Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
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Thanks to the pressure cooker, everyone’s favorite New Orleans dish can be made in no time! No need to presoak the beans either. Simply throw everything into the Instant Pot and let it do the work for you. SO EASY!
So I’ll be completely honest with you.
I never cook with dried beans. Never, ever, ever.
I have always used canned beans instead. That is, until now.
Because hello? The IP can pressure cook the beans in just a fraction of the time it would take in real life! (“Real life” meaning stovetop.)
And guess what? There’s no pre-soak needed here either!
So there you have it. Red beans and rice literally from scratch using dried beans.
If you want to keep it vegetarian, you can omit the andouille sausage but still keep the same cooking time in the IP.
Just be sure to serve warm with rice and a dash of Tabasco for a kick of heat!
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white long grain rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 12.8-ounce package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 pound dry red beans
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more, to taste
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 3 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Add olive oil and sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
- Add garlic, onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in sausage, red beans, Cajun seasoning, oregano, basil, sage, thyme, bay leaves and vegetable broth; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 30-35 minutes. When finished cooking, release pressure naturally according to manufacturer's directions, about 20-30 minutes.*
- Serve immediately with rice and hot sauce, garnished with green onions, if desired.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Living in the South, some of that time in New Orleans, I’ve cooked a lot of red beans and rice. I think this recipe is one of the most authentic I’ve come across for instant pot. Thanks, it’s great.
Terrific take on red beans and rice. I never would have thought dried beans would become soft and chewy without soaking – superb. Served it with brown rice and home-grown Cajun spice mix. Delicious and comforting A definite keeper
Lived in NOLA for years. This is just like we bought there and it is sooooo good. Just made it for dinner.
If you cook the vegetables with the beans, IMO they get mushy and have a strange texture. It’s my biggest peeve about using the Instant Pot. What I do, instead, is I leave out the vegetables and do everything else more or less as described here. I use 45 minutes on high pressure (or Bean setting if you have that) and natural release. I don’t think 35 minutes is going to get the job done. Once the IP is doing its pressure cycle, saute the aromatics and spices. When they are done, set them aside. I usually use the same pot to cook my rice, so that I capture some of the flavor from the aromatics and spices. When you open the IP after it’s done, just stir in the vegetables and you’re set.
I’ve used your recipe many times and put chicken broth in as well substituting different meats because I didn’t have andouille and made the recipe without meat and added liquid smoke. I appreciate you sharing your recipes with us, it is a good one.
Use a immersion blender when done and it makes it creamier and just like my cajun grandma made it. I will never not blend it at the end. So good
This was a delicious recipe. We substituted low sodium chicken broth for the vegetable broth and had to cook for an hour to get the beans soft to our liking. Flavor was all there though!
This was absolutely amazing!! Thank you!! I always love your recipes.
Very, very good.
Followed recipe closely, without modifications, and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Legit amazing. So comforting. So delicious.
I grew up in Louisiana and this is the standard recipe I use for the Instant Pot. Don’t be afraid to make this if you don’t have andouille sausage! You can just use any old smoked sausage and it will still taste great!
I had to cook it an extra 20 min- for the beans to soften- which was fine.
Not happy with how Spicy/ salty it was.; way to much Cajun seasoning/ it had so much salt. I even used salt -free broth.
I will use 1/4-1/2 of the amount listed next time.
At least this way, the other spices used, will be tasted.
Oh well, will try again this winter.
Thanks for sharing.
Interesting. The only salt the recipe calls for is “to taste.” Yours came out too salty which means… it’s the author’s fault?
Now… there are many brands and formulations of Cajun seasoning. Is it also the author’s fault that the one you chose is too spicy for you? Knowing this, of course, I mixed my own Cajun seasoning without too much cayenne, and it was perfect for my four-year-old, but then he’s not very picky.
And even if half the Cajun seasoning was salt, it would be very surprising that 3/4 teaspoon salt in addition to low-sodium broth would result in an over-seasoned dish, considering that bean recipes typically call for at least one teaspoon of salt more per pound of beans alone (and usually more.)
Great! Used Rancho Gordo’s Domingo Rojo beans for this. Cooked 35mins. Beans cooked though with great texture. // subbed in beef broth as that’s what I had on hand.
Time for me was really off. I used dried beans without soaking, and started at 50 min, plus 30 min natural release, and the beans were about halfway done. So I closed the lid and cooked again on high roughly another 35 min and 20-30 min natural cool down. Then they were perfect. Either way, around 2 hours for dried beans isn’t bad. The flavor was good for this recipe.
