Instant Pot Beans and Rice | The Easy Way

Instant Pot Beans and Rice is a delicious comfort food meal. It’s big on flavor and astoundingly easy to make. The beans’ creamy texture and flavorful sauce are heartwarming and filling. But that’s not all there is to this hearty meal.

Red beans and rice are a long time favorite of mine! (Thank you Popeyes for bringing this dish to my attention years ago!) But it got pretty expensive to pick up this side dish on my way home, so I needed a different alternative

Now, you can prepare your pressure cooker red beans and rice with just a few budget ingredients. In fact, you probably have them in your pantry right now.

Top on the list of these humble ingredients is dry red beans (light or dark beans). There’s a pretty good chance you may on occasion use canned beans. Well, you won’t need to anymore.  

Easy Way to Make Red Beans and Rice

It used to be that it took lots of planning to make red beans and rice from scratch. Overnight soaking of the beans often got in the way. Fortunately, the Instant Pot has changed the terrain forever. Now you can cook your dried beans in minutes (like these simple Instant Pot Beans.)

You do not even need to soak them first! The Instant Pot works like magic! Dump the stuff in and out comes perfect beans and rice. And you can change up the flavors to suit your own personal taste.

For this reason, you can have easy, filling good ol’ rice and beans, with yummy toppings in less than an hour. 

This Instant Pot red beans and rice recipe is an excellent gluten-free option and is also an excellent source of fiber. By using brown rice, you can make this Instant Pot red beans and rice meal in one-step and one pot.

In fact, to do this dish successfully, you much use brown rice instead of white. But keep reading for the details.

DO YOU HAVE TO SOAK BEANS BEFORE USING IN THE INSTANT POT? 

A warm pot of fresh beans in a jiffy should be all the reason you need to have an Instant Pot in your kitchen. It can turn your solid bag of dry beans tender and creamy in minutes. No need to pre-soak them either, just rinse them well first. Toss them into the pressure cooker, add seasoning and some liquid, and walk away.

WHAT BEANS SHOULD I USE FOR INSTANT POT BEANS AND RICE? 

I like dry red beans. Small red beans have a soft delicate flavor and are common in Louisiana red beans & rice recipes. Other beans work well, too. Black beans, for instance, are another superb choice. They will give your pressure cooker beans and rice an earthier and creamier flavor than red beans will. 

Pinto beans can do, as they are of a similar size to black beans. Chickpeas are larger legumes and require more time to cook, so they are not well suited to this recipe.

And in case you’re wondering whether you can use your canned beans, the answer is ‘No.’ Canned beans will not work with this combined pressure cooker beans and rice recipe because they need less time and liquid to cook.

CAN I USE WHITE RICE?

I use brown rice for this red beans and rice recipe. I love its fluffy, chewy texture and it is jam-packed with fiber. It is more filling and healthier than white rice. White rice will cook too fast, turning into a soggy mush long before your red beans are ready to eat.

WHAT SETTING DO I USE ON MY INSTANT POT FOR BEANS? 

If doing just beans, it is easiest to use the bean/chili button and cook for 25-30 minutes. However, this recipe uses beans and rice, so use the pressure cook or manual button.

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BEANS AND RICE

1. Place your beans into the Instant Pot. Add your seasoning, broth (see my Instant Pot vegetable broth here), and tomatoes in and mix.
2. Add rice at the top of the mixture and avoid stirring. You need to keep as much of the rice as possible at the top to avoid it sticking to the bottom.
3. Cook on high pressure for 28 minutes, release the pressure and stir.
4. Add some jalapeno or cilantro to your Instant Pot red beans and rice and serve as a side dish. Alternatively, serve your delicious Instant Pot Beans and Rice in burritos or nachos. Use sour cream and olives as a topping to add some zest.

THE FINAL WORD

Make Instant Pot red beans and rice on a weeknight when your heart is calling for much more than a light meal, but you have little time on your hands. It is a fix-it-and-forget recipe that will make the classic red beans and rice recipe with no hassle.