- Pressure cook the beans for 35 minutes with a Natural Release: Put the beans in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, sprinkle with the salt, and add the onion and bay leaves to the top. Pour in the 6 cups of water, stir, and then lock the pressure cooker lid. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes in an electric pressure cooker ("Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode in an Instant Pot), or for 30 minutes in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes. (You can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes if you are in a hurry).
- Serve: Remove the pressure cooker lid - open it away from you to protect yourself from the hot steam. Discard the bay leaf and onion. If you want a thicker bean broth, puree a cup of beans and broth, then stir back into the pot. (I use a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup and my stick blender to do this.) Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve…or freeze in 2-cup containers for up to 6 months.
Notes
Soaked beans: In a hurry? Soak the dried beans overnight. The night before cooking, sort the beans, then cover in 8 cups of water. Add a tablespoon of kosher salt if you want to brine them. Let the beans soak overnight, then drain the beans and rinse them right before cooking. Follow the recipe as written, but reduce the pressure cooking time to 15 minutes in an electric PC, and 12 minutes in a stovetop PC, with a natural pressure release.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Southwestern
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☃️ Storage
This recipe freezes well, in 2-cup containers, for up to 6 months. The bread crumb crust will get soggy, but still taste good.
📷 Step by Step picture
🤝 Related Posts
Pressure Cooker Refried Pinto Beans
Pressure Cooker Santa Maria Pinquito Beans
Pressure Cooker Bean Mix Soup
My other Pressure Cooker Recipes
My other Pressure Cooker Time Lapse Videos
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Geri says
Thank you for being the Instant Pot Rancho Gordo Bean specialist! You rock! All your recipes are the best.
Mike Vrobel says
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoy them!
Jaimie says
Another perfect pot of beans. Added a small can of fire roasted tomatoes and a pinch of Mexican oregano. Thank you 😊.
Mike Vrobel says
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed them.
Christine H says
appreciate the info!
MaryCBVR says
I used your recipe yesterday. I added 2 tsp of rosemary and a garlic clove just because I was in a rosemary kind of mood, but followed the rest to the letter. The dish rocked our socks off! I’m considering slipping some away to freeze for later, but I’ll have to be stealthy...my husband would have eaten the whole pot last night if he could have. I had never used our Instant Pot for beans, thank you for posting such clear instructions...I am definitely a convert!
Mike Vrobel says
Great! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Teresa says
THANK YOU for recommending the Rancho Gordo Bean Club. Oh My Gosh! They are the best. Got a 3 quart InstantPot Ultra for Christmas (been using 6 qt for years) and plan to try a small batch of beans. Rancho Gordo + Dad Cooks Dinner = Awesomeness
Mike Vrobel says
I know, right? They're the best beans I've ever had.