You are going to love this cheap and easy recipe for Instant Pot Rice and Beans! Made with dried red beans, rice, and a perfect combination of seasonings, the pressure cooker pot works magic to deliver a wholesome, meal with affordable pantry staples!
When it comes to hard-boiled eggs, homemade yogurt, making fluffy rice, and cooking dried beans, the Instant Pot reigns supreme. I can rely on it to deliver everyday staples with precision and ease.
And when you can combine two of those staples to create a cheap and easy meal or side dish, that is what I call winning!
Not to be confused with my Cajun-style recipe for Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice. this recipe for Instant Pot Rice and Beans is made with Tex-Mex Seasoning. Whether served as a side dish for beef tacos or used as the filling in bean burritos, you will love just how cheap, easy, and flavorful this recipe is for dried beans and rice!
Reasons to Love Instant Pot Rice & Beans
- No Soaking Required. Just as I have shown in my recipe for Instant Pot Dried Beans, there is no need to soak your dried beans before pressure cooking them.
- Perfect Results. The pressure cooker cooks and softens the beans as the rice cooks, resulting in plump and tender beans and nutty, chewy rice.
- Cheap Recipe. Using dried beans, rice, and minimal fresh ingredients, Instant Pot Rice and Beans is seriously one of the most economical recipes out there.
Notes on Ingredients & Equipment
- Rice: For your rice to not be overcooked in the time it takes the beans to soften, you must use long-grain brown rice for this recipe.
- Beans: Use dried pinto or small red beans for the best results. Black beans and kidney beans take a bit too long to cook to work in this recipe.
- Peppers and Onions: Adding peppers and onions to your rice and beans is completely optional. It takes a few extra minutes to saute them, but it does add a nice flavor to the overall dish.
- Liquid: Use a combination of water and low-sodium or salt-free chicken or vegetable broth to cook the rice and beans. I often use just water to keep this dish economical.
- Seasonings: To give these rice and beans a Tex-Mex flavor, I use a blend of spices to replicate Taco Seasoning. Cajun Seasoning or Jerk Seasoning is a great alternative. Just be sure to season your rice and beans AFTER pressure cooking, as salt can interfere with the beans' ability to soften.
- Salsa: Salsa adds so much flavor to this simple dish, as it is already packed full of flavor. Because we are adding it AFTER the bean and rice have cooked, it is a much better choice than diced tomatoes, which need to be cooked for the best flavor. Use homemade salsa or your favorite jarred salsa.
Flavor Modifications
- Cajun Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice: Use dried red beans and brown rice, and add a dried bay leaf to the mixture when pressure cooking. After cooking, remove the bay leaf and add 1 tablespoon of Cajun Seasoning and 2 teaspoons of hot sauce. Feel free to add in cooked, diced andouille sausage as well. For an authentic recipe follow my recipe for Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice, in with the red bean stew is made separately from the rice.
- Jamaican Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice: Use dried red beans and brown rice, and add 3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves and 1 scotch bonnet pepper, cut in half to the mixture when pressure cooking. After cooking, remove the pepper and thyme and add 1 tablespoon of Jamaican Jerk Seasoning to the rice.
How to Make Instant Pot Rice and Beans
While this is an incredibly simple recipe, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes. You will find the full recipe in detail in the recipe card below.
- Sauté Onions and Peppers (Optional). Starting this recipe for Instant Pot Rice and Beans by sautéing onions and peppers adds a nice flavor, much like it does in my recipe for Instant Pot Spanish Rice. However, you can omit the onions and peppers, making this dish even FASTER to prepare and perfect for picky eaters.
- Deglaze Inner Pot. Any time you use the sauté function, you must deglaze the inner pot to prevent a burn notice. NEVER skip this step! To deglaze the pot, pour in a bit of the water called for in the recipe, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot.
- Rinse Rice and Beans. It is really important to rinse both the rice and beans before pressure cooking them. Rinsing the rice removes the excess starch on the surface of the grains and helps the grains remain separate. Rinsing the beans will remove dust and dirt. It is a good idea to quickly sort through the beans as well as to look for any rocks.
