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
Recipe
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
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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 followed the recipe to the letter in my IP-DUO60 but cooked the bacon, onion, pepper on the side to save time. Same ingredients, same measurements. On the second pressure cook, I did not get a burn notice. When done, there was just a little liquid but as they cooled in the pot, it thickened up to perfect consistency. Some of the beans looked borderline mushy but when I tasted them, my mouth liked the consistency. I do not like al dente beans. I am smoking a chicken right now that should be ready in 4 hours. We like baked beans at room temperature so this is great. Thanks for the recipe. It’s a keeper.
Just made this recipe. Delicious! Will repeat. But I am glad I read the comments. In the second heating, my Instant Pot was one of the ones that would not go into pressure cooker mode (probably not enough liquid). Rather than add more liquid, I took the suggestion from one of the comments and went to slow-cooker mode for 2 hours. Everything came out fine. Also, mine were too sweet because the BBQ sauce I used was already sweet. So next time I will cut down the brown sugar. But overall, the recipe was easy to follow and I got a lot of homemade BBQ beans with a better taste than store-bought for a fraction of the cost. And I can play with the recipe! Jalapenos, anyone? 🙂
Mine also burnt after adding the beans back in and doing the last pressure cook. I have the same 6 quart duo IP. I stopped once it started burning and will change to slow cooker setting for a couple hours and see if that works.
Recipe burnt immediately
My instant pot told me I needed more water than the 1/2 cup so I had to stop it, depressurize and add 1/2 cup more. Let’s see what happens. Any one else?
Step 7 says water but doesn’t say how much. I’ve been using this recipe for years and it works pretty well though.
My bad. I’ve been using this for several years and it always works well.
absolutely delicious!!
Add a shot of dales, and liquid smoke about teaspoon of each ,only had regular mustard, and Whataburger spicy ketchup, so I increase the brown sugar taste good and it’s not even got the beans in it, my dry beans cooked way to fast so I’m simmering the sauce down before I add it to the beans
I have done this recipe many times my husband absolutely hates baked beans, but he absolutely does love this recipe and will eat them this way!