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These tender Instant Pot Baked Beans in a sweet, tangy, smoky sauce, make the best bbq baked beans, especially with bacon or ham, and is easy to make in the Instant Pot pressure cooker because no soaking is required!
Baked Beans are always a favorite side dish at picnics, backyard BBQs, and potlucks. They go so well with barbecued chicken, brisket, or ribs on the grill. Add some Picnic Potato Salad next to it on my plate, and it’s heavenly!
In Texas baked beans are one of those must make recipes to have in your recipe repertoire. It is expected. However, one thing I always hated about making baked beans was having to plan ahead and soak the dried beans overnight. Half the time I would forget to soak them. Has that ever happened to you?
Similar to my other Instant Pot Recipes, cooking the beans in the Instant Pot makes it so much easier and the beans are delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Beans Recipe
We have triple tested this recipe, and with the Instant Pot, there is no soaking, and the beans will cook up perfectly in about an hour. You can also do everything in one pot so you don’t have do dirty a skillet to sauté the vegetables or dirty another bowl to mix the sauce.
Do I Have To Soak Baked Beans?
One of the things I love about this recipe is that it does not require soaking the baked beans. Because you are using an Instant Pot, you cook the beans in the water together, and you won’t have to soak the beans before hand.
What Type of Beans Are Required?
For this recipe, you will need a bag of dried beans, such as one of the following types of beans.
- Pinto Beans
- Northern Beans
I like to use Pinto beans, and that is what I used to test this recipe. They are easy to find at most grocery stores, cost only a small fraction of canned beans, have a nice, tender texture, and cook very well in the Instant Pot. But some people use Northern beans or a mixture of the two. I prefer the pinto beans as that has been tradition with my family and has been used in all the barbecues and cookouts we have attended, and they cook up so well. If you have red beans to use up, then you will love my Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice recipe.
What Do I Need To Make Instant Pot Baked Beans?
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Equipment
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- 6-quart Instant Pot Duo60 – I use the 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo from Amazon.com for my recipes. It is the medium size and I like it as probably most recipes are written for the 6 quarter. However, they have many models of Instant Pot, including in a 3-quart size, or an 8-quart size.
- Chef's Knife I like this 8-inch knife from Amazon.com for chopping, mincing, etc. I like the quality of this knife.
- Cutting Board from Amazon.com – You can choose from all different materials and shapes and sizes for what works best for you.
- Measuring Cups from Amazon.com – Be sure to use the measuring cups designed for liquids for liquids only and not for dry ingredients for the most accurate measurement.
- Measuring Spoons – from Amazon.com – I keep several sets of measuring spoons on hand so I have them when I need them and they are not in the dishwasher.
- Ladle – from Amazon.com – You will need a ladle to scoop out and pour the beans into a bowl. I like the ones with the pour spouts on the side of the ladle.
- Immersion Blender – from Amazon.com – The Immersion Blender is an easy option if you want to thicken the beans.
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Ingredients
Below I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions in case you don’t have a specific ingredient on hand. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
- Dried Beans – I used Pinto Beans, but as mentioned above, you could use Great Northern Beans or Red Beans.
- Water or Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth – You will need a thin liquid to cook the beans. You can use water, or to add more flavor, you could add Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth.
- Bacon or Ham – The bacon will give the beans that smoky bacon flavor. The ham is also delicious and what I used when I took the photos. You can use the sauté function to cook the bacon and then use the bacon fat to sauté the onions, bell peppers, and garlic.
- Oil (Optional) – If you don’t cook the bacon in the Instant Pot using the saute function, then you will need about a tablespoon of oil to sauté the onions, bell peppers, and garlic.
- Onion – I used a small, white onion, but you could use a yellow or Vidalia onion if you like.
- Bell Peppers or Jalapeños – Do you like spicy or not spicy? If you like a little spicy kick then add some jalapeños that have been seeded and diced, or for a milder flavor, use bell peppers and sauté those with the onion, bacon or ham.
- Garlic – Minced garlic, especially when sautéed for a minute, before pressure cooking adds lots of flavor. You could also add shallots if you like.
- Ketchup – This helps provide the base of the sweet, sticky sauce for the baked beans.
- Spicy Brown Mustard – Providing the tangy flavor of the sauce for the baked beans.
- Brown Sugar – is key to the sweet flavor of the sauce balancing out the tangy, smoky, spicy side of the sauce.
- Molasses – I use Grandma’s Molasses because it provides a sticky sweet depth of flavor to the beans.
- Seasoning – Salt, pepper chili powder, and paprika are used to season the baked beans to provide even more flavor.
How To Make Baked Beans In An Instant Pot
- Prepare The Beans.
- Sort Through The Beans. Go through the beans and pick out any dried up beans, debris, or small pebbles.
- Rinse The Beans. Using a strainer, give the dried pinto beans a good rinse under cold water before pressure cooking.
- Pressure Cook The Beans. Pressure cook the pinto beans in 8 cups of water or broth first for 25 minutes before adding the other ingredients. If ingredients for the sauce were added now, they would be overcooked, and could potentially burn on the bottom of the pot. So baked beans in an Instant Pot require a 2-step process for the best results. Pressure cook beans first and then add the ingredients for the sauce and finish cooking the beans with the sauce.
- Natural Release. Let the pressure in the Instant Pot release naturally, which means you do nothing for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, then move the PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE to VENTING to release the pressure. (This may take a couple of minutes.) After the pressure is completely released and the pin has dropped, carefully remove the lid.
