Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice is an easy no-soak version of the classic Cajun recipe. Tender red beans, spicy andouille sausage, veggies, and spices are quickly pressure cooked, then spooned over fluffy white rice. Enjoy for a festive Mardi Gras meal or prep it ahead of time for a simple weeknight dinner!
For a few years I attended a weekly running group called RAW here in Austin. We would run 4-6 miles then meet up at a local spot and hang out for hours afterwards.
And every Tuesday night we did this one of the sweetest ladies at the spot made us a big batch of red beans and rice – completely free of charge to the 50+ runners!
Since then our group has switched locations to something a little more central. And the thing I miss the most about that spot? That flavor-packed Cajun dish.
On one cold and dreary night here recently I found myself craving a big bowl of those beans.
And the craving needed to be cured somewhat immediately, so I knew the traditional soaking beans – waiting forever method simply would not do.
Nope, I plopped it all into my pressure cooker and waited as the magic happened. In less than an hour I was sitting down to a steaming bowl of cozy and comforting Instant Pot red beans and rice.
You’ll find the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are very similar to other Cajun and Creole recipes. So once you’ve got most of these items on hand you can make Shrimp Sausage Gumbo, Instant Pot Jambalaya, and Shrimp Creole with ease!
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make this Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice recipe include:
- Red Beans. These petite legumes are the star of the show. Read more below about the difference between red beans and kidney beans so you don’t get them confused!
- Sausage. Andouille sausage links give this recipe a spicy kick. Feel free to use regular link sausage if you’re scared of it coming out too spicy!
- Holy Trinity. Much like in other Cajun recipes, you’ll start by sautéing up a combination of bell pepper, onion, and celery to make the base of flavor.
- Broth. Select either vegetable or chicken broth. Regular sodium was used when testing, but reduced sodium can be substituted, if needed.
- Seasonings. A combination of dried herbs (oregano, basil) and ground spices (paprika, cayenne pepper) add wonderful taste. Feeling a little lazy? You can always swap out the spices and herbs for an equal amount of a store bought Cajun mix or a Homemade Blackened Seasoning.
- Bay Leaf. Two bay leaves are added in before cooking and then removed before serving.
- Rice. Long grain white rice is typically served with this red beans dish. Brown rice or basmati rice may also be substituted if you prefer. Or, try serving up these red beans and sausage over a bed of cauliflower rice instead for a low-carb meal.
How to Make Red Beans and Rice
The basic steps for making Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
Sauté the Sausage
Turn a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function. Drizzle in the oil and toss in the cut sausage. Cook until the sausage starts to turn brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Carefully transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Cook the Veggies
Pour more oil into the pot and add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes before mixing in the crushed garlic. Continue cooking for an additional minute.
Add the Broth
Pour in the broth and use a firm spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot so no bits or pieces are sticking. If anything is stuck to the bottom, you may end up with the dreaded burn error.
Fill the Instant Pot
Stir in the red beans and sausage along with the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Make sure everything is mixed well.
Cook
Cover with the lid, turn the vent to the sealed position, and set the Instant Pot to high pressure. Pressure cook for 50 minutes for more firm beans, or for 55 minutes for softer beans. Once the timer is up allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Release the pressure by turning the pressure release valve to the venting position. Once all of the steam has been released you can carefully remove the lid.
Use a spoon to locate the bay leaves and take them out of the pot to discard as they are too tough to eat.
Prepare the Rice
You can cook Instant Pot white rice before making the beans, or cook it on the stovetop according to the package directions while the beans are cooking.
Serving
Spoon the beans over the cooked white rice. A sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley also gives the dish a beautiful pop of color and fresh herbal notes.
This recipe is about a 4 on a spicy scale of 10. If you want to add a little extra heat to the red beans, simply sprinkle on additional cayenne pepper or drizzle on your favorite hot sauce, such as Tabasco.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: Cook the rice and chop the veggies. Keep each in separate containers in the refrigerator until ready to cook and serve.
- To Store: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: Seal the beans and rice in individual freezer-safe airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Warm in a saucepan on the stove or quickly in the microwave.
Are red beans and kidney beans the same thing?
No, they are not. They differ in their size, shape, and color.
Red beans are much smaller, darker in color, and are the ones typically used in most red beans and rice recipes. Red kidney beans are larger, a lighter red color, and can be found in a lot of chili recipes.
You can substitute one for the other but just know that you will need to adjust the cook time accordingly. In order to fully cook kidney beans you will need to add another 5-10 minutes to your cook time since they are a larger bean. The recipe you’ll find below is written using the smaller red beans.
No matter which bean you use, do make sure you sort, rinse, and drain the beans before cooking.
FAQs
The simple answer is no. Some beans, including red kidney beans, contain a toxin that can cause a reaction if the beans are not cooked enough. It is generally considered safe to cook dried beans in a pressure cooker.
When you are making dried beans in a pressure cooker, you should use a ratio of 4-cups liquid to 1-cup of beans.
Yes! This recipe is full of healthy fiber and protein while containing relatively low calories.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Scrape the bottom. Make sure you don’t end up with burned bits by releasing any veggies and sausage stuck after sautéing.
