Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
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Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice is a delicious one-pot pantry meal that’s easy on your budget. This easy pressure cooker recipe brings the flavors of New Orleans right into your kitchen. Make it tonight and enjoy leftovers for lunch!
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot for Red Beans and Rice
Who knew comfort food could be this quick? The Instant Pot turns this traditionally hours-long red beans and rice into an easy, weeknight-friendly dish.
My first taste of red beans and rice was at The Bayou Bay, a small local restaurant in Knoxville run by a chef from New Orleans. As the story goes, Mondays in the bayou were laundry days, so women needed a meal that required little attention.
A pot of red beans, seasoned with a ham bone from Sunday’s dinner, would simmer all day in a blend of Creole spices — effortless and flavorful.
Now, with the Instant Pot, you can enjoy that same rich, smoky flavor in a fraction of the time! When I was a teenager, my grandmother taught me how to cook dry beans the traditional way — an all-day process. So, I was thrilled to discover how easy and quick this Instant Pot version is!
For more time-saving Southern meals, try my White Chicken Chili or Black-Eyed Peas. Both are much faster than stove-top cooking and just as delicious!
Ingredient Notes for NOLA Red Beans and Rice
- Dry red beans | A pound of dry red beans provides the hearty base for this dish, breaking down into a rich, creamy texture as they cook.
- Sausage | Andouille sausage or kielbasa adds a smoky depth and a bit of spice, infusing the dish with a bold, savory flavor.
- Aromatics | Onion, celery, and garlic create a flavorful base, balancing sweetness, freshness, and fragrant depth.
- Oil | Extra-virgin olive oil is used to sauté the sausage and veggies, helping to build a flavorful base for the dish while keeping things smooth and savory.
- Salt and pepper | Kosher salt helps enhance the other ingredients’ natural flavors.
- Seasonings & herbs | Creole or Cajun seasoning delivers a signature spicy kick, while thyme, oregano, and bay leaves add earthy, aromatic notes.
- Cooking liquid | A mix of chicken broth and water ensures the beans absorb all the rich flavors while achieving the perfect consistency. For a richer flavor, try using homemade chicken stock or beef broth.
- Rice | Jasmine rice is the perfect bed for the beans, absorbing all the delicious flavors while adding a light, fluffy texture to each bite.
Variations and Substitutions
- Rice. If you don’t have jasmine rice, you can use long-grain white rice, brown rice (though it will need a longer cooking time), or even quinoa for a gluten-free option.
- Sausage Substitutions. If you’re not into Andouille or kielbasa, you can use smoked turkey sausage, chorizo, or even a vegetarian sausage for a plant-based option. For a milder flavor, try a simple chicken sausage.
- Homemade Seasoning Blend. You can make your own Cajun Seasoning using paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and oregano. Adjust the heat level based on your preference.
How to Make Easy Red Beans and Rice in the Instant Pot
This recipe comes together effortlessly — just a pressure cooker and a few simple ingredients, and you’re ready to enjoy a hearty, flavorful meal!
SOAK BEANS. Rinse the red beans in a colander under cool running water. Drain and place in a large bowl with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Soak the beans overnight, then drain and discard the liquid. (To skip this step, see the Recipe Success Tips.)
SAUTÉ SAUSAGE. Cut the sausage into 1/4-inch slices. Set the electric pressure cooker to SAUTÉ. Then, when it’s nice and hot, add the olive oil and sliced sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
SAUTÉ CELERY AND ONIONS. Next, remove the sausage to a plate. Add the onions, celery, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, cooking on the SAUTÉ function for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden.
ADD GARLIC, SEASONING, AND HERBS. Stir in the minced garlic, Creole seasoning, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
STIR IN REMAINING INGREDIENTS. Now, add the red beans, sausage, chicken broth, and water to the pressure cooker and stir. Hold off on the rice – we’ll cook that in just a moment!
COOK. Lock the electric pressure coin place and set the steam vent to SEALING. Select HIGH pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Remember that the electric pressure cooker will take about 20 minutes to reach pressure.
