Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

5 from 1 vote

Red Beans and Rice is a popular New Orleans dish, especially on Mondays! Typically, it requires planning ahead and a slow-cooking process, but by adapting it for the Instant Pot you save lots of valuable time without sacrificing flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun, New Orleans

Servings: servings

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Victoria

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
12 ounces (340 grams) andouille sausage sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces (optional)
5 ounces (140 grams) smoked ham finely diced
2 stalks celery finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper stemmed and seeded, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 pound (450 grams) dried red kidney beans rinsed and picked over, preferably New Orleans’ Camellia brand
4 cloves garlic minced or crushed
3 dry bay leaves
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or to your liking (I use Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
Kosher salt as needed
Cooked white rice for serving
2 scallions sliced

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to the Saute setting and add the oil. If using andouille sausage, add it and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and the fat has started to render, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.
To the fat remaining in the pot, add the diced ham and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to get some color, then add the celery, onion, and green pepper and saute for another 5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the rinsed beans, garlic, bay leaves, and Cajun seasoning, stirring to combine. Then add the chicken broth and water and stir to scrape up any dried bits on the bottom of the pot.
Turn off the Saute setting. Lock the lid on and make sure the valve is set to seal. Set to MANUAL/HIGH pressure for 50 minutes. It will take about 10 to 12 minutes to come up to pressure. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. (Meanwhile you can cook your rice).
Quick release any remaining pressure and carefully remove the lid. Taste a couple of beans to make sure they are tender. If they aren't, repressurize the Instant Pot and add more time (see Notes below).
Stir and discard bay leaves. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to mash or puree some of the beans, or you can ladle out a portion to a bowl or small food processor to mash or puree and then return to the pot. This will help to thicken the liquid but make sure you leave most of the beans intact.
Change the setting back to Saute. If using it, return the sauteed andouille sausage to the pot and heat the sausage through. Continue to simmer until you achieve your preferred thickness in the liquid, about 5 minutes or more. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt or more Cajun seasoning as needed.
Serve with cooked white rice and topped with sliced scallions to garnish.

Notes

Nutrition: The estimated nutritional information does not include the optional andouille sausage or the rice—it's just for the beans mixture.
Storage: Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also make it in advance and keep it warm in the Instant Pot for a couple of hours, or even freeze it for up to 2 months and then thaw completely before gently reheating to serve.
Reheating: To reheat leftovers, either heat them gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally so they heat evenly. Add water as needed to thin it back out to the desired consistency.
Andouille Sausage: You won’t always find andouille sausage in this dish. It's definitely optional. You could omit it if you prefer since it’s only sautéed and then stirred in later in the cooking process. For what it’s worth, the version I enjoyed in NOLA did not contain any sausage.
Red Kidney Beans: Ideally, use Camellia beans. This is a New Orleans brand operating since 1923 and is the brand used in authentic red beans and rice.
Cajun Seasoning: This is a spice mixture and can vary from brand to brand. It can also be homemade. I use Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning which I purchased in New Orleans. It’s well balanced and already contains salt which is why I don’t add additional salt early in the cooking process.
Bean Cooking Time: The amount of time it takes your beans to cook in your Instant Pot may vary based on your Instant Pot and the freshness of your beans. If you find that your beans aren’t tender after the recommended time, you can repressurize your Instant Pot and add more time as needed (about 5 to 10 minutes depending on how close the beans are to being done). It will repressurize quickly because the contents are already very hot. You can quick release the pressure after this step.

Nutrition