Instant Pot Beans- Lectin-Free Beans

by girlseeksjoy · Published March 31, 2022 · Updated March 31, 2023

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I’m about to tell you how you can make your own homemade beans (lectin free) in your Instant pot in under an hour with less than 5 minutes of prep time.

*Beans, beans the magical fruit… the more you eat the more you, uh, toot…*

Hold on, it does not need to be that way friend, trust me. There is a way to continue enjoying beans without all the distress that comes along with it.

Did you know that beans have something called lectins in them? Lectins are typically the cause for the well known bean related gut drama. “Lectins are a type of protein that can bind to sugar. They’re sometimes referred to as antinutrients. Animal studies suggest that certain lectins can reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Lectins are thought to have evolved as a natural defense in plants, essentially as a toxin that deters animals from eating them” (healthline.com)

So basically lectins are antinutrients that are trying to protect the plant (in this case, beans) from being eaten. And since they can’t fight physically, they need to use chemical warfare. The gastrointestinal distress you may experience from eating beans is due to this chemical warfare in your gut.

So, does that mean beans are off the table then? We took them off the table for many years after eating a more paleolithic diet for health reasons. But after reading Dr. Steven Gundry’s book The Plant Paradox, I learned that there is actually a way you can break down the lectins…

…with your pressure cooker.

This is the one we have. Although, I’ll be honest with you, I desperately miss our duo with the air fryer lid!

Now that we have dusted off our Instant Pot, let’s get cooking!

…but first, soak your beans

I have tried to prove to myself that this is an unnecessary step to take. But alas, it absolutely makes a difference in the happiness of the bellies in my family, and here is why:

“Soaking beans overnight actually begins bean germination and promotes enzyme release. The germination process is what breaks down all the complex bean sugars. Breaking down the complex sugar is a good thing as this is what gives us gas. Apparently, soaking beans overnight using the “Long Soak” method can reduce complex sugars by up to 60 percent.” (squawkfox.com)

Once beans are soaked, drain out the liquid and dump the beans into the Instant Pot, and add the following ingredients.

Instant Pot homemade beans recipe

1 cup dry beans (measured before soaking)

4 cups of water

1 T of salt

½ of a peeled onion

Press the “pressure cooker” button on your instant pot. And then reference below for cook

	Soaked cook time in Instant Pot	Dry cook time in Instant Pot
Black beans	6-8 minutes	20-25 minutes
Great northern beans	6-9 minutes	25-30 minutes
Kidney beans (red)	7-8 minutes	20-25 minutes
Pinto beans	6-9 minutes	25-30 minutes
Navy beans	7-8 minutes	20-25 minutes