# Quick and Easy Pressure Cooker Black Beans with Chorizo

> The fastest and easiest way to cook black beans is in the pressure cooker. Combined with spicy, smoky chorizo for maximum flavor.

**Active time:** 5 minutes
**Total time:** About 1 hour
**Yield:** Serves 6 to 8
**Storage:** Refrigerates 5 days; freezes 3 months

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## Ingredients

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 oz Spanish-style chorizo, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch half moons
- 1 lb dried black beans
- 1 whole onion, split in half
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- 1 orange, split in half
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

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## Shopping List

### 🥩 Meat
- [ ] 6 oz Spanish-style chorizo

### 🌾 Pantry
- [ ] 1 lb dried black beans
- [ ] 4 cups chicken stock (low-sodium)
- [ ] Vegetable oil (need 1 tbsp)

### 🥬 Produce
- [ ] 1 whole onion
- [ ] 4 whole garlic cloves
- [ ] 1 orange
- [ ] Fresh cilantro for serving

### 🧂 Spices
- [ ] 2 bay leaves
- [ ] Kosher salt (need 2 tsp plus more)

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## Special Equipment

- Electric or stovetop pressure cooker

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## Why It Works

The pressure cooker delivers tender, creamy black beans packed with chorizo flavor in under an hour.

Sweating the chorizo before adding the beans and aromatics ensures that it releases its fat and adds its flavor to the beans.

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## Instructions

1. **Cook chorizo.** Heat oil in pressure cooker until shimmering. Add chorizo and cook, stirring, until it releases its fat and starts to crisp, about 2 minutes. Add beans, onion, garlic cloves, orange, bay leaves, chicken stock, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook at high pressure for 40 minutes.

2. **Release pressure and finish.** For extra-tender and creamy beans, allow pressure to release naturally. For firmer beans, use quick-release valve on an electric pressure cooker, or run a stovetop pressure cooker under cold running water until pressure dissipates. Remove lid and discard onion, orange, and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and serve. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro at the table.

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## Serving Ideas

- As a side dish for Mexican or Latin meals
- Over rice with avocado and lime
- In burritos or tacos
- Topped with sour cream and cheese
- With warm tortillas

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## Notes

- No need to soak beans when using a pressure cooker
- Orange adds subtle citrus flavor and helps tenderize beans
- Can substitute vegetable stock for a vegetarian version
- Remove aromatics (onion, orange, bay leaves) before serving
- Adjust salt after cooking as chorizo is already salty
- Recipe by Kenji López-Alt