Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

4.60 from 10 votes

Easy Instant Pot red beans and rice will have you eating a hot bowl of this beloved New Orleans Creole comfort food in no time.

Course Entree, Main Courses

Cuisine American, Creole

Cook Time 30

Servings people

Calories 314kcal

Author Lisa B.

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked dry red beans or red kidney beans
5 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound andouille or smoked sausage sliced into ¼ inch medallions
5 garlic cloves minced
3 celery stalks diced
1 medium white onion peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper cored and diced
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
Additional salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

Pour the beans into the Instant Pot.
Add the chicken broth and salt.
Seal the pressure cooker. Set the Instant Pot to manual, then set the time to 0 minutes.
Let the pressure from the beans release naturally. This should take about 15 minutes. You do not need to drain the beans.
Add the sliced andouille or smoked sausage, minced garlic, diced celery, diced onion, diced green bell pepper, Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Stir everything until combined.
To cook the rice, fold a two-foot-long piece of foil lengthwise until it's about 4-5 inches wide. Fold the foil under a 3-inch trivet. Place the trivet into the pot, over the red beans mixture. Set an oven-safe bowl on top of the trivet.
Add the rice to the oven-safe bowl. Add ¾ cup of water or chicken stock per one cup of rice. Season the rice with additional salt to taste. Fold the sides of the foil sling down over the top of the bowl.
Replace the lid and seal the pot. Set the pot to manual, then set the timer for 30 minutes. Afterward, let the pressure release naturally, about 15-20 minutes. Once the pressure has released and you’ve removed the lid, use the foil sling to carefully lift the oven-safe bowl and the trivet out of the pot and set aside. Remove the bowl of rice from the trivet and fluff the rice with a fork.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve the red beans over the hot cooked rice. Garnish with chopped green onions or diced parsley if desired. Sprinkle with more hot sauce for additional heat.

Video

Notes

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

Storage. For best results, I recommend storing the rice and beans separately. Transfer both to an airtight container within two hours. Store in the refrigerator and consume within four days.

Freezing. Pressure cooker red beans will freeze surprisingly well; however, I don't recommend freezing the rice. Transfer the red beans mixture to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. If using a bag, squeeze out as much air as possible. Consume within three months. Thaw completely before reheating.

Reheating. Transfer the beans to a medium saucepan. The beans will absorb a lot of the original cooking liquid, so add a little chicken broth or water. Cover the saucepan and reheat the beans over medium-low heat until heated through.

Nutrition