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Instant Pot Baked Beans may not be baked, but they are undeniably delicious and insanely easy to make! Using dried beans or canned beans, this recipe yields classic Boston-style baked beans that will quickly become a staple for all your gatherings!
Inspired by my Papa's famous homemade baked bean recipe, the Instant Pot speeds up the process and delivers baked beans that are sweet, tangy, and perfectly delicious.
Instant Pot Baked Beans at a Glance
Baked beans are a summertime staple. But instead of reaching for canned baked beans, make them at home!
While the Instant Pot makes the process even easier, I want to highlight a few key points before we jump into the recipe.
- Use dried or canned navy beans. The choice is yours! Dried beans are much cheaper; canned beans save time.
- Dried navy beans should be soaked. You can pressure cook unsoaked navy beans, but soaking them first helps them hold their shape and prevents mushy beans. I even note that in my Instant Pot Dried Beans guide.
- Add bacon or keep it vegetarian. While bacon adds smoky, savory depth, the baked beans are delicious without the addition.
- Don't skip the apple juice. It is an oddball ingredient, but it pairs beautifully with the maple and molasses to create a sweet, caramel-like sauce for the baked beans.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
5-Star Reader Review
I am constantly amazed at the wonderful things I can make in my IP. This recipe was a keeper!! -Jessica ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Notes on Ingredients
- Navy Beans: Navy beans are the classic choice for baked beans. I have included instructions for soaked, unsoaked, and canned beans. I'm trying to cover all your bases!
- Bacon (Optional): If opting to add bacon, use thick-cut pork bacon. I don't recommend using turkey bacon.
- Onion: Use a yellow onion, which adds savory depth and balances the beans' sweetness.
- To Sweeten: A combination of maple syrup and molasses sweetens the beans while adding rich, smoky undertones. I typically add brown sugar as well for really sweet Boston-style baked beans, but you can omit it and still have delicious results.
- Apple Juice: Use 100% apple juice. Not apple cider, apple cider vinegar, or flavored apple juice.
- Tomato Sauce: Plain, canned tomato sauce for a tangy base. If desired, you can use ketchup, but your baked beans will be sweeter, and you may want to omit the brown sugar.
- Tomato Sauce: The tomato sauce adds depth of flavor and balances the sweetness.
- To Season: Kosher salt, dried mustard powder, and apple cider vinegar help to balance out the sweet and tangy sauce. If you don't have dried mustard, use a squirt of yellow or deli mustard.
How To Make Instant Pot Baked Beans
Making baked beans isn't hard. But the following steps will walk you through the process to ensure perfect results -- the next best thing to me standing in the kitchen with you. 😊
- Soak Navy Beans. Rinse and sort your dried beans (you would be surprised at how dirty they sometimes are!). Place the rinsed beans into a large bowl, cover with water, cover the dish, and let soak overnight at room temperature.
Do you really have to soak the beans?
No, and I have provided cook times for unsoaked navy beans. However, as stated above, navy beans have the best texture if soaked before pressure cooking.
- Pressure Cook Beans. Drain the soaked beans, add them to the inner pot with 6 cups of fresh water, and pressure cook according to the directions. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally, then drain the cooked beans.
Using Canned Beans?
To speed up making baked beans in your Instant Pot, skip steps 1-2 and replace the dried navy beans with 4 cups canned navy beans, rinsed and drained. (Measure AFTER draining; you will need about three 15-ounce cans of navy beans.)
- Sauté Bacon & Onions (Optional). Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté, add the diced bacon and minced onion, and cook until the bacon has rendered its fat and the onion begins to soften.
For Vegetarian Baked Beans
Omit the bacon and simply fold the raw minced onion into the mixture before pressure cooking. No need to sauté first.
- Deglaze The Inner Pot. If you sautéed the bacon, you MUST deglaze the inner pot to prevent a burn notice. To do this, add some of the apple juice and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the Instant Pot with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Combine. Add the rest of the apple juice, salt, vinegar, and dried mustard and stir to combine. Gently fold in the beans and top with tomato sauce, molasses, maple syrup, and brown sugar (if using).
Important tip from Kristen
When I originally published this recipe back in 2018, I recommended stirring the tomato sauce into the bean mixture. Since newer models are much more prone to burn notices, I now recommend NOT stirring the tomato sauce or sweeteners into the beans before pressure cooking.