MAKE RICE. While the beans are cooking, prepare the rice per package directions.
RELEASE PRESSURE. When the pressure cooker time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then, carefully open the steam vent to release any remaining pressure.
MASH BEANS. Next, remove the bay leaves, scoop out about a cup of the beans into a small bowl, and mash them with a fork or potato masher. (If the beans are not tender, lock the lid and cook another 10 minutes.)
ADD MASHED BEANS AND SERVE. Stir the mashed beans back into the pot until creamy. Season with salt ad pepper, to taste. Then, serve ladled over hot cooked rice and garnish with sliced green onions, if desired. Enjoy!
More Recipe Success Tips
While I prefer to soak the beans beforehand, it’s not a requirement. Here are some excellent alternatives:
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Transfer your leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Then, reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
- You can also freeze the sausage mixture for up to 2 months. Allow it to cool completely before storing it in a freezer-safe container, and leave room at the top for it to expand.
- Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating and serve with a fresh batch of rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Doing so breaks down some of the complex sugars that give people trouble, making them easier to digest. When soaked, they also cook more evenly without splitting and require less time overall.
You sure can! Use a spicy sausage or add a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce. If you will be serving this to people with different palates, prepare it as directed and place the hot sauce on the table instead.
While this depends entirely on your dietary needs, it is packed with plenty of protein and is a great source of iron, fiber, and potassium.
Looking for More Instant Pot Recipes?
You can enjoy a flavorful, no-hassel dish with minimal cleanup when a meal is made entirely in the Instant Pot. In just 30 minutes, you can whip up my Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe with ground chicken, coleslaw mix, fresh veggies, garlic, and ginger. Also, try my rich Old-Fashioned Beef Stew and tender Instant Pot Pork Chops —both rich, comforting, and perfect for busy nights!
What to Serve With New Orleans-Style Red Beans and Rice
Classic Southern-style sides are the perfect complement to red beans and rice. Whether it’s cornbread, collard greens, or fried green tomatoes, these comforting sides round out the meal, adding richness and variety to each bite.
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Pressure Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry red beans
- 1 pound Andouille sausage or kielbasa
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- ½ cup celery sliced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons Creole or Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups jasmine rice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the red beans in a colander under cool running water. Drain and place in a large bowl with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Soak the beans overnight, then drain and discard the liquid. (To skip this step, see the notes.)
- Cut the sausage into 1/4-inch slices. Set the electric pressure cooker to SAUTÉ. When hot, add the olive oil and sliced sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the sausage to a plate. Add the onions, celery, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook on SAUTÉ function for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden.
- Stir in the minced garlic, Creole seasoning, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Add the red beans, sausage, chicken broth, and water to the pressure cooker and stir.
- Lock the electric pressure cooker lid in place and set the steam vent to SEALING. Select HIGH pressure and cook for 15 minutes. The electric pressure cooker will take about 20 minutes to reach pressure.
- While the beans are cooking, prepare the rice per package directions.
- When the pressure cooker time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then carefully open the steam vent to release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the bay leaves. Scoop out about a cup of the beans into a small bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher. (If the beans are not tender, lock the lid and cook another 10 minutes.)
- Stir the mashed beans back into the pot until creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve ladled over hot cooked rice and garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.
Notes
Make Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice
Omit the sausage and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.No-Soak Method
Add the dry red beans to the pressure cooker as directed above and increase the cooking time at HIGH pressure to 35 minutes.Fast-Soak Method
- Place one pound of red beans in the pressure cooker with enough water to cover one inch above the beans.
- Lock the electric pressure cooker lid in place and set the steam vent to SEALING.
- Select HIGH pressure and cook for 2 minutes.
- When the pressure cooker time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release, about 45 minutes.
- Drain the beans and they are ready to use in your recipe.
Storage and Reheating
- Transfer your leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Then, reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
- You can also freeze the sausage mixture for up to 2 months. Allow it to cool completely before storing it in a freezer-safe container, and leave room at the top for it to expand.
- Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating and serve with a fresh batch of rice.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
