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This AMAZING Instant Pot Baked Beans recipe uses dry beans, and there's no soaking required. Tender cooked beans with bacon, onion and bell pepper in a delicious sweet and smokey sauce. I'm confident this easy baked beans recipe will become a staple at your summer BBQ's!
If you could only pick one, what is your favorite side dish at a bbq? It's a hard choice, I know, but I'd probably say baked beans. They pairly perfectly with any type of meat from the grill. My favorite sweet cornbread, and one of these fresh salads make the meal complete.
I've been really excited to share this instant pot baked beans recipe with you all because it's proof that making baked beans from scratch can happen in about an hour! The instant pot is just amazing, and I'm proud to add this recipe to the ranks of my instant pot recipe archives!
How to make baked beans in the Instant Pot:
To make baked beans in the instant pot, start by adding the dry beans and water to the pot. Cook in high pressure for about 25 minutes, with a natural pressure release. When the pressure has released, remove the lid and pour the beans into a strainer to remove the water. Rinse them well with cold water.
DISCLAIMER: This recipe was created using the DUO 60 6-quart instant pot. Not all instant pot recipes work perfectly for all types of instant pots. See this article for more information on adapting recipes for your instant pot.
I've chosen navy beans or pinto beans for this recipe, but you could also use great northern beans, with the same cooking time.
After straining the beans, wipe out the instant pot and add spray it with non-stick cooking spray. I do this because even though bacon is greasy, it can still initially stick to the bottom of the pot when the saute setting is on.
Cook the bacon until it starts to get golden brown and slightly crisp on the edges. Drain some of the grease (I usually just stick a few paper towels in the pot and use them to blot out the grease). You still want a little grease at the bottom so that the other vegetables don't stick when you add them to saute.
Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and saute them, stirring often, until they're tender.
Turn the instant pot off and stir in the bbq sauce, ketchup, mustard, vinegar and liquid smoke. Stir until smooth and then add the cooked beans and brown sugar. Secure the instant pot lid and cook the mixture on high pressure for 15 minutes, with a natural pressure release.
Do I need to soak the dry beans?
Normally when making baked beans from scratch you need to soak the dry beans in water overnight, but with the instant pot pressure cooker you can cook the dry beans and water together, without soaking them first, and you'll end up with tender, perfect beans for making baked beans.
Can I substitute canned beans instead of dry beans?
Yes. If you'd rather use canned beans start with step 4 of the recipe, and when it's time to add the beans, substitute 56 oz canned pork and beans (whatever brand you prefer).
Make it a meal and serve these Baked Beans with:
Instant Pot Ribs or Slow Cooker Ribs
Instant Pot Baked Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dry navy or pinto beans
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 yellow onion, , finely chopped
- 1/2 red or green bell pepper, , cored, seeded, and finely chopped
- 2/3 cup barbecue sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- **DISCLAIMER: I created this recipe using a 6 quart instant pot DUO 60. Some users have had problems with a burn notice for this recipe using different versions of the instant pot. I have tested it many times with this version and had no issue.
- Add beans, water and salt to instant pot. Cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Remove lid and pour beans into a colander/strainer. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add bacon and saute for a few minutes until it starts to get golden brown, tossing and scraping down the bottom of the pot often. Drain some of the grease.
- Add bell pepper and onion and cook until tender.
- Turn IP off. Add bbq sauce, ketchup, mustard, vinegar and liquid smoke to the pot and stir well to combine.
- Add brown sugar, water and beans and stir to combine.
- Secure IP lid, close steam valve and cook on Manual (high pressure) for 15 minutes. Natural release the pressure.
- Carefully open lid, and gently stir mixture to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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As it was cooking, the aroma was fantastic and the taste was even better, thank you for the recipe 👏👏👏😋😋
So easy and So So Good!!! I took them to a cookout and they got rave reviews. Making them again tomorrow for another cookout! 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!!
Thanks so much for the great review! I’m thrilled you liked the recipe!
This is my favorite instant pot recipe by a long shot…the baked beans are so good I eat the leftovers as a snack.
These were delicious! I am so happy I can now make my own baked beans!
These were great. I didn’t have bacon so i used a little extra liquid smoke. I’ll bee making these again soon.
I doubled the recipe in an 8 qt Ninja Foodie. I used bacon ends-and-pieces, both kinds of beans, 3 small (wrinkled but not dry) poblanos from the garden instead of bell pepper, sweet and yellow onion, and 1/3 c each of brown sugar and molasses. Also, between step 5 & 6, I lifted and caramelized the stuff on the bottom of the pot onto the bacon mixture with the vinegar before turning it off and adding the rest of step 6. I also added a lot of coarse chopped garlic, some rubbed sage, and sweet smoked paprika.
Does anyone if this recipe can be doubled in a 6 quart Instant Pot? TIA
This is absolutely delicious! I also got the burn notice, tried scraping the bottom, but still got the burn notice. After a couple attempts, I finished them with the slow cook option.
Delicious and easy to make. However, I do get the burn notice. So this time I added 1/2 extra water and then simmered afterwards to eliminate some excess liquid. Seemed to do the trick. I add chopped jalapeños to the sauce to give it a little kick!
Made these today to go wth grilled hot dogs and potato salad. Delicious and easy to make. I used navy beans as that was what I had in the pantry. Would like them to be a little more saucy. Maybe add a little more BBQ sauce and water. Will make again for sure.
I made this yesterday. Not only was it easy but it was so good. I did add 1/2 c of honey whiskey to it and after I put into a dish I stuck it in the oven at 200 degrees for about 20 min while I grilled the meat. Wanted to caramelize it a little bit. Definitely putting into the make again section of my cookbook
On a side note, I just seen that a lot of people got the burn notice but mine never did and I followed the recipe exactly ( except adding the whiskey). I don’t think I cooked the bacon till it was all the way done since it was going to get cooked with the pressure and such.
These were delicious!! I did add additional half cup of water just to be safe and had no issue with the ‘burn’. I just simmered for a bit to cook off excess liquid when done. Only change was no bell pepper as I didn’t have any and about a 3rd cup of molasses (cause I’m a Yankee and that’s how we roll). These were perfect. Used Navy beans as pinto are really for a different tasting pot of beans all together .
Susan, I’ve made these before and they were delicious, but I too didn’t have green pepper so I used red/yellow bell pepper and I added additional water and molasses as well. 😁
I use molasses too and I’m no yankee