- Drain The Beans. Drain the beans, emptying all liquid from the inner liner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Cook The Sauce With The Beans.
- Cook the bacon or ham, onions, bell peppers or jalapeños. If you are using bacon, cook the small pieces of bacon in the Instant Pot using the SAUTE feature. After the bacon is cooked for a few minutes, add the onion, bell pepper and/or jalapeños. After cooking for about 3 minutes, stir in the minced garlic for about 3 minutes. NOTE: if you are using ham instead of bacon, you will need about 1 tablespoon of oil before cooking the ham, onions, and bell peppers.
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- Add the Remaining Ingredients. Add back the cooked beans, Ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, seasonings, and 1 cup water or broth.
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- Pressure cook the beans on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Quick Release. After 10 minutes of pressure cooking, do a quick release by moving the pressure release valve to the VENTING position to quickly release the pressure. Press CANCEL and carefully remove the lid and serve.
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Variations
- Vegetarian Baked Beans – To modify this recipe to make it meatless, leave out the bacon or ham, and use oil to sauté the onions, bell peppers, and garlic.
- Green Chilies. Add a can of green chilies in addition to the onion, bell peppers, and garlic.
- Taco Seasoning. Instead of using the seasoning in the recipe, use Taco Seasoning instead, especially with either jalapeños or green chilies for a spicy Mexican version.
- Cajun. Add andouille sausage in addition to the bacon, and use Cajun Seasoning instead of the specified seasoning in the recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Always Cook Beans Before Adding Sauce Ingredients. I don’t recommend trying to pressure cook all ingredients together. The beans take longer to cook than other ingredients, such as the onions, bell peppers, and bacon, and you run a greater risk of receiving a “Burn Notice” with some ingredients burning on the bottom of the Instant pot.
What To Serve With Baked Beans
Baked Beans are perfect for a BBQ or picnic. Therefore I recommend serving them with one of these recipes.
- Instant Pot Ribs – Delicious sweet, spicy, sticky pork ribs will go perfectly with this recipe.
- Barbecue Chicken Kabob – Sweet and spicy bites of barbecue chicken grilled to perfection.
- Baked BBQ Chicken – Sweet barbecue chicken done easy in the oven.
- Instant Pot Corn On The Cob – Sweet, tender summer corn on the cob goes perfectly with barbecue.
- Caprese Pasta Salad – With summer tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves, coated in a red wine vinaigrette and drizzled with a Balsamic Glaze, this recipe makes a perfect pasta salad.
- Cucumber Tomato Salad – Sliced cucumbers, fresh tomatoes, sliced red onions, in a red wine vinaigrette, makes a cool, refreshing side dish.
- Mexican Cabbage Slaw – A cool, tangy cabbage slaw with a Mexican-spiced apple cider vinaigrette!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I Make These Baked Beans In The Slow Cooker?
- Yes. Add all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Can I Make This Recipe On Top Of The Stove?
- Yes. Add all ingredients in a Dutch Oven and simmer for about an hour.
- How Do You Freeze Baked Beans?
- Store the beans in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
- How Do I Store Leftover Baked Beans?
- You can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Recipe
Ingredients
Prepare Dry Beans
- 16 ounces dried pinto beans
- 8 cups water (or chicken or vegetable broth)
Prepare Baked Beans With Sauce
- 3/4 cup chopped ham OR 6 slices Bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil (optional. Don't use if using bacon.)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, diced and seeded (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
Prepare the Dried Beans
- Sort Through The Beans. Go through the beans and pick out any dried up beans, debris, or small pebbles.
- Rinse The Beans. Using a strainer, give the dried pinto beans a good rinse under cold water before pressure cooking.
- Pressure Cook The Beans. Pressure cook the pinto beans in 8 cups of water or broth first for 25 minutes before adding the other ingredients. If ingredients for the sauce were added now, they would be overcooked, and could potentially burn on the bottom of the pot. So baked beans in an Instant Pot require a 2-step process for the best results. Pressure cook beans first and then add the ingredients for the sauce and finish cooking the beans with the sauce.
- Natural Release. Let the pressure in the Instant Pot release naturally, which means you do nothing for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, then move the PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE to VENTING to release the pressure. (This may take a couple of minutes.) After the pressure is completely released and the pin has dropped, carefully remove the lid.
- Drain The Beans. Drain the beans, emptying all liquid from the inner liner pot of the Instant Pot.
Prepare The Baked Beans
- Cook the bacon or ham, onions, bell peppers or jalapeños. If you are using bacon, cook the small pieces of bacon in the Instant Pot using the SAUTE feature. After the bacon is cooked for a few minutes, add the onion, bell pepper and/or jalapeños. After cooking for about 3 minutes, stir in the minced garlic for about 3 minutes. NOTE: if you are using ham instead of bacon, you will need about 1 tablespoon of oil before cooking the ham, onions, and bell peppers.
- Add the Remaining Ingredients. Add back the cooked beans, Ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, molasses, seasonings, and 1 cup water or broth.
- Pressure cook the beans on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Quick Release. After 10 minutes of pressure cooking, do a quick release by moving the pressure release valve to the VENTING position to quickly release the pressure. Press CANCEL and carefully remove the lid and serve.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
Michele says
Thank you Shadi!
Toni says
This is so amazing!! Love how easy to make this, too!
Michele says
Toni,
I’m so happy you liked it. Thank you!
Michele
Brenda Young says
A must have for any barbeque event. Very tasty.
Tami says
Made this dish to go with smoked brisket and the entire pot was eaten! Delicious!