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A bowl of Instant Pot Pot Red Beans and Rice

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Recipe


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5 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Mike Vrobel
  • Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 1x

Description

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice. The Cajun classic, from dry beans, ready in about an hour thanks to pressure cooking dry beans.


Ingredients

Scale

Beans and soaking

  • 1 pound dry red kidney beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 8 cups of water

Aromatics

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 pound smoked sausage (preferably andouille), quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch wedges
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 1 stalk celery, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or dried thyme)
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or to taste)

For serving

  • Cooked long grain white rice
  • Minced parsley
  • Minced green onions
  • Hot sauce (Tabasco)

Instructions

  1. Sort and rinse the beans: Sort the beans, discarding any stones, dirt, or broken beans. Rinse the beans, then do an overnight or a quick soak.
  2. Overnight soak: Cover the beans with the 8 cups of water, and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Leave the beans to soak at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans.
  3. OR: Pressure Quick Soak for 1 minute with a 30 minute rest: Put the beans and 8 cups of water in the pressure cooker pot, then sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Pressure cook at high pressure for 1 minute ("Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode in an Instant Pot for 1 minute), then let the beans sit for 30 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure, and drain and rinse the beans.
  4. Sauté the aromatics and sausage: Heat the oil in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker over Saute mode until the oil starts to shimmer. (Use medium heat in a stovetop PC). Add the smoked sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme, and sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté, stirring often, until the onions and sausage are just starting to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes.
  5. Pressure cook the beans for 15 minutes with a Natural Release: Pour the soaked and rinsed beans into the pressure cooker, add the bay leaves and 1 teaspoon of salt, and then stir in the 5 cups of water. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes in an electric PC or 12 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode set to 15 minutes in an Instant Pot). Let the pressure release naturally, about 20 minutes. (You can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes if you are in a hurry). Remove the lid carefully, opening away from you – even when it’s not under pressure, the steam in the cooker is very hot.
  6. Thicken and serve: Discard the bay leaves. Ladle out 1 cup of the beans and bean liquid, puree, and stir back into the pot. (I do this in a quart measuring cup with my stick blender.) If you have time, simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes to thicken the broth. Stir in the teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Forgot to soak? Increase the water to 6 cups and cook the beans at high pressure for 40 minutes (35 minutes in a stovetop PC) with a natural release.

No pressure cooker? No worries. Increase the water to 8 cups, and follow the directions, cooking everything in a 6 quart or larger heavy dutch oven. Instead of locking the lid and pressure cooking, bring the pot of beans to a boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Continue with the thicken and serve step.

  • Prep Time: 8 hours
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Pressure Cooker
  • Cuisine: Cajun