Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

5 from 10 votes

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Instant Pot red beans and rice is the efficient, pressure cooker version of a New Orleans classic made with dried red beans (soaked or unsoaked) and smoked andouille sausage for delicious Southern flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Natural Pressure Release20

Total Time1 5

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: cups

Calories: 407kcal

Author: Traci

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound Dried Red Beans soaking optional
1 teaspoon Olive Oil or other cooking oil
12 ounces Smoked Andouille Sausage sliced (about 3 cups)
½ large Onion diced
2 ribs Celery diced
1 Green Bell Pepper diced
4 cloves Garlic minced
Cajun or Creole Seasoning as needed *see footnote
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
6 cups Chicken Broth use 4 cups for soaked beans
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
4 cups Cooked Rice for serving

Instructions

Sort and rinse the DRIED RED BEANS. If soaking, continue to step 2. If using the no-soak option, skip to step 3.
To soak, place beans in a large bowl with 8 cups water and soak for 8 hours. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and add OIL. When the display reads "Hot", add ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE and sear until lightly browned, stirring as needed.
Transfer cooked sausage onto a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Note: If needed, drain excess oil from the Instant Pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon for the next step.
To the pot, add ONIONS, CELERY, BELL PEPPER, and GARLIC. Sauté 5 minutes until tender, stirring as needed.
Sprinkle in CAJUN or CREOLE SEASONING and sauté veggies a few minutes. Add a splash of broth or water and deglaze the pot surface if it becomes dry.
To the cooker, add BEANS, OREGANO, BAY LEAF, and CHICKEN BROTH. Stir to combine.
Secure the lid and turn the pressure release valve to the "Sealing" position.
Press "Cancel", then select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" and set the Instant Pot on "High" pressure for 30 minutes (for unsoaked beans) or 15 minutes (for soaked beans).
When the cycle completes, allow the Instant Pot to rest undisturbed for a 20-minute natural pressure release (NPR).
Turn the pressure release valve to the "Venting" position to release any remaining steam. Carefully remove the lid.
Give the beans a good stir and taste to make sure they're cooked to your liking. *see recipe footnote
Remove BAY LEAVES, stir in cooked ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE. Add SALT and PEPPER to taste.
Serve warm with cooked rice. Garnish options include green onions, cilantro, hot sauce, etc.
To store, allow to cool completely and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 90 days (or longer if vacuum sealed).

Notes

Smoked Andouille sausage is fully cooked, so a quick sear is all you need to enhance the flavor and juiciness for this recipe.

Use Cajun or Creole seasoning as indicated on packaging and adjust the amount to your liking. You can always add more right before serving.

Dried bean cooking times vary because they naturally lose moisture in dry storage. Always test cooked beans for softness. If needed, repeat an additional 5-minute pressure cook cycle with natural pressure release until beans are soft and tender.

At the end of the pressure cook cycle, the Instant Pot automatically goes into "Keep warm" mode until the "Cancel" button is selected.

Stove instructions

Follow the first 2 steps of the above recipe for prepping the beans. In a 3.5-quart soup pot, brown sausage, remove, then sauté veggies with seasoning. Add beans, oregano, bay leaf, and broth (6 cups for unsoaked beans, 4 cups for soaked). Bring to a boil, then simmer covered—1 to 1 ½ hours for soaked beans, 2 to 2 ½ for unsoaked. Stir occasionally, then add sausage and simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes. Mash some beans to thicken, season, and serve over rice.

Nutrition