Instant Pot Baked Beans
A classic baked beans recipe made in the Instant Pot using dried beans and a rich maple sauce.
Servings: 12
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
8-Quart Modifications: This recipe has been developed for the 6-quart Instant Pot, if you have an 8 quart instant pot, you will need to either DOUBLE this recipe or use 1 full cup of apple juice plus ¼ cup water to prevent a burn warning.
***Old dried beans may take longer to cook and never fully soften.*** It is best to use dried beans within 6 months of purchasing and ALWAYS check the expiration date--even recently purchased beans may have been in storage for a while.
Dried Beans: While not traditional, feel free to use pinto beans or small red beans in place of the navy beans. The cook time will remain the same.
Bacon: If you do not use bacon in the recipe, you may need to increase your salt for more flavor.
Apple Juice: If you use water in place of the apple juice, you will need to double or triple your maple syrup or sweetener of choice and add in more salt for flavor.
Sweeter Baked Beans: For a sweeter, darker result, add in an additional ¼-1/3 cup brown sugar. For my classic baked beans recipe, I add in brown sugar for a more decadent side dish!
Using Canned Beans: To use canned beans in place of dried beans, skip the step of cooking dried beans in water and use 4 cups of canned navy beans that have been rinsed and drained.
Onions: If your family is opposed to chopped onions, omit the onions and add in 2 teaspoons dried onion powder.
Live above 3,000 feet in elevation? Increase the cook time per my Instant Pot high altitude conversion chart.
Storage: Allow to cool, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, prepare as directed, allow to cool fully, then transfer the beans to a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer-safe bag, leaving 1-2 inches of extra space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, allow the beans to thaw fully in the refrigerator and then reheat as desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 424mg | Potassium: 682mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 14.3mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2.5mg