- Think ahead. Prepare the rice in advance either in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop so it’s ready to go.
- Tone it down. Keep the flavor mild by swapping out the andouille sausage for the regular link type.
- Give it an extra kick. For even more spice, top your meal with hot sauce.
- Go low-carb. Serve over cauliflower rice for less carbohydrates and extra nutrients.
Other Beans and Rice Recipes
If you want a few more recipes with beans and rice, you might also enjoy:
Instant Pot Ground Turkey Chili
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice is an easy no-soak version of the classic Cajun recipe. Enjoy for a festive Mardi Gras meal or prep it ahead of time for a simple weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. oil divided
- 12 oz. andouille sausage cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 cups vegetable broth regular sodium
- 1 lb. red beans rinsed and drained
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tsp. paprika
- ⅛ – ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. oregano dried
- ½ tsp. basil dried
- ½ tsp. thyme dried
- 2 tsp. salt to taste
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup long grain white rice rinsed for 1 minute
- 2 cups water
- Hot sauce optional
- Parsley finely chopped, optional
Instructions
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Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add 1 tablespoon of oil along with the cut sausage. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until sausage begins to brown. Remove from the pot and let drain on a paper towel plate.
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Add additional tablespoon of oil along with diced onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add crushed garlic and continue sautéing for an additional minute.
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Pour in broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure no bits or pieces are sticking.
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Add red beans and sausage along with the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
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Set the Instant Pot to High pressure and cook for 50-55 minutes. (50 minutes for firm beans and 55 minutes for softer beans.). Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release.
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While the beans are cooking, cook rice and water on the stovetop according to package directions.
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Turn the pressure release valve to the venting position. Remove the lid once all of the steam has been released.
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Find and remove the bay leaves.
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Serve beans over cooked white rice with additional hot sauce and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- If using kidney beans instead of red beans, increase cook time by 5-10 minutes.
- To Store: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: Seal the beans and rice in individual freezer-safe airtight containers for up to 3 months.
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Ron says
I made this last night, doubled up on the sausage and just used Cajun seasoning I had on hand. Absolutely delicious! The only thing is the cook time. I used dry red beans and after 45 minutes they were still a little too hard. I’ll keep it cooking for an extra 10 next time so the beans get a little mushier.
London Brazil says
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Ron! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Chris says
Cooked for 45 minutes as per the directions followed by a 10-minute natural release, but the beans still came out a lot firmer than expected. “Crunchy” might be too strong a word, but they were definitely…al dente. I’m not sure if that’s a result of the Instant Pot I’m using (and older model Crockpot Express), the higher elevation where I’m located (Salt Lake City at about 4200 feet) or something else. The flavors were excellent, so I definitely want to give this recipe another try, but I will try letting it cook for 65 minutes as I’ve seen in some of the other comments here.
London Brazil says
Hi Chris! I’m sorry to hear they weren’t as done as you prefer. It could definitely be a combination of all of those things. Try cooking them a little longer next time. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Cheryl Larkin says
Question: Can we cook the rice “pot in pot” to save the stovetop dirty dish?
London Brazil says
I haven’t tried it, but if you can fit everything in the Instant Pot go for it!
Emily says
Hi, do you have a stovetop or crock pot adaptation of this recipe? It looks delicious, but before Instant Pots were a thing I made a commitment to not multiplying kitchen appliances!
London Brazil says
I unfortunately do not have a stovetop version yet. But, you could follow the same directions and just simmer in a large Dutch oven for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the beans are soft.
Angela Brower says
This is by far the best beans recipe …I’ve used this recipe 3 times now. I found I’ve had to extend the time to 65 minutes. Otherwise the recipe is great and have shared it several times
London Brazil says
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Angela! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
lovefam6 says
Making now, but can’t figure out where or how much Worcestershire to use! I see it in the ingredient picture, but not in the recipe.
London Brazil says
Sincere apologies about that oversight. It’s 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and it’s added in with the other seasoning ingredients. Thanks for your question!
Taylre says
Can you used canned beans instead of red beans?
London Brazil says
You absolutely can, Taylre! However, you’ll want to cook it for quite a bit less time since the beans are already cooked. I would try closer to 10 minutes at high pressure!
Taylre Walker says
I actually did it for 20 minutes at regular pressure, and less water and cooked the rice separately!! AMAZING recipe!! By far my favorite.
London Brazil says
Yay! That’s wonderful to hear, Taylre. I’m glad it turned out great for you! I’ll keep that in mind in case other readers would like to know, too 🙂 Thank you for responding and letting me know!
Steve Nicholson says
Step 4 says “add red beans and sausage.” Were we supposed to remove the sausage after step 1?
London Brazil says
Thanks for the question, Steve! Yes, the sausage needs to be removed in order to have enough room to saute the veggies. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect this. Thanks for your question! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Fritz Herrmann says
No one I know in southern Louisiana uses anything other than camellia brand kidney beans.
London Brazil says
That’s great to know, I live in Texas so we don’t have those here! Will have to look for them the next time I’m in Louisiana.