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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!
I used the exact same IP, 6 qt DUO, and followed the directions. First, the pinto beans were overdone for my taste . I would lessen the first cook time. Once combining the remaining ingredients and cooking for another 15 minutes after about 5 the burn came on. I retired a few times then just ended up baking it off in a casserole dish in the oven. I make my own beans all the time in the IP and have never used 25 minutes on High. Typically 12 minutes is enough for a nice cooked bean. Black beans I cook at 10 minutes. The flavor was okay although the red pepper did not add flavor. Using the IP did not save time here. Cook the beans, make the BBQ sauce with the bacon and onions, combine and place in a casserole for 25-30 minutes. I top mine with more bacon uncovered. Thanks for the recipe.
Was the bacon raw you put on top? Did you cook the other bacon with the onion and such?
I halved this recipe to make in my 3qt IP. I got the burn notice almost immediately, so I added an extra 1/3 cup of water and reduced cook time to 8 minutes (by that stage the ingredients are already cooked anyway)
The final product was a touch too watery due to the extra water, so I added a cornstrach slurry and it thickened right up to the perfect consistency. These beans taste SO good! Can’t wait to serve with tri-tip tonight!
Awesome recipe family loved it. Only problem I had with the 2nd cooking never came to pressure. This time I’m going to add a little more water.
Step #7 says to add water. How much at this step?
Hi Kim, use 1/2 cup of water, it’s the last item on the ingredient list.
The beans are cooking right now and the combined sauce is waiting. I did rate it 5-stars for flavor. I liked this recipe and followed it except for the liquid smoke. Since our goal is to eat clean and healthy, I want to look into the origins of liquid smoke before I run out and buy some.
Meantime, this recipe rocks!
Thanks!
I’ve made the recipe several times now.
It’s very very good!
Even my mother, who would never stray from her own recipe for so many years, now prefers this recipe! That speaks volumes!!!
After cooking the bacon, I deglaze with a bit of cider vinegar and a tiny bit of water and that seemed to stop the burn issue everyone mentions.
I followed this recipe almost to the letter. Added a little extra peppers and I heeded the warning of other people about the burn light coming on so I cooked the bacon and veggies in a skillet on the stove and made the sauce there and after I cooked and rinsed the beans I put everything back in the pot together and stirred it up and didn’t get the burn warning. My beans were already pretty done with the 25 minutes originally so I only did them for 8 minutes on the 2nd cooking time just so all the flavors would blend together beautifully and my husband who is a huge baked bean fan absolutely loved them. I think for many people the kind of barbecue sauce they use will make a difference in how they taste to them so I’m assuming many people will use their favorites but we love the Sweet baby Ray’s original and the Sweet baby Ray’s mustard barbecue sauces so I did a blend of both.
I used the exact Instant Pot listed and I did get the burn notice. I resolved this by adding an extra 1/2C of water. I may play around with the sauce a bit, and give it another go with 1.5 the recommended amounts, as we loved the recipe aside from that pesky burn notice & the seeming low amount of sauce. I even double checked to make sure I hadn’t accidentally used double the beans calls for. I hadn’t.
I like to soak my beans overnight, regardless of the recipe. I do this because soaking and then rinsing reduces or gets rid of the enzymes that tend to give the human body a gaseous reaction after bean consumption. It also greatly reduces the time required to cook the beans. To use soaked beans:
○ Immerse the beans in 4 times their volume of water for 4-6 hours (I usually do overnight)
○ Pour into colander and rinse thoroughly
○ At step 1, water can be reduced to the amount necessary to cover the beans
○ Reduce cooking time to 9 minutes
Another added benefit that may be a result of this is that I have never gotten a burn warning with my 6 quart Instant-Pot.
After soaking the beans, do you still do whole 25 minutes for step 1?
Thank you i came looking in the comments hoping someone had a conversion if they soak their beans (like i do).
I get the burn notice as well (duo Nova), but I will just finish it off in the crock pot, I think. The hard part is getting the beans ready, so great for that — and the recipe is wonderful! Thank you!
I keep getting the burn notice but by the time I do the hard part is done and I just put it in the oven at 325 for about 20-30 minutes. I also add a little more liquid smoke but that’s a preference thing.
Seriously the best beans I’ve ever eaten!