Break out the pressure cooker, these Instant Pot Baked Beans are the most delicious dinner side dish. So easy, no pre-soaking required!
Who loves baked beans? In our house, they make an appearance at almost every meal that we grill. My hubs particularly is obsessed. But those little cans of baked beans are expensive.
While I loved the idea of saving money and making them at home- they were very labor intensive and time consuming. So when I got my Instant Pot several years ago I was thrilled to figure out just how easy it is to make barbecue beans at home.
When I made my first batch of baked beans using the pressure cooker it was a game-changer. I couldn’t believe that it was that easy and I could make enough for several days to have with a few meals.
It saves me so much time and money – not to mention that these are so much better than what I can get in the store. I can’t wait for you to try them!
pressure cooker baked beans
Here are some commonly asked questions
Why do I have to combine the ingredients before I use the pressure cooker setting on the instant pot? Don’t they all cook inside together?
Though they do cook inside together, the mixture would not mix very well inside the pot without a little help. Therefore, you sometimes have to combine all of your ingredients before adding them to the pot to get the best result.
What is “natural pressure release”?
Often, an Instant Pot recipe would call for you to release all the pressure at the end of the timed pressure cycle. However, the cooking process stops when the pressure is released.
For recipes that call for a natural pressure release, you would refrain from releasing the pressure from the unit for a set amount of time. This allows for a little extra cooking time as the pressure inside naturally goes down.
At the end of the natural pressure release cycle, you would then use the valve to release the remaining pressure and stop the cooking process.
Don’t I need to soak the beans before cooking?
Nope – that is the best part about this recipe and why so many people love the pressure cooker when it comes to making beans in general. No soaking required.
How do I make this recipe at high altitude?
**Live at High Altitude – Because water boils at a lower temperature at high altitudes, and pressure cooking requires water to boil in order to work, some foods may need a little more cooking time.
When pressure cooking at high altitudes you want to make sure to add 5 percent to your cook time for every 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet elevation. For example, when we lived at 4,000+ feet I would add 10 percent to my cook time.
For a recipe that called for 20-minutes of cooking time, I would then cook for 22 minutes. When pressure cooking, 1-2 minutes can make all the difference in a recipe, unlike when cooking by traditional methods.
baked beans in Instant Pot
Ingredients for Instant Pot Baked Beans
- dry navy or pinto beans or a combination
- water
- bacon
- yellow onion
- barbecue sauce
- brown sugar
- spicy brown or Dijon mustard
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- liquid smoke
tips for making the best baked beans
- These beans are freezable for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving again.
- You can use either broth or juice in place of the water if desired.
- These can be made ahead and kept for up to 3 days.
- Be sure to add extra liquid when reheating the beans.
- You can cook the bacon separately and skip cooking it in the Instant Pot – or use leftover bacon from another meal.
- For added flavor, add 1-2 tbsp molasses when adding the brown sugar and bbq sauce.
- Swap out the bacon for sliced hot dogs or smoked sausage.
- Use great Northern beans in place of the navy or pinto beans.
Can this be made with canned beans?
Yes – you can make this recipe with canned beans. Just start at step 4 of this recipe and use 56 ounces of canned beans.
Pair this recipe with…
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Easy BBQ Brisket
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Pork Chops
- Marinated Chicken
- Crunchy Onion Burger
- Oven-Fried Chicken
- Three Bean Salad
BBQ beans Instant Pot
How to make Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Add the beans and water to the Instant Pot, lock the lid into place and cook on manual high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Carefully quick-release the steam valve.
- When the steam has completely released, pour the cooked beans into a colander and drain off any excess water.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the chopped bacon.
- Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and crispy.
- Add the onions and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are softened.
- Add the beans back into the pot with the remaining ingredients (garlic powder, onion powder, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and liquid smoke).
- Place lid on the pot and cook on manual high pressure for another 10 minutes.
- Carefully quick-release the steam valve again.
- Remove the lid, stir and serve immediately.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Make in the slow cooker – check out my recipe for Bourbon Baked Beans
What size Instant Pot do you use for this recipe?
I am currently using an 8-quart pot, but this recipe can be made in the 6-quart pot too. If you have one of the smaller versions (3-quart mini), I recommend cutting this recipe in half.
Instant Pot BBQ beans
Is it necessary to use a specific type of pressure cooker?
No, not at all. I just happen to have an Instant Pot, but pressure cookers have become so popular over the last couple years that just about every big & small appliance company makes one. This will work with them all.
Make these on the stovetop – add all of the ingredients to a large stockpot. Simmer for at least 1 hour- stirring frequently. This would require 12 hours of soaking overnight before getting started.
I got a burn notification – now what?
This probably happened because the pot was not deglazed after the bacon was cooked. Anything that is stuck onto the bottom of the pot can effect how the cooker comes to pressure – resulting in it not cooking correctly. This can also happen if the mixture is too thick. If the mixture isn’t stirred well – it will cause the burn notice.
Make sure that the bottom of the pot is clean by scraping up any food stuck to it using a wooden spoon. Stir the mixture well and make sure there is adequate liquid in the pot – you can always add 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup more depending on your elevation and climate.
Here are my favorite Instant Pot Tools and Accessories!
- Instant Pot
- Non-Stick Instant Pot Insert with Silicone Lid
- Accessory Set
- Glass Lid
- Sealing Rings
- Silicone Egg Bites Mold
- Large Mesh Steamer Basket
- Complete Cook & Bake Set
If you love this easy baked beans recipe, you’re going to love these other recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
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Instant Pot Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry navy or pinto beans or a combination
- 8 cups of water
- 8 slices bacon chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp spicy brown or Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
Instructions
- Add the beans and water to the Instant Pot, lock the lid into place and cook on manual high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Carefully quick-release the steam valve.
- When the steam has completely released, pour the cooked beans into a colander and drain off any excess water.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the chopped bacon.
- Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and crispy.
- Add the onions and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are softened.
- Add the beans back into the pot with the remaining ingredients (garlic powder, onion powder, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard and liquid smoke).
- Place lid on the pot and cook on manual high pressure for another 10 minutes.
- Carefully quick-release the steam valve again.
- Remove the lid, stir and serve immediately.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