So easy and tasty! The beans definitely needed to cook longer than 35 mins. I did not pre soak them, though. Also, my sausage was precooked. I added it to the beans before cooking, but would not do that again. It shriveled up too much. I would add the sausage and the rice after cooking the beans – but that’s just me!
Flavor was delicious, but even after 50 minutes at high pressure and 20 minutes of slow release, the beans were still firm. This recipe just doesn’t do what it advertises, which is to deliver red beans and rice without the soaking.
If the beans are old, they take longer to cook. 🙁 I discovered that with some pinto beans I used.
As I am reading this recipe, I would change it to cook it in a way of a mixture, precooking first the bean alone in the instant pot until 70% cooked and then add the spicing to them and add water and rice to finish cooking the remaining 30%. That is what I would do.
Followed others and soaked my beans overnight. Cooked for 22 minutes and natural released for 25 minutes and it was perfect. It was more soupy but I like that with the rice!!
Yummy! I made a few modifications…After sautéing the sausage and removing it from the pot, I did not return it to the pot until after cooking the beans, I used chicken broth bc I did not have any veggie broth on hand and increased the cook time to 42 mins with a natural release – the beans seemed perfect at this length
I’ve made this recipe before and it is very, very good – however I always pre-soak my beans as I usually get mixed results with my pressure cooker. I wanted to ask though if it is necessary to pre-cook the sausage as it is usually purchased smoked and fully cooked? Would slicing it up unbrowned and putting in with the beans during cooking give it additional flavor? As someone suggested using a smoked ham hock in addition. When I make stuffed cabbage in a crock pot, I chunk up the kielbasa and put it in the pot unbrowned and it swells up with the fluid making it very tender and delicious.
Beans were a tad on the under-done side after 35 minutes and a natural release, but after cooling completely and a night in the fridge they are perfect. Delicious meal!
So does the rice materialize from the expelled liquid inside the instant pot?
Yes it does!
I’ve made this recipe many many times and follow it adding 10 extra minutes of pressure cook time (I do mine for 40 minutes). It always turns out amazing and I use jasmine rice in bags instead of white rice. So comforting a delicious. I cook a lot and bring leftovers to work. Everyone that tries this begs me for the recipe!
Can someone explain to me how the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and celery are supposed to be cooked and stirred occasionally while in the instant pot and what setting should it be on for step 3 of the directions?
Turn your instant pot on sauté. When in this mode you will not have the top on. It’s like using a regular pot on the stove at this point.
I made this dish today and am really happy with how it turned out. Things I opted to do a bit differently than the recipe called for: Soaked my beans overnight, chicken broth and didn’t add additional salt. After reading the other reviews and trying this dish last year from a different food blogger, I knew I’d either need to soak my beans overnight or get up sooner in the morning to double the cooking time. With doing so, I was able to cook it for 25 minutes with the beans still having some texture left but not hard as a rock. Chicken broth is what I keep on hand. And from previous experience with the cajun seasoning I use, I found it be rather salty and knew between that and regular brother, added salt would be too much taste bud wise. This is definitely my go to recipe now when I want red beans and rice
Oh My Goodness!!!! Best soup ever! So easy, so comforting on a cold rainy day. Thank you for taking simple ingredients and creating a heaven bound meal.
I’ve been following you for years and several of your recipes are in my box. Thank you for being a goody who got up one day with a camera and started taking pictures.
So far MY FAVORITE Instant Pot recipe!!! I’ve never been a bean fan….until now!!! This was divine!!!!!!
Awesome !! My first meal on our new instapot… I would agree however that it needs extra cooking time for dry beans. Will definitely use this recipe again !! Thanks
Taste was fantastic but it took me 1 hr 15 minutes to cook beans all the way.
Good recipe. I made mine vegetarian. It needed a good bit of salt. I didn’t add hot sauce, heat was good for me and mine with just the cajun spice and pepper. I did soak my beans (small red) overnight first, and still used 4 cups veggie broth, which was just enough to cover the beans/veggies mix with none to spare. Pressure cooked for 30 mins, natural released for 20 mins (was too anxious, couldn’t wait any longer). The result was perfectly cooked beans. Soft on the inside, skins had a ‘snap’ to them and no exploded beans. There was enough broth to nicely flavor the rice.
Overall, pretty great! I recommend adding two tablespoons-ish of white vinegar after everything finished cooking to add some depth. Really fantastic for how fast it is.
