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
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE this recipe and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
This post contains affiliate links.
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 made this for the first time today and it was very successful — I made it with pinto beans and followed the recipe precisely. My Instant Pot is an 8 quart (the Duo 80). So happy to have found this recipe — I had never quite settled on one for baked beans and now I will look no further. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I want to make this for our BBQ this Saturday. I’m wondering if it can feed 14 people as a side? I don’t want to double if I can get away from it.
Hi Shannon, It would be fine for 14 pretty small side servings.
Whoops, forgot to ask: is the 16 ounce measure of dry beans meant to be volume or weight? Thanks, Lauren
Measured by weight. 🙂
Thanks, Lauren, I’ve been looking for a good baked beans recipe to try in my IP. What are your thoughts on subbing some or all of the sugar with molasses?
I haven’t tried it, but it may work just fine!
Lauren, you rock! This recipe was exactly what I wanted, and turned out delish.
Ended up using the sugary ingreds. as 1/4 C ea. bown sugar and molasses. Then once cooking was done, surprised myself by feeling the need to add a Tbsp maple syrup (think I got a little fumble-finger slooshy with apple cider vinegar, so extra sweet helped).
Used no liquid smoke, added a couple de-seeded, minced Serrano peppers…but the rest of your great recipe turned out beautifully for me as written.
It’s a definite keeper…and fwiw, is the PERFECT companion to pulled pork sandies.?
Thanks, Lauren!
This recipe is absolutely perfect! Everyone raved about it. It will be one of my go to’s for camping. Nestled beside the instant pot ribs!!!
I love the idea of making it camping! Thanks Jayne–I’m glad you liked it.
I use this recipe yesterday , modified it slightly. I added one finely minced serrano pepper. Outstanding dish, I don’t believe I could have done a better bean recipe ever!
Thank you.
Roger, nice reminder to put one of the serranos in my fridge to good use. Thanks. Out of curiosity: did you go with seeds-in or de-seeded?
My crew are picante people, so I probably can’t go wrong either way. ?
Wow!! These are fantastic!! Followed exactly. Worked out swimmingly. I’ll never make beans a different way. Thanks for the great recipe!
My precious comment did not include what I rated the recipe as. I would like to add a 5 star rating. Excellent recipe.
Thank you.
I have made this recipe twice. The first time I followed the recipe and cooked the beans as directed without pre-soaking and they turned out pretty good and very tasty, although not quite as soft as I like them, so the next time I pre-soaked the beans and omitted the step to cook the beans for 25 minutes before putting in the sauce. I just cooked the beans in the sauce for 25 minutes and naturally released the steam and they were delicious. First time I didn’t have the liquid smoke but the second time I did. I liked the way the beans tasted either way. I did not have any problems with burning either. I used my 6 Qt Duo Instant Pot. My husband really likes the beans as well and I plan to make these often. Thank you for the recipe.
I have made this recipe twice. The first time I followed the recipe and cooked the beans as directed without pre-soaking and they turned out pretty good and very tasty, although not quite as soft as I like them, so the next time I pre-soaked the beans and omitted the step to cook the beans for 25 minutes before putting in the sauce. I just cooked the beans in the sauce for 25 minutes and naturally released the steam and they were delicious. First time I didn’t have the liquid smoke but the second time I did. I liked the way the beans tasted either way. I did not have any problems with burning either. I used my 6 Qt Duo Instant Pot. My husband really likes the beans as well and I plan to make these often. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks so much for adding your input Susie! I’m so glad you have had success with the recipe!