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
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
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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OKP
Hi, wondering if the red beans are canned (so already soft) or dried (say in a bag)? Gonna try this soon, thanks for ring. But
Sandy
The dry small red beans work the best (such as Camellia brand).
Emily
A fan of this recipe.
Sandy
I'm happy to know that, Emily!
Jillian
Wow! I was not expecting this to taste so good! I made this for a work party, and brought rice to cook there in my IP. It was the hit of the pot luck! My coworkers we're asking me for the recipe, and I think I sold a few IPs, hahaha! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Sandy
That's great, Jillian! How fun that you brought this to work! I know what you mean about selling the IPs, maybe we should get a commission!
Ashley
I made this tonight. It's only the second recipe I've made in my new Instant Pot and it is so, SO good. Two picky teenagers agree (despite their dubious expressions earlier tonight when I announced what I'd be making). I used Aidell's andouille sausage and orange and red bell peppers since I didn't have a green one. Thanks for the recipe! It will be frequently used and well loved!
Sandy
Hi Ashley! I made this again last night! CRAVING it, lol! I'm so happy that your teenagers liked this, too! I really appreciate your review, thank you!
Angie
I made this tonight. Had to cook an extra 15 minutes for the beans to cook but it turned out great. I added extra creole seasoning to my bowl as I wanted more spice!
Sandy
Hi Angie, I'm glad you liked this recipe! Sometimes beans need to cook longer. The age and type of bean will determine the cook time, as well as if you soak them first (I don't with this recipe). The great thing about Creole seasoning is that you can use it after cooking, like salt & pepper! My hubby doesn't like a lot of spice, but I'm with you on that! Thanks for your review!
Salena
Do I need to soak my beans with this recipe?
Sandy
Hi Selena, just sort and rinse them. Old beans will take longer to cook, but try my suggested time first. Hope you like it!
Phyllis
I have just brought home a instant pot. Now what do I do?
Sandy
Hi Phyllis, you can do the water test to make sure the pot is working correctly, and to start getting comfortable with the pot. Also, I have a Facebook group for beginners here, and the pinned post has a water test video you can watch: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158261157915716/