Why not just use Italian season instead of going through all the traveling? Turned out amazing for me and my family. Just saying.
This was delicious! I used chicken broth, and poblano pepper because they were what I had on hand. I also added a smoked ham hock. Definitely – use a ham hock if you can get one. It was, in my husband’s words, “the recipe of the month, better than my dad’s.” That’s big praise.
GREAT recipe. I used canned beans and it was delicious. Using the canned beans, I did have to cook down the broth. I also used chicken broth instead of veggie broth. I also had to free hand the seasonings and add in some extra seasonings.
About how much broth did you need to cook off, roughly? I’d like to make this soon but only have canned beans as well; I’m thinking of adding less liquid off the bat, but don’t want to drop it by too much. Thank you!
This was fantastic! I pre-soaked the beans for 8 hours and I did not have to adjust the time. Perfect in 35 minutes. My husband, who does not like beans, even ate it. Great recipe!
This was really good….I did soak my beans for 2 1/2 hours and I cooked it all in the IP for about an hour with natural release…very flavorful and I will do this again….thanks!
Fantastic, will make again
Great recipe, awesome flavors. But like many other reviewers have said, the cooking time needs to be doubled in order to properly cook the beans.
We made some changes because of what we had on hand. Soaked the beans overnight and most of the day (changed the water in the morning). We also cooked on high pressure for an hour and everything was perfect.
I made this last night following the recipe except omitting the sausage to make it vegetarian. I followed the advice of a reviewer and precooked the beans for 4 minutes with a NPR. Then I followed the recipe as it is written and it turned out beautifully. I typically don’t LOVE food that I make but I devoured this. I added some hot sauce and liquid smoke and that was it. This is going in my must make again recipes. Thank you!
Great flavor! I did need to cook 25 minutes longer for the beans to soften enough. Next time will soak the beans a few hours first. Used a good quality authentic andouille and homemade cajun spice blend. This one is a keeper! Thanks for the recipe.
I have made this recipe many times and it is the best recipe I have found! My family loves it! I do make a couple of different heat levels but that is usually the only deviation I make. I highly recommend it.
Best damn beans!!!
Turns out perfect every time! I usually take my time sautéing the vegetables and let them cook down (sauté setting on low). My family loves this recipe!
Great recipe! Have used several times. But I did need to double the cook time to 1 hour (even with the slow release).
WOW! This is the best damned red beans and rice I’ve had! Great recipe and I love how cheap it is to make with dried beans.
“’Real life’ meaning stovetop.” <–Hahahaha
Absolutely deeeelicious! Spice measurements were spot on. This recipe would have received 5 stars had you not had to double the cook time.
This was really good. We had to add 15 minutes to the cook time because the beans weren’t as tender as we would have liked. Next time I think I’ll only pressure cook 1/4 of the sausage and save the rest to top the cooked dish. The sausage after being pressure cooked was a bit mealy.
I read all he reviews and I definitely can say hat I agree to the post by KAT in April and I
followed it and can honestly saw that ” these are the best damn red beans I have ever tasted”.
Like many others have commented, the cooking time may need to be increased to fully cook the beans (yes I waited for the natural release for 30 mins). Next time I’ll eoner precook the beans, or use canned beans with less cooking time. Flavour is awesome though!!
I commented earlier but it got deleted. I’m sad. Guessing this will as well but the times are off on this recipe and need to be adjusted. Thanks.
Greg, there’s no need to be sad. My apologies for the delay but unfortunately, we’re not robots here. We are a small company trying to make the best recipes possible. That being said, comments take 24-48 hours to be moderated as we receive over a thousand comments per day. 🙂
As per cook time, this recipe has been professionally tested in our kitchen with the timing listed here. However, yes, timing may need to be adjusted if different kinds of beans are used (or if the natural release is not performed).
If the beans are not soft after 30-35 minutes of high pressure cooking and 20-30 minutes of naturally releasing pressure, you can simply re-secure the lid, seal the vent, and cook for an additional 20 minutes at high pressure. Easy enough, right?
Sad no more…
I did do the recipe as written and did the natural release.. since several others in the comments had the same issue I was just wondering if you had retested it since. My beans were small as well. I will remake at 55 mins to see if that does the trick… but 35 with natural release for me had lots of liquid and crunchy beans for sure. Your other IP recipes have been so perfect I was just wondering. Adding another twenty plus another natural release makes it more of a weekend recipe to get chow on the table rather than a weeknight meal.
Keep up the great work!