- Pressure Cook. Once the rice, beans, and liquid have been added to the inner pot, pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. The most important thing to remember is to allow the pressure to release on its own for AT LEAST 15 minutes after pressure cooking. This will help the beans continue to soften and the rice to remain fluffy. Don't be alarmed to see the beans on top of the rice when you open the inner pot. It is natural for them to float up to the top of the mixture as they cook.
- Season. Because we did not add salt to our rice and beans before COOKING, as salt can interfere with the cooking time, you will need to season the rice and beans after pressure cooking. I like to add salsa and taco seasoning for a Tex-Mex version, but you can season as desired.
Tip: Use a fork to fluff the rice and beans and mix in the added seasonings. This will keep your rice nice and fluffy, instead of mushy.
Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Rice and Beans make the perfect side dish to any Mexican or Tex-Mex meal. I often find myself making a meal out of my rice and beans. There are truly endless ways to serve this dish! Below are a few of my favorites.
- Instant Pot Rice and Beans make an obvious side dish to dishes like Chicken Enchiladas Pork Carnitas, Instant Pot Steak Fajitas, Honey Lime Chicken Fajitas, Beef Tacos, or Shrimp Tacos.
- Serve the rice and beans as a healthy, hearty, meatless meal. You can add additional flavor by topping it with shredded cheese, sour cream, and pickled jalapenos.
- Roll up ⅓ to ½ cup of the rice and bean mixture in a flour tortilla with a scoop of guacamole and cheese.
- Serve the rice and beans with fried eggs for a Tex-Mex-style breakfast.
- Instead of using meat, toss the rice and beans with chopped romaine, fresh tomatoes, and avocado slices for a quick Taco Salad.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Allow the rice and beans to cool slightly and then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Allow the rice and beans to cool slightly and then transfer them in 1-2 cup portions to a freezer-safe bag or container. Refrigerate until fully cooled and then transfer to the freezer where they will keep for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: If needed, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Place the rice into a heat-safe dish, add a splash of water, and cover with a damp paper towel or napkin. Heat in 30-second intervals until heated through. Fluff with a fork and serve.
FAQs on Pressure Cooker Rice and Beans
No, there is no need to soak beans before pressure cooking. Many people state that soaking the beans aids in digestion, but I have not noticed any difference.
Absolutely! Place your dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak the dried beans for 12 hours, or overnight. When ready to prepare this recipe, drain and rinse the soaked beans. Proceed with the recipe as directed, reducing the liquid from 5 cups to 3 cups. The cooking time will remain the same.
If you want to use white rice to prepare Instant Pot Rice and Beans, you will need to either separately prepare the dried beans in the Instant Pot or use canned beans. Follow the modifications for this recipe listed in the recipe card, as the cooking time and amounts of liquid will change.
Yes. If you want to make this recipe using canned beans, combine 2 cups of rinsed rice with 2 cups of broth or water with ½ tablespoon of taco seasoning in the inner pot. Cook on high pressure for 22 minutes for long-grain brown rice, and 3 minutes for long-grain white rice. Once the rice has been cooked and pressure has been released naturally, open the instant pot and stir in 1 cup of salsa, and 2-4 cups of canned beans that have been drained and rinsed.
Yes. The trick to cooking dried beans with rice is to season the dish AFTER it pressure cooks. Salt can inhibit dried beans' ability to soften, so by seasoning after cooking, the beans will soften perfectly in the time it takes for the rice to cook.
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Rice Pilaf
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- Instant Pot Spanish Rice
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
- Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
If you gave this recipe for Instant Pot Rice and Beans a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Rice and Beans
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion minced
- 1 medium yellow, green, or red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups long-grain brown rice rinsed well and drained
- 1 cup dried small red or pinto beans rinsed and sorted
- 2 cups low-sodium or salt-free chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon Homemade Taco Seasoning or store-bought taco seasoning
- cheese, sour cream, cilantro for serving optional
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute by hitting the saute function, add in oil, and let heat briefly. Once heated, add in the minced onions and diced peppers and saute for 2-3 minutes until they are just beginning to soften up. Add in garlic and saute for 30 seconds longer. Turn off the saute function by hitting cancel. (Feel free to skip this step if you are not wanting to add peppers or onions to the recipe.)
- Add in ½ cup of water and be sure to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot.
- Add in the remaining water and broth. Add the rinsed dried beans to the liquid and top with the rinsed rice.
