Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice with Sausage is super flavorful, and very good for feeding a small group. This pressure cooker red beans and rice recipe is such a nice meal! Serve it for a casual gathering, or for a delicious family dinner.
Originally published 9/20/17
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
A little history: Back in the day, before washing machines, laundry day was Monday in New Orleans. The women would put on a pot of beans with Sunday's leftover ham and bone in it to cook all day while they did the laundry.
Red Beans and Rice on Monday remains a tradition to this day.
While in New Orleans, I had the pleasure of eating the real deal. It was spicy, and the beans were creamy and flavored perfectly. I knew I had to have this meal again when I got home. So I set out to make my own version.
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice with Sausage is my version of this classic NOLA meal. I wanted to make it easy to prepare, with ingredients you can find in the grocery store (or easily online).
You can order the Camellia brand red beans online, but the "small red beans" at the local grocery store give very good results. They are usually next to the red kidney beans, so make sure to get those ones!
Beans in the Pressure Cooker
One of the downsides of cooking beans, whether in a pressure cooker or a pot on the stove, is that you could get old beans and not even know it.
Why are old beans a problem?
Old beans usually need a much longer cook time. It's hard to know if you have old beans, and even buying
"new" beans in the grocery store doesn't ensure that they don't already have some age on them.
If you suspect that your beans might be old, you can either cook them longer, or try soaking them in a bowl of water for 3-5 hours before cooking.
For the sausage, you will have a spicy flavor explosion if you use Andouille, which is traditional. But I have used a good, smoky kielbasa and it tastes great, too. Just add more of the Cajun/Creole seasoning if you like it spicier. Or even some red pepper flakes.
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
Instant Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta with Sausage
Instant Pot Ham Hock and Bean Soup
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Don't for get the Hot Sauce! I like to add a few squirts of my Instant Pot Hot Sauce for an added kick. You can make homemade hot sauce so easily in your Instant Pot!
Recipe updated on 7/28/21
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice With Sausage is a flavor packed, spicy New Orleans traditional meal. This pressure cooker Red Beans and Rice dish has lots of flavor, and you can make it from dry beans in about an hour and a half!
- ¼ lb Bacon (or 2 Tbsp bacon fat)
- 1 large Yellow Onion (2 cups diced)
- 3-4 ribs Celery, (2 cups diced)
- 7 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- ½ tsp Sage, dried
- ½ tsp Basil, dried
- 1 Tbsp Cajun / Creole Seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's, or my Cajun Spice Blend) or more to taste
- 5 cups Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 1 lb **Small Red Beans (such as Camellia) sorted & rinsed
- 1 ½ lbs Andouille Sausage (or a good smoky Kielbasa) sliced in ¾" rounds
- ¼ cup Parsley, chopped
- Green Onions, for garnish (optional)
- Hot Sauce, as much as you like!
- 2 cups Cooked White Rice (or more for leftovers)
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Turn the pressure cooker on to the Sauté setting. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it renders the fat. Remove the bacon and set aside (You won't be adding it in, you just want the fat). If using bacon fat, let it heat up and then proceed.
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If you are using Andouille sausage, add it and brown on both sides (don't cook through). Then remove. If using kielbasa, don't brown it as long as it is softer than Andouille.
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Add the onions and celery. Cook for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to get the brown bits up (deglaze). You may need to add just a splash of the broth to help loosen it.
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Add the garlic, bay leaves, green and red bell peppers, sage, and basil. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent.
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Add the Cajun/Creole seasoning, and stir.
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Add the broth, beans, and sausage. Stir and put the lid on the pot and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
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Cancel the Sauté function and press the Pressure Cook or Manual button, then press the + or - button or dial to choose 50 minutes (High Pressure).
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When the cooking cycle has finished, let the pot sit undisturbed for 20 minutes (20 minute natural release). Then manually release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release knob to Venting.
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When the pin in the lid drops down, you can open the lid. Carefully stir the beans with a long handled spoon (be aware of any possible steam pockets as they "burp" and can cause burns).
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Taste a few of the beans to make sure they are tender. If not, close the lid and cook for 5 more minutes (with a 10 minute natural release).
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Remove and discard the bay leaves. Then mash some of the beans (a potato masher is good for this) and stir to make a more creamy consistency. Taste and add more seasoning if desired. Stir in the chopped parsley.
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Serve over cooked white rice and garnish with green onions and hot sauce.
**Please Note: Not all beans will cook in the designated time. Different varieties, and especially OLD beans may need additional cook time. See post for more info.
Resources To Make Instant Pot Red Beans Recipe and More
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James
This is a great recipe! Sometimes I will use a frozen vegetable seasoning blend and just throw it in and skip sauteeing the vegetables.Saves time if you're in a hurry.
Leah
My first time trying red beans and rice from scratch, and the best red beans and rice I’ve ever had! Husband agreed.
I left out the green and red bell peppers because neither of us like them. I cooked them for 60 minute, and I quickly used my stick blender instead of mashing some of the beans.
This one will definitely go onto my high frequency list!
Nick Ringelstetter
I love red beans and rice w/sausage and this recipe is excellent. Used "small red beans" and 60 minutes. My new favorite recipe.
Michelle Hamilton
I will be cooking this tonight for dinner and putting it in the refrigerator to portion out for next week's dinners. What is the serving size, for the calories?
Sandy
1.5 cups
Jennifer
I made this for dinner tonight and my family kept going back for more! My picky 15 year old ate 2 giant bowls. I didn't have any bacon so I sauteed the veggies in olive oil. The bacon grease would have added another level of yummy-ness! This will definitely be in our dinner rotation. Thanks!!
Jeff
Really weird. The first night we had it, it was good. Not spectacular. But good. The consistency seemed to be a little off. Not quite the hearty mixture I was hoping for. We had it for leftovers the following night, and it was hands down the best beans and rice we've ever had. Not even close. There must be something in allowing it to refrigerate and then reheat that causes it to find that right texture. Mouth watering just thinking about it.