Greg
I read many of the reviews about cooking time. I have been cooking beans in the conventional atmospheric pressure way for about 40 years, and have found the cooking time and bean texture varies a lot. It may depend on the age of the beans, how they were dried and stored, or some specific genetic characteristics of the beans. I am not a biologist, but it is easy to see that red beans (and others) differ in size and color depending on the brand, and perhaps their region of origin. I suspect there may be differences in the specific proteins that effect the beans structure and permeability of the skin to water. This may account for the variation in your reviewers’ experience. I always view bean recipes as a starting point, but expect some variation. I am a newcomer to pressure cooking. Sometimes, I cook again as you suggest or transfer the contents to a pot on the stove and continue cooking. Also, each chef’s expectations are different. Some people like firm beans, while others like them partially pureed (like in lentils). I grew up in Florida where they served “black bean soup” [black beans with a good bit of flavorful liquid (water)]. In Texas they have black beans but more like the consistency of pinto beans. I suspect each of these must be cooked longer or shorter depending on the desired result. Just my two cents.
Spot on, David. The age of the beans in my pantry seems to matter. I’m not a novice at the instant pot, but not an expert either. I think variances in the dried product are always gonna make a cook have to be on his/her toes.
Great recipe! Full of flavor and fast!!! My only suggestion would be to pick through the beans and remove the split ones and the small wrinkly ones as well as any small pebbles. Give the beans a quick rinse before they go into the pot. Don’t assume everyone knows to do this.
Giving this 4 stars bc the recipe definitely needs to be revised to say an hour cook time and not 35 minutes. After I twerked it to make the beans soft enough it was a very tasty meal. Will make it again but will have to remember to cook it for an hour.
Really good I’ve made this a few times already and the flavor is excellent. I precooked my beans for 4 minutes with 8-10 cups of water in the IP then drained them, cleaned my IP and followed the recipe as written. My beans were perfect.
KAT I LOVE this precook suggestion! I could do that easily while chopping veggies. Making this for the first time tonight and set my time for longer because beans always seem to take longer for me. I’m going to try this next time. Thank you for posting this!
Love your website as I cook at least two recipeies a week from this site! Still giving this a 5 star but I didn’t read the reviews prior and they’re pretty in line. The time here isn’t enough so I cooked on high for another 25 and ended up perfect so a total of 60 mins. I would cut the sausage a little thicker next time with it being under this pressure in this time frame. Again, love this site but maybe a slight edit to perfect things across the board with everything else! Also want to note I haven’t hit one recipe where I ran into this problem so not a big deal.
You need to try black eyed peas with kielbasa—turkey kielbasa is really good for lower fat. I cook my peas in chicken stock with finely diced onions and bay leaf. The peas get really creamy. Serve with diced sweet onion—Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc. and a dash of hot sauce—Texas Pete is what I use, and my dh also loves the green Tabasco.
I made this like the recipe the first time and it was great! My husband wanted red beans with ground meat last night so I took this recipe and redid it for him. I used 1 pound of ground chuck : saute meat and followed her recipe, excepted added two cans of beef broth. Was very good.
Good recipe flavor-wise but like many others have posted, I too had to cook longer to get my beans edible. I had read the reviews ahead of time so I cooked for 45 minutes on high pressure, full natural release. Beans were tough. Turned pot back on for another 15 and let it fully release naturally again—-so another 35 minutes and beans were just a bit stiff but at least edible at that point. So I had to cook them total for 60 minutes instead of 35, plus about 45 minutes of what is still cooking time with a natural release. Beans were not old, and I’m at sea level.
My husband requested red beans and rice last night. I tried your recipe because I liked the ingredients. Cooked in the IP for the time suggested but turns out the beans were still hard. Cooked for another 15 minutes and beans were edible but still firm. Not sure what I could have done differently.
Cindy, if the beans are not soft after 30-35 minutes of high pressure cooking and 20-30 minutes of naturally releasing pressure, you can simply re-secure the lid, seal the vent, and cook for an additional 20 minutes at high pressure.
Cindy I cook these pretty regularly from dry. What I suggest, is to pre cook the beans most of the way.
1 lb of small red beans, 8 cups of water, high pressure for 25 minutes, natural release.
Then drain the beans and check doneness. then do your recipe as prescribed (would need to reduce amount of liquid, 1 cup is probably enough at this point) and pressure cook for 10 minutes (if they were still quite firm go longer) natural release. They are always done when I do them this way. Soft, but still maintain their form.
Going to try this recipe the next time the store gets andouille in.