- Pressure Cook. Pressure cook with a full natural pressure release to keep your beans intact and the sauce finish developing flavor.
- Thicken Sauce (optional). If you want a super-thick sauce, simmer the beans using the sauté button until thickened, stirring often.
- Serve. Along with his famous baked bean recipe, my Papa taught me the best way to eat baked beans is to ditch the silverware and use plain potato chips to scoop them up. If you haven't tried it--I am urging you to give it a try! The sweet and salty combo is insanely delicious.
Entrees To Pair With Baked Beans
Instant Pot Baked Beans make a fabulous side dish to endless dishes and a must-make for a summer cookout menu, along with sour cream cucumber salad, burgers, and Texas sheet cake. Below are a few of my favorite entrees that pair beautifully with a side of baked beans.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Instant Pot Baked Beans
Ingredients
For the Beans
- 1 pound dried navy beans
- 6 cups cold water, + more for soaking beans
For the Baked Beans
- 4 ounces bacon, chopped, optional
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 cup apple juice
- ¼ cup water, *if using an 8-quart Instant Pot
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup molasses
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar, optional
Instructions
To Cooked Dried Beans
- Soak Beans (Optional But STRONGLY Encouraged). Place the dried navy beans in a large glass bowl, cover with water, cover the bowl, and let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. After soaking, drain off the soaking liquid.
- Pressure Cook Beans. Place soaked or unsoaked navy beans into the inner pot along with 6 cups of cold water. Close the lid, seal the vent knob, and set to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes for soaked beans or 20 minutes for unsoaked beans.
- Drain Beans. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then release the remaining pressure. Remove beans from the Instant Pot and drain off any excess liquid in a colander. Set the beans aside, dry out the inner pot, and return it to the Instant Pot base.
For Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Saute Bacon. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté, add diced bacon and minced onion, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the bacon browns and the onions soften. Turn the Instant Pot OFF by hitting Cancel on the pressure cooker. (Skip this step for vegetarian baked beans.)
- Deglaze Inner Pot. Add 1 cup apple juice to the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot. If using an 8-quart Instant Pot, add ¼ cup water.
- Layer. Add in 1 teaspoon dried mustard, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. If you didn't sauté the onion, add the minced onion to this mixture now. Stir in cooked beans. Top with ½ cup tomato sauce, ¼ cup molasses, ⅓ cup maple syrup, and ¼ cup brown sugar (if desired). Do not stir.
- Pressure Cook. Place lid on the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
- Thicken (Optional) : If you would like your baked beans to have a thicker sauce, simmer using the sauté function for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published in 2018 and updated in 2025.
I didn't have any of the right ingredients but this recipe still made me some tasty baked beans. Here are my many substitutions:
For the Beans:
1 pound pink beans
8 cups warm water
For the Baked Beans:
1 frozen onion, thawed via microwave, cut up with kitchen scissors
-use butter instead of canola oil to saute the onions. It's healthier; vegetable oils turn into trans fats when used to fry or saute.
3/4 cup orange juice
~1/2 cup ketchup
Less than a tablespoon of yellow mustard
Less than a tablespoon of bbq sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
Specifically, I used sweet baby Ray's BBQ sauce
Oh I am so glad you enjoyed! I am surprised by the orange juice, yet it does pair well with BBQ. Thanks for letting us know what you used.
I love this IP beans recipe ... it's brilliant for a big English breakfast. Add eggs and sausage and I'm one happy lady 🙂
I am constantly amazed at the wonderful things I can make in my IP. This recipe was a keeper!!
My son in law, who loves beans in tomato sauce in a can, thought theses were great. I usually like Bush’s vegetarian beans, but theses are much nicer. Great recipe and great guidance through it. Thanks
I love hearing you and your son enjoyed! Thank you for sharing Renate!
Damn good beans! Best beans I have had in sometime. Thank you for the recipe
YAY!!! I am so glad to hear that Pat!
I love all the variations to make it your own. Thank you for the recipe!
I try to give as many variations as possible 🙂 Enjoy!
So many great tips here. Thank you!
I've been looking for a recipe that 'looks like' canned baked beans for my picky toddler. I think this might be it!
Well, they convinced my picky husband, so it should work for your toddler! Enjoy Helen!