Quick & Easy Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

If you crave New Orleans food, you love Red Beans and Rice. It was traditionally served on Mondays in Louisiana, which was Wash Day, because a pot of beans could sit on the stove and simmer all day long while the women were busy scrubbing clothes. Now, with the invention of the Instant Pot, Red Beans and Rice can be prepared and served in about an hour or two from start to finish (and most of that time is just waiting for the Instant Pot to do its magic). This authentic, yet simple, New Orleans recipe is great for parties and large gatherings and it actually tastes better the next day.

Soaking beans overnight before cooking is recommended to remove some of the indigestible sugars responsible for beans’ infamous flatulence issues, and it’s also said to reduce cooking times. I found that a quick-soak of the dry red beans in the Instant Pot (see directions below) is just as good as an overnight soaking and allows you whip up a delicious pot of red beans on the spot, without having to remember to start soaking them the night before.

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Quick & Easy Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Cajun, Creole, red beans, rice

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Tom

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white long grain rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound smoked andouille sausage thinly sliced (1/4")
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
• 1 pound dry red beans, Quick-Soaked
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (see note below)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce or more, to taste (I prefer Frank’s)
• 2 green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

Quick Soak Red Beans

1. Add the red beans to the instant pot, and add water to an inch over the beans. Close the lid and press "Manual" and set the cooking time for 5 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally. Drain the beans and they're ready to go.

Instructions Red Beans and Rice

1. In a saucepan of 3 cups water (or, we prefer, chicken stock) cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.

2. Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the high saute setting. Add olive oil and sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

3. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Stir in sausage, red beans, Cajun seasoning, oregano, basil, sage, thyme, bay leaves and vegetable broth; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 30-35 minutes. When finished cooking, release pressure naturally according to manufacturer’s directions, about 20-30 minutes.
   

6. Serve over rice with hot sauce and garnished with green onions.

Recipe Notes

Note: Store-bought Cajun seasoning works great (like Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic or McCormick’s Perfect Pinch Cajun) but here is a quick recipe for Cajun Seasoning. Just mix everything together, use what you need and keep the rest ina n airtight container for another day.

• 2 teaspoons salt,
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder,
• 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika,
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper,
• 1 teaspoon onion powder,
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano,
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme,
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)