Should the vegetable broth be doubled if doubling recipe? I am cooking without the sausage.
Because of all the mixed reviews abut firmness of the beans, I ended up soaking mine first and then only cooking them for 20 minutes. I also did some reading online about beans in the instant pot and some people argue the soaking process helps aid in digestion… so I thought maybe there’s something to that. Next time I’ll remember to add less broth if I’m soaking them first (it ended up with too much liquid, of course). Regardless, the flavours and textures are delicious and I will be returning to this recipe regularly. Thank you!
The flavor was great but I did 40 minutes for the beans and a 40 minute natural release and they were still very hard. Had to cook for an additional 25 minutes on high pressure and another 25 minute natural release before they were done.
We soaked our red beans over night! I did this when I was used my crockpot and they were not only done but had a better texture. I’ve soaked the beans that are in the instapot right now. I’ll let you know if they’re done and how long it took!!
I haven’t made this yet, wanted to lodge a comment, first. The IP is my first go-to. I’m a single working girl and often I’m held over at work – a treatment center with clients who have severe mental health issues. It’s such a comfort to come home and have a home-cooked meal ready to go. I also have kidney problems and avoid meat protein. I eat beans, wild and brown rice, lentils and barley. I start practically every recipe with olive oil (I like Bragg) and pre-chopped celery, onion and carrot from Trader Joe’s. I swirl some Better Than Bullion around the spices, vegetables and olive oil. About 1T per recipe.
When cooking beans I never salt them first. I drizzle a little olive oil over the liquid and beans prior to cooking, to prevent foam from clogging te pressure valve. When the IP comes up to pressure, I check for steam escaping, which likely means that I don’t have a good seal. I cook all beans for about 40 min on High and let the IP cool. I do not do a manual release. Wild rice takes about 45 minutes.
Before serving, I add Kosher salt to taste, and add 2T of red wine vinegar and stir it through. Somehow, there is no vinegar taste. It magically brings out the flavors.
Grateful for this device! It doesn’t heat up my kitchen, and that feels safer than a crock cooker.
Keep these fabulous recipes coming!
How is this relevant at all??
This one is a family favorite and I’ve made it quite a few times now. The beans were always not quite right, even though I’d add time and I finally found the trick…. we’d still eat it but my hubby called them “Al dente beans”….if you have this problem then do a quick soak on them first by putting them in the pot and covering with water till it is about an inch over them and then high pressure for 5 minutes and do a full natural release – during this time chop your veggies and sausage and you can even put all your spices in a little bowl to be ready to go once they’re done. Drain them (I just leave them in the sink in the colander while I do the first steps of the recipe) and then add them back in when called for. We also like to double the sausage but we’re meat people :-). I have done this without celery, just have done 2 peppers instead and it is still delicious.
Thanks for the great recipe!
This is THE BEST red beans and rice I’ve ever had…better than any restaurant! After reading the comments, I decided to go ahead and presoak my beans overnight. Then a 35 minute high pressure cook and a 20 minute natural release and these were perfect! Perfectly seasoned (I did add 1 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce before cooking just because I think Louisiana hot sauce is the nectar of the gods).
Made this last night without the sausage, wanted a side for ribs. I decided to try it all in the Instant Pot, did everything as written, except did the beans for 22minutes, quick release, then added 1 cup of rice and 1 1/2 cups of water, cooked for an additional 8 minutes. My husband loved it, I would probably add 2 minutes to the 1st cook, some of the beans were a little chewy! Thanks for a great flavorful recipe!
Thanks for sharing with us!
Very flavorful and tasty. However I needed to cook the beans for 45” and they were not too mushy just had a nice bite.
The dish has a nice spiceyness without being too much. It might not be Spicey enough for some but you can always add more individually at the end.
It could easily serve 8
Flavor is delicious! However very al dente. I cooked according to recipe including the natural release time.
After we ate I cooked another 18 minutes on high pressure. That did the trick. Will definitely make again adding in the extra time.
It turned out really well. I had to tweak the recipe and cook it for a total of 90 minutes rather than 30. Beans were still hard after 30 minutes and 20 minutes of NPR. So I let it go for an hour (two 30 minute intervals) more on high pressure and NPR completely. Then it was perfect. I left it on keep warm for a few hours until we were ready to eat.
Do you have the nutritional information (calories, fat, etc) per serving for this recipe?
Nutritional information is provided only for select recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Hope that helps!
I made this last night and it was delicious. Super easy and quick.
