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Cook homemade baked beans from scratch in a fraction of the time with this easy Instant Pot recipe. This vegetarian side dish recipe is rich and tasty, and a breeze to make in your pressure cooker!
Ingredients & substitutions
- Beans: If you can, try to use pinto beans when making this baked bean recipe, through you could also use kidney beans or cannellini beans if you prefer. Use dried beans, not canned, for this recipe.
- Oil: Used to saute. Olive oil works great, as will vegetable or canola.
- Onion and garlic: Diced finely and minced to add extra flavor to the beans.
- Seasonings: Dried basil, salt and pepper.
- Ketchup and tomato paste: For that rich tomato sauce. The paste has a more concentrated flavor and the ketchup also adds a little sweetness.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a nice tangy flavor. You can use yellow mustard if you prefer a milder taste.
- Broth: Use vegetable broth if you want to keep these beans vegetarian. You can also use chicken or beef stock.
- Honey: Honey adds a nice sweetness to the baked beans. You can make this side dish vegan by using maple syrup, molasses or brown sugar instead.
How to make instant pot baked beans
- Place the dried beans in the Instant Pot.
- Cover with water and cook. Drain and set to one side.
- Saute the onion and garlic and add the ketchup, paste and mustard.
- Stir and cook until well combined.
- Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, before adding the beans back in with the honey.
- Cook on high pressure, quick release and serve.
Tips for making baked beans
- Rinse the beans before placing in the Instant Pot. This will remove any dirt and be sure to check for any grit.
- Cut down on cooking time by using canned beans. Drain and rinse the beans well and skip the first cook. Just add the beans to the Instant Pot at step 6 of the recipe, once you have added and boiled the broth.
- Make your own flavors! You can easily mix this recipe up by swapping or adding some ingredients. For BBQ baked beans, swap the mustard for your favorite BBQ sauce, or try adding in some liquid smoke. You can also sneak in some extra veggies like diced bell peppers or mushrooms when you saute the onion and garlic.
- Allow the baked beans to set to thicken the sauce. You’ll notice it may look somewhat liquidy when it’s done cooking. But after just 10-15 minutes of allowing them to set, you’ll notice it will be thicker.
Frequently asked questions
If you have leftovers, they will keep well in the fridge for two days, and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Because these baked beans are cooked in the Instant Pot, there is no need to soak them first. The heat and pressure cooks the beans fully, and quickly, and they come out perfectly tender.
These baked beans are great to serve with BBQ favorites, a side for a weeknight dinner, or do what the British do, and pile them onto slices of toast or on a baked potato!
This homemade baked bean recipe is so quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot. They are much lower in salt and sugar compared to the cans of beans at the store, and the flavors are all kinds of delicious! Your whole family is going to love these!
More side dishes to try:
- Green Beans with Almonds
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Cabbage
- Corn Ribs
- Broccoli Rice
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Instant Pot Baked Beans recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Instant Pot Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- Kosher salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Rinse the pinto beans under cold water, add to the Instant Pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches (about 2 quarts).
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and move the valve to sealing. Press manual pressure on high for 35 minutes. You’ll notice the Instant Pot will start to come to pressure and then the timer will begin. This can take 8-10 minutes.
- When the cook time is up, carefully let the pressure release by manually opening the valve (use an oven mitt or towel). Carefully open and remove the lid, then drain the beans into a colander or sieve and rinse well. Set aside.
- Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting on high. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, and dried basil. Cook until the onions are slightly translucent and garlic is fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the ketchup, mustard, and tomato paste to the Instant Pot. Stir constantly and cook until well incorporated, around 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the broth into the Instant Pot and use a spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Return the cooked beans to the Instant pot along with the honey. Stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and move the valve to sealing. Press manual pressure on high for 15 minutes. When the cook time is up, carefully let the pressure release by manually opening the valve (use an oven mitt or towel). Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Not a fan at all. I followed recipe instructions and released the pressure as soon as the beans were done, then left the room. Upon return, I found a huge mess of liquid all over the counter. I should have let it spend some time before releasing at all. I didn’t use as much mustard as the recipe called for as I didn’t feel mustard belonged in the recipe; I was right, despite having used less than called for, the mustard flavor in the beans is horrible. I should have just used my regular recipe and adapted if needed to the instant pot.
Thank you for your feedback! I’m not sure why there was a liquid mess, as I have never encountered that with this recipe.
This looks really good!
Thank you so much!
These beans were a hit at our 4th of July Vegetarian BBQ. I followed recipe as instructed, but added more flavors to suit my taste.
That is so great to hear! Yay!!
Is gas and bloating a problem due to using the water from cooking un soaked beans?
It shouldn’t be!
I always soak my beans for 48 hours regardless of whether the recipe calls for it or not.
No gas problems that way.
Soooo many great recipes, and easy to follow. Great graphics, thanks.
Thank you so much! Glad you found it useful!
When I’ve had the fortune to travel to the UK, I’ve eaten breakfast with these beans. Once in my country, I’d like to make that English breakfast and today you send the recipe. I would like to know if I can replace the tomato paste with simple tomato.
This is perfect in that case! I have yet to try this with a tomato paste substitute, but let me know if you decide to give that a try!