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Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice served together in cream bowl topped with parsley.
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5 from 13 votes

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Made with dried beans, andouille sauces, and plenty of spice, this easy recipe for Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice allows you to enjoy a classic Cajun recipe without needing to first soak your beans.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Pressure Build-Up and Release30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Cajun
Servings: 12
Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried red kidney beans
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil + more if needed
  • 1 pound andouille or smoked sausage sliced ½-inch thick
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or additional olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 4 ribs celery finely diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves do not use ground thyme
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt + to taste
  • cooked white rice for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Place the dried beans in a fine mesh strainer and rinse well. Sort to remove withered beans or rocks, and set them aside.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to sauté, add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and let heat briefly. Once heated, add in the sliced sausage and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove the sausage to a plate.
    Sliced andouille sausage sauteed inside inner pot of Instant Pot.
  • If the inner pot is dry, add an additional ½ tablespoon of oil. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the inner pot and let melt. Once the butter has melted, add in the minced onion, celery, and bell pepper, and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds just to lightly toast. Hit cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
    Peppers and onions sauteed in inner pot next to dried red beans.
  • Add 3 cups water to the inner pot and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot.
    Liquid added to inner pot with sauteed peppers and onions.
  • Add the 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and 3 dried bay leaves, and seared sausage* (see note about sausage), to the inner pot and stir to incorporate. Add the rinsed and sorted red beans to the inner pot.
    Ingredient for Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice inside instant pot before pressure cooking.
  • Place the lid on the inner pot and secure the lid, being sure the venting knob is sealed. Set the cooking time to 50 minutes on HIGH pressure by hitting the manual or pressure cook button and use the +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time.
  • Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 20 minutes.
    Red beans with cajun seasonings cooked inside inner pot.
  • After the pressure has fully released, open the Instant Pot. Press Cancel to turn off the Keep Warm, then select Sauté to help the beans thicken. Remove 1 cup of the beans, discarding the bay leaves as you come across them. Mash the beans with a fork or potato masher, and stir back into the inner pot, along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt(and the sausage if not already added). Let everything simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened to your liking.
    Instant Pot Red Beans cooked inside instant pot after thickening and mashing red beans.
  • Taste and add more salt if needed. Then serve over white rice with hot sauce if desired.
    Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice served together in cream bowl topped with parsley.

Video

Notes

When to Add Sausage: You can wait to add your seared sausage back to the inner pot until after pressure cooking and thickening the stew, as that will make it easier to mash your beans. However, I find that the dish is more flavorful if the andouille is cooked with the beans. 
Beans: Do not substitute with canned beans and keep in mind that ***Old dried beans may take longer to cook and never fully soften.*** ALWAYS check the expiration date.
For Rice: While the red beans are cooking inside the Instant Pot prepare 3 cups of dried rice on the stovetop according to the package instructions or using a separate pressure cooker, using my recipe for Instant Pot White Rice.
Storage Instructions: Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to an airtight container. Store the cooked rice in a separate container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Alternatively, allow the red beans and rice to cool completely and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat slowly in the microwave or on the stovetop. Serve over cooked rice.
Nutritional values are based on using the full amount of oil, pork andouille sausage, and no rice. 

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg
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