Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice is a quick and flavorful one-pot meal! No soaking needed; just 1 hour from pantry to table for a classic Southern comfort food dinner.
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It takes the difficulty out of a sometimes complicated dish. No need to stir a pot of beans all day...this one's ready in about an hour!
- Full of great Cajun flavor. The gang's all here for this recipe; it's packed with tons of flavor and a hint of spice.
- Easy enough for a weeknight dinner, memorable enough for a special occasion!
🫘 Ingredients
- 2.5 oz real bacon pieces - These are not bacon bits; they are marked as "real bacon," but are found in the packaged foods section near the bacon bits. You can also use actual bacon if you'd like - about 8oz cooked & crumbled will do!
- 8 oz diced ham - I prefer buying the ham already diced; one less step. This can be found in the deli section near the sliced ham.
- chopped veggies - You'll need ½ onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 cup celery (about 3 stalks), and 3 cloves garlic. I make sure my veggies are all really finely diced for this recipe; finding a big chunk of onion in your dish really takes away from it.
- 1 bunch green onions - We'll be using both the whites and greens for this recipe. Again, make sure to finely dice!
- 1 lemon
- 1 lb dried red beans - These are marked as "red beans" in the grocery store, and are different from red kidney beans (although you can use those too). Make sure to use the dry (not canned) variety!
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning - Any brand works! I'm a Tony Chachere's girl myself.
- seasonings - We'll be using 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 2 tablespoons tomato & chicken bouillon in this dish. The tomato & chicken bouillon is an odd one, I know - but once you start using it you'll put it in everything. It's my secret to great Instant Pot Mexican Rice, too!
Additions & Substitutions
- If you prefer, you can use an andouille sausage instead of ham. About ½ pound works perfectly.
- Go vegetarian by omitting the bacon and ham and using just tomato bouillon.
Get more cajun flavor with my Cajun Crawfish Bread and Crawfish Monica Pasta recipes! 💚💜💛
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode. When hot, add a little oil, 2.5 oz of bacon pieces, and 8 oz of chopped ham. Cook until browned.
- Stir in ½ a chopped onion, the chopped white parts of the green onions, 1 chopped bell pepper, and 1 cup of chopped celery. Sauté until the veggies start to turn translucent. About a minute before the next step, add 3 minced garlic cloves and juice from the lemon.
- Add 1lb of dried red beans, 4 cups of water, and seasonings. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, for 30-35 minutes (for firmer beans) or 35-40 minutes (for softer beans). Once done, let the pressure release naturally (about 25–30 minutes) before opening the lid.
- Puree about 2 cups of beans, then stir them back into the pot.
- Serve with white rice, garnished with chopped green onions.
🎥 Step-by-Step Recipe Video
💡 Useful Tips & Tricks
- I recommend storing leftovers for this dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure the lid is tight; those flavors will seep into your other foods!
- This is also a great recipe to freeze. Make as directed, cool, place in a gallon-sized freezer bag, and freeze for up to 6 months.
- HOW TO SERVE: Of course, what are red beans without rice! I recommend serving about a cup of plain white rice on top of a bowl of red beans; you can find my easy Instant Pot Rice method using the link.
- Getting the dreaded burn error? Try scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the Instant Pot pan with a wooden spoon.
I hope you love this one, friends! If you give it a try, I want to hear what you think. Just leave a comment or rating below!
Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice
Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice is a quick and flavorful one-pot meal! No soaking needed; just 1 hour from pantry to table for a classic Southern comfort food dinner.
Affiliate links used in this recipe card.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 oz real bacon pieces
- 8 oz diced ham
- ½ onion (chopped)
- 1 bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 bunch green onions (divided)
- 1 lemon
- 1 lb dried red beans
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato & chicken bouillon
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Once hot, add a little bit of oil, 2.5 oz bacon pieces, and 8oz chopped ham. Brown the bacon & ham for a few minutes.
- Add ½ chopped onion, the white part of the green onions (chopped), 1 chopped bell pepper, and 1 cup of chopped celery to the Instant Pot. Brown veggies for a few minutes, until they begin to turn translucent. About 1 minute before going onto the next step, add 3 cloves of minced garlic and the juice of the lemon.
- Add 1 pound of dried red beans, 4 cups of water, and the seasonings to the pot. Lock on the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, 30-35 minutes (for firmer beans) or 35-40 minutes (for softer beans). Once cook cycle is over, allow the pressure to naturally release (usually 25-30 minutes) before taking off the lid.
- Remove about 2 cups of beans and puree, then return to the pot and stir well.
- Serve with a scoop of white rice and garnish with chopped green onions.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge to keep flavors from spreading. This dish also freezes well - cool, then freeze in a gallon-sized bag for up to 6 months.
- Serving Tip: Red beans and rice go hand in hand! Serve a cup of white rice over a bowl of red beans. (Find my Instant Pot rice method linked in post.)
- Burn Error Fix: Scrape any browned bits off the Instant Pot bottom with a wooden spoon to prevent the burn warning.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 22gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 676mgPotassium: 901mgFiber: 10gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 709IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Rate it in the comments below!
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