Good but needs more cook time for unsoaked beans. Some of the beans weren’t cooked all the way. I did 35min cook + 25min natural pressure release in a recently purchased instapot. I will 45min cook time next time.
Great!
The taste of this receipe is terrific. However, I followed directions exactly in the same Instapot and the top beans and sausage got way overdone. The bottom was good. Any suggestions?
I HAVE EATEN MORE RED BEANS & RICE THAN ANY NORMAL PERSON SHOULD & I HAVE NEVER HAD ALL THIS STUFF ADDED-THE ONIONS, GREEN PEPPER ECT ….just red beans & MAKE sure the really come from the south , some very mild seasoning at the end of cooking added sausage & modest amount of seasoning along with tabasco to taste with rice & maybe corn bread on the side
This turned out very watery. ?
Hi! This recipe looks great. My question is; if I double the beans recipe should I double the cooking time as well? Or how many minutes should I set the cooking time for. Thank you!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I thought you couldnt cook beans in the instapot?
You sure can! 🙂
The flavors in this recipe are great, but as several others have already noted, the beans were not near done enough for our taste. We’re from the south so we tend to our beans cooked really tender. I cooked ours in the 6 quart Instant Pot for the 35 minutes per the recipe and natural release. I cooked them again for another 10, then 5, then finally 25 more minutes and they were finally done to our liking.
Absolutely delicious! Substituted vegan sausage and added two diced jalapeno peppers. What amazing flavor, and so good for you. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome!
Thanks for the recipe. I made this last night and it was very easy and delicious. Here are a few comments/suggestions:
– The total cook time is more like 2-1/2 hours. It took me nearly 30 minutes to chop up the sausage and veggies and get them all sautéed and then measure out the rest of the ingredients, it takes about 20 minutes for the pot to heat up in the pressure cook cycle, it took 50 minutes of pressure cooking for my beans to be soft (I checked them after 35 and they were still very hard), and another 40 minutes for the natural cool down cycle. Once everything is in the pot you can just walk away and let it do its thing, but it takes WAY longer and 65 minutes for this recipe, so keep this in mind for planning purposes.
– My batch needed a little more seasoning so I added 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, an extra teaspoon of the cajun seasoning and a lot of salt and black pepper. Next time I might add more.
I will definitely make this again and keep playing around with the seasonings and timing. Overall great recipe!
This recipe came out great! I did soak the beans for 8 hours because I am new to an IP and not sure of it’s capabilities yet. For those that would prefer a crock pot, use a crock pot recipe. This is for an INSTAPOT. Thanks for another great recipe!
Smelled great when opening but quite a few beans were still crunchy after 35 mins and natural pressure release. Currently reheating and putting back under pressure for another 15-20 mins to finish cooking. Will update with results.
Wonderful flavor, but to my palate and my husnad’s, way too spicy. Will definitely make again, but will use 1/3 of the called for Cajun seasoning.
Good call, make it your own! 🙂
Do you have an idea of what the time would differ if using canned beans? I’m assuming a lot less…I want to try it with dried at some point…maybe after soaking, but since I have canned…just curious…if not, that’s OK…I might try and report back…Thanks!
That sounds like a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I too found the flavor delicious but at 33 minutes the beans were nowhere near done. Finishing them on the slow cooker program for 2 more hours.
This was good in terms of flavor but I found that I needed to cook the beans for WAY longer (like an extra 30 minutes) in my instant pot so that they would be tender enough.
I tried your recipe and it turned out delicious! I only made one change that I think lengthened the amount of cooking time – I added a small frozen smoked pork neck to add flavor. I used the “small” red beans (versus the larger red beans) and cooked for 35 minutes at high pressure. The beans were still a little tough at this time, so I turned on at high pressure again for 8 more minutes and they were just right. Maybe if I had added a thawed piece of meat, the cooking time would have been fine (and it’s probably not really needed with the sausage). I’m fairly new to the Instant Pot, and from this experience I learned that with a quick release method it is not that hard to add minutes if the food is not quite cooked enough, and just check again. My thoughts for the other commenters that also had extended cooking times – did they possibly use the larger red beans? And were their beans fresh? (Beans can take longer if they are old). Anyway, I found this to be a good and easy recipe. The whole family enjoyed. (I live in Indiana, so am not at a higher altitude).
Thank you for your feedback and inout Martha! We appreciate it!