- Place the lid on Instant Pot and be sure the venting knob is closed or the lid is locked. Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes. Hit the manual or pressure cook button and use the +/- buttons to adjust until the screen reads 25.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally, or for at least 15 minutes.
- After the pressure has fully released, open the lid. Add in the taco seasoning and salsa, and use a fork to fluff the rice and stir in the salsa and seasonings. Place the lid back on the pressure cooker to let the ingredients warm through for just a few minutes.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2023.
Al
Followed the recipe as written with no substitutions. Brown rice turned out mushy and the dried red beans were a bit hard. Overall flavor was ok but a bit bland for my taste.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Al! I am sorry you found this to be a bit bland and the texture off. It helps to really rinse the rice well (that prevents it from becoming starchy and mushy) and that your beans are new.
Payal
Do you have a substitute for salsa
Kristen Chidsey
You can opt to use rotel tomatoes, or omit it completely and add in additional taco seasoning to flavor.
Beth
This was really good. I used small red beans and found they needed a little more cooking time. I added 5 more minutes, just right.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing, Beth! So happy to hear you enjoyed this!
Jim
Thanks for this and all your recipes. I retired several years ago and, it turns out, I’ve taken to my new role as kitchen commander. Your recipes, tips and videos make me look like a rock star when the meals hit the table. I appreciate your efforts and commitment. You make life easier for me, and a lot of others, from reading through the comments.
Cheers!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much Jim! I love hearing I am helping you to rock your kitchen!
Brian
Hi Kristen was curious how much a serving was of this?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Brian! This recipe makes a total of 8 servings. Each serving is just shy of 2 cups.
Brian
Thank you Kristen!!!!
Tara Lyn
What kind of salsa do you recommend? I am going for eating all natural ingredients and I would have to buy salsa in a jar. Thank you.
Kristen Chidsey
Jarred salsa is actually best for this recipe so any jar you like works great. If you meant you don't care for jarred salsa (I look for an organic brand that has no additives), use fresh salsa chunky salsa from the refrigerated section or even homemade will work.
Joseph Pierce
We used organic refrigerated salsa works great.
Mark
I followed the recipe with a mix of vegetable and chicken stock and added slices of about 12 oz. chicken Cajun-style sausage and 6 oz. Italian turkey sausage on top. It was a big hit. (The turkey sausage was frozen, but it all cooked up fine.)
Andrea Honan
I have made this recipe two times. Both times, the liquid wasn't absorbed enough even after letting pressure release naturally for about twenty five minutes. I just put it back on high pressure for six minutes and then it's perfect. The flavor is great and it's a great side dish or stuffed into a burrito. I will surely make this again with the added cook time. Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for the feedback Andrea! I would worry the rice would be overcooked, but I am so happy to hear it is perfect for you.
Jennifer
Can you make this with long brown rice? Or what kind of adjustments would you do? Thanks 😊
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, for this particular recipe cook for 25 minutes.
Beth
The rice is delicious. The beans were under cooked, and hard. I followed the recipe, in a 6-qt pot. Help?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Beth! I am sorry the beans did not soften for you. It may have been that they were older or that your stock had a lot of sodium in it, which can interfere with the beans softening. Also, be sure to not add the taco seasoning or salsa until AFTER cook time has elapsed.
Sandi
Tastes amazing, I used brown basmati rice and dried red beans. Rice cooked perfectly, red beans are slightly al dente, which we prefer. Only thing is I drained the water/chicken broth because there was so much liquid left, probably 2-3 cups of liquid that didn't absorb. Cooked on manual high for 24 minutes and 10 minute release. Can't imagine that basmati vs long grain would make that much difference? Will do again, but try with 2 cups less liquid.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sandi! I am so glad you enjoyed the flavor and results. I have not had issues with liquid left. Let us know how it goes with less liquid.
Cyrena
Hi!! Just finished making and it smells wonderful!! Followed recipe exactly, but my rice is mushy!! And ideas why!! Thanks!! Would love to make again!!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Cyrena! I hope you are still able to enjoy the flavors. Were your beans dry or soaked or canned? The extra water accounts for using dried beans. If you used dried beans and your rice was still mushy, try decreasing the water by 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup the next time you make it.