Confession - I bought an instant pot with the sole intention of cooking beans. I'm terrible at remembering to soak my beans, and it's been a literal meal saver on more than one occasion. Instant pot pinto beans come out perfect every single time. The method couldn't be easier, and the reward is far in excess of the effort.
Combine the pinto beans, onion, peppers, oregano, and chicken broth in an instant pot. Stir the ingredients, then top with a bay leaf.
Program to High Pressure for 30 minutes; it will take approximately 15 minutes for the pot to come to pressure. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release, then perform a quick release for the remaining pressure.
Drain the beans in a large colander, then return to the pot or a serving dish. Stir in the salt and lime juice.
Serve immediately as a side dish, or spoon into tortillas for vegetarian tacos.
Notes
One pound of dried beans yields approximately 6 cups of cooked beans. One can of beans is roughly 1 ¾ cups of cooked beans, so substitute accordingly.
Poblano peppers get milder as they cook - for a spicier dish, include the seeds.
Make these vegan by simply using vegetable stock.
Beans absorb lots of liquid, so add enough broth to cover them by about two inches.
Wait to salt the beans after they've been cooked - cooking beans with salt can make them tougher.
If you find that your beans are still too firm after cooking, reseal the pot and cook on high an additional 5 minutes.
Don't double this recipe if using a 6-quart instant pot, as the liquid will foam as it cooks (just like when you cook beans on the stove!) and could cause pressure issues. As a general rule, don't fill the pot more than halfway with cooking liquid when preparing beans in a pressure cooker.
Storage:
To store in the fridge: store in a sealed container in the fridge. They'll last for about 5 days. Reheat in a pot on the stove over medium high heat or in the microwave.
To store in the freezer: do not strain first, but do season with salt. Let the beans cool completely, then combine 2 cups cooked beans and about half a cup of cooking liquid in a freezer-safe container. I like these plastic deli storage containers and have also had lots of success using quart-sized freezer-specific ziplock bags. Make a note on the bag to add lime juice to the cooked beans after defrosting and reheating.