Is there a way to make the rice with the beans together in the IP? I’ve made rice in the IP with other ingredients before, specifically with chicken to make a version of “chicken biryani” but it’s hard for me to get good rice in the IP, usually it’s mushy. This recipe looks great, I’m just wondering if there is a way to make it all at one time? Thanks
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Do you slice the sausage after cooking?
No they are cut prior to cooking, it should say so in the ingredient list. Hope that helps!
This was FANTASTIC! It was the very first recipe I tried in my new Instant Pot and I just loved it. I even did a little happy dance at the table. So flavorful and satisfying! Not to mention easy and cheap!
Awesome Emily! We’re glad you liked it so much!
Thanks a lot, CHUNGAH! You made my day. well, night actually.., since I prepared this instant rice with red beans for dinner. I followed your instructions like a good girl and the end result was amazing. My boyfriend loved it. thank you once again.
Thank you Sara! That’s great!
We use one of our two plastic microwave rice cookers, each of different size. We prefer this method of cooking rice.
We bought one at a clearance table for just a couple of bucks. This was many years ago so not sure about exact cost.
There are a number of microwave cookers on the market for around $15. They each have a little different design, but basically the same – basically a plastic bucket with an insert.
Our cooker are a Progressive International and the other is Mainstays. Both work equally well.
Please make a copycat Starbucks thai chicken wrap!
It’s quick and easy recipe. I like red beans. 🙂
It looks really good, soon I’ll try the recipe above.
We have loved so many of your recipes and now you are adding IP recipes! My IP is my lifesaver with sports 4-5 x a week between the kids. I hate running through the drive through so I made this recipe as I was walking out to take the kids to baseball. Love that while we are playing, dinner was cooking and then we all sat together around the dinner table chatting soon after getting home. You recipes are always winners. Taco Pasta is one my kids absolute favorites and is in the meal rotation almost every week. This was delicious! I may take the leftovers bean and make it into veggie soup for dinner tomorrow night. Thanks for saving dinner for us!
That is so great to hear! We’ve been enjoying the IP recipes as well, it’s awesome that you like them this much! Thanks!
Your recipe does not indicate the size of the IP used for the Red Beans and Rice. I have a Mini 3qt, do I need to downsize the ingredients to accommodate. I purchased Red Beans yesterday intending to make this dish in the slow cooker later this week.
Yes, Pat, you may need to downsize as this was made in a 6-qt Instant Pot.
The only way to cook red beans is low & slow = creamy.
It also works amazingly well in the Instant Pot. Have you tried it? “Don’t knock it until you try it” is what I’ve been told, and it’s very true in this case! 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly, cooked for 35 minutes in a 6 quart Insta Pot, and the beans were still stiff. I think soaking the beans may be the answer
I just finished. The beans were definitely still stiff, I put it back for another 15 minutes, tried again, still stiff, then now its on for another 30. The recipe is definitely good. I may soak the beans next time before trying the recipe again.
I’m trying this Friday night! Sounds yummy!!
This looks so simple and so delicious!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Would the “CAJUN SEASONING” listed in the recipe be
Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning?
It is my opinion that any pressure cooker will out-perform slow cookers in all ways.
If one has an expensive modern stove-top pressure cooker, I estimate one may reduce the on-pressure cooking time for this recipe listed for the Instant Pot by 5 minutes. This is due to the higher pressure of the heftier European pots compared to the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot has been such a great success due to its popular price point and it is a pressure cooker. There are charts online for comparing cooking times for various foods at 15PSI and the lower pressured Instant Pot.
Hi Ross! Cajun seasoning is a blend of seasonings for Cajun cuisine that generally includes chiles and other spices such as celery, garlic, mustard, onion, and pepper.
Since you are already cooking your rice, you can also do that in the Instant Pot. Within 5 minutes, you’ll have great rice, clean the pot, and then start the beans according to your recipe.
Yah!! Great idea!!
If you cook the rice PIP (cook the rice in a bowl that fits in the pot), you wouldn’t have to clean the pot.
Hi Chungah. I LOVE your site. I don’t have an instant pot. How can I adapt the recipe for another method. It looks delicious. Thanks.
Hi Val! Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Hi Val! I don’t have an instant pot, but have done many of the recipes using my pressure cooker and it works very well. If you do have a pressure cooker you can follow Chunga’s recipe exactly. The only thing I would suggest is to bring the mixture to a simmer after you add everything to the pot, then start your timing as soon as you have locked your lid down. If you wait until it comes up to full pressure to start your timing you may over cook it. I plan on trying this recipe this week!
It’s actually Jennifer!
On many occasions, I have cooked a similar recipe for red beans and rice in my Crock-pot. I did soak the beans for several hours and then browned the sausage before hand. The Crock-pot took about six hours to cook, compared to 30 plus minutes in the IP but is still good. Being semi- retired, the Crock-pot is still my cooker of choice although I might have to break down and eventually an IP purchase.
Many of us don’t have an Instant Pot. I am one of them and I have no intention of buying one because I have a wonderful Crockpot and a very modern Pressure Cooker. I love your recipes, so I would appreciate it if you would publish along with your Instant Pot recipes a slow cooker version for us who don’t have an Instant Pot.
Hi Surya-Patricia! I completely understand what you are saying but these recipes are specifically tested in the Instant Pot at this time. A slow cooker version may have to be re-developed and tested and retested to ensure proper cooking times.
However, there are many tested slow cooker recipes you can try instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/category/slow-cooker/
Follow her instructions in your pressure cooker. The IP is an electric pressure.
The Instant Pot is simply fabulous. The main reason I got one myself is because I was looking for a stainless steel crockpot to replace my teflon crockpot, and that wasn’t easy because so many (most actually) are made with teflon and we now know how truly horrible teflon is to cook with for ones health. But instead of just a crockpot, I found myself with this amazing kitchen tool that could do so much more.
I’ve been following Chungah’s website for years now and was thrilled to see her add a special section just for the Instant Pot because until then, all I had was my little booklet that came with it and guess work. You’re asking for Chungah to commit to twice the work load for any one recipe made for that Instant Pot, that’s a bit much.
Do yourself a huge favor and invest in the Instant Pot. You won’t regret it.
Here’s a Slow-Cooker recipe for Red Beans and Rice:
https://www.camelliabrand.com/recipes/slow-cooker-red-beans-and-rice/
Do I have to brown the sausage and veg first or can I just dump it all in and go?
Yes, I recommend browning the sausage first.
I browned the sausage and sauteed the veg but even after almost an hour my beans were not done. I’m not sure what I did wrong. Was it supposed to be a NPR?
Oh no – what kind of Instant Pot did you use?
Sherman. We ate them a little hard and flavor wise they were great, just still kind of hard.
I don’t have any experience using the Sherman brand. This recipe was tested and retested using the Instant Pot brand. Sorry!
Chefman
Autocorrect changed it
Gotcha! All Instant Pot recipes are tested in the Instant Pot brand so please use your best judgment when using a different brand or different kind of pressure cooker.
My beans also turned out hard. I think it is because of the Cajun seasoning being added before the beans are cooked. Cajun seasoning (at least the Tony Cacheras) is mainly salt, and salt makes beans tough if you add it before the beans are cooked. The next time I try it, I will wait until the end to add the Cajun seasoning.
The older the beans are the longer they take to cook, so that’s another possibility. Even if you just bought then, they could have been on store shelf for a while. They’re safe, just cook longer when older.
Same here and I do have an instant pot. Beans were hard and not totally cooked. Had to cook for 10 more minutes. Still not perfect but better. Please advise.
I’ve not made the recipe yet but from looking around at recipes with dry beans there are a few things to try.
35 min or more high pressure with 20-30 min natural release.
Some beans are older and need more cooking time. You can just bring it back up to pressure and cook longer if you have time. Try to buy from someplace that rotates their stock and keeps fresher beans.
If you add any acid then the beans need extra cook time…like maybe double.
If you are at altitude above 3000 feet then you will need to adjust your cooking times (for everything) longer.
Hope this help
In Denver I had to double the cook time to 60 min and then slow release while using an InstaPot. The slow release took almost 45 min.
No idea on how to gauge the age of dried beans.
All other non-dried bean recipes have cooked with recommended times.
Completely agree to Sara. Perfect idea !
So excited with all of your IP recipes they have all been delicious. I had almost given up on using my IP because I couldn’t find many appealing recipes…thank you Chungah
I will have to try this since I’ve been looking for a good red beans & rice recipe. However, I’ll have to make this first THEN make the rice because using the IP to make rice is the only way I make it anymore. It comes out perfect every time!
Or buy a cheap rice cooker. I get both going at once. Sometimes to steam vegetables and sometimes for rice. If you google around, you can find one with a stainless steel liner.
Even better, get a second IP.
What is an instant pot &where do I find one?
It’s a pressure cooker, you can find them on amazon or most places that sell kitchen appliances. Hope that helps!
Love read beans for couple of reasons, they help in Diabetes and Increase Antioxidant Intake. Love this recipe.