With an Instant Pot and about 1 hour, you can make perfectly cooked red beans every time! Let us show you how.
About Red Beans
Red beans look similar to red kidney beans, but they’re smaller and more round. These mild-tasting, creamy beans are most commonly used to make Louisiana Red Beans and Rice. Learn about the history of this dish here.
Instant Pot Red Beans
The Instant Pot is our preferred method for cooking red beans because it’s quick and easy (no soaking required!), and yields perfectly tender beans!
Here’s what you need to know:
- Ratio = 1 part red beans : 3 parts water
- Cook Time = 28-30 minutes
- Release = 15 minute natural release, then release any remaining pressure
Red beans are delicious with rice or Cajun baked fries or added to soups, stews, chili, or salads. They can also be used to make refried beans.
Did you find this helpful? If so, be sure to check out our Instant Pot Cooking Times Guide for perfectly cooked grains and beans every time!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Instant Pot Red Beans (Fast, Tender, No Soaking!)
Instructions
- Add red beans and water (or vegetable broth) to the Instant Pot and stir to prevent sticking. Pressure cook on high for 28-30 minutes (28 minutes for more firm, 30 for more tender // it will take about 8 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking begins).
- Once the timer goes off, allow to naturally release for 15 minutes, then release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove lid once steam has fully escaped and strain off any excess cooking liquid.
- Enjoy immediately with rice or Cajun baked fries or added to soups, stews, chili, or salads. They can also be used to make refried beans. Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop, adding a little water, as needed, to prevent sticking.
Notes
*Total time includes active cook time, release time, and the time it takes for the Instant Pot to heat up (~8 minutes).
Mary says
A great way to enjoy the simple deliciousness of red beans without the soaking time! Thank you!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes! Thank you for the lovely review, Mary! xo
Fabien says
Thanks for this recipe and for the incredibly useful table with cooking times! I’m leaving this comment because I think I figured out why several readers below say that the unsoaked beans are undercooked after 30 minutes. Or at least I found confusing discrepancies between a few pages on red beans.
The table says 28-30 minutes for “small red beans” and 38-40 minutes for “red kidney beans”, while the page on “kidney beans” (https://minimalistbaker.com/instant-pot-kidney-beans-fast-tender-no-soaking/) says 40-45 minutes. To add to the confusion, the pictures for “red kidney beans” (40-45 minutes) over there and “red beans” (28-30 minutes) here and are exactly the same!
Could it be that the cooking time on this page is best for small red beans, but that some readers (understandably) believe it’s about kidney beans and therefore end up with undercooked beans?
Thanks again for your spectacular work!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Fabien, thank you for sharing and sorry for the confusion! Red beans are a different bean than kidney beans – they are smaller and cook faster. We’ll get that chart updated for the kidney beans. Thanks for pointing it out!
J Ravix says
I am not sure, but the beans came out a little tough. If you can inform me of how to get my beans truly tender, it would have made a huge difference. Other then that, it was okay.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi J, did you happen to make any modifications? And do you happen to know the age of your beans? You could try increasing the cook time by 5 minutes or so next time to see if that makes enough of a difference.
Katie P says
I’ve tried making red beans in the instant pot for red beans and rice. I can never get my beans soft enough for me. They’re edible and delicious, but I’d like them softer. I’m scared to add too much extra time to the instant pot because everywhere I’ve looked says the same time! I’ve added a few minutes here and there. Is it OK to keep adding minutes or will soaking first help or make them too mushy?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Katie, is it possible you’re using older beans, hard water, or at elevation? These factors could all make them take longer to cook. We’d suggest trying 5 more minutes to see if that does the trick!
Barb says
Silly question…to stor or freeze the beans after cooking, do I freeze in liquid or dry?
They are cooking as I type. Thanks for being there and providing your knowledge.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Either way is fine! We typically store in the liquid in case we want to use it in a recipe. You can drain it out later if not using it. Hope that helps!
Debbie says
Can you cook more than 1 cup of dried beans at a time?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes! If you adjust the default number of servings, the recipe will adjust accordingly. Just make sure not to fill past the 1/2 line of the Instant Pot when cooking beans. Hope that helps!
Debbie says
Thank you!
Tara says
I made these a couple of days ago,… DELICIOUS! I soaked the beans overnight.. They were simple and no worry of constantly adding water. I added a link of sausage to mine as well. Everything cooked up tender. What a great time saver!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Tara. So glad you had success with this recipe!
Patricia says
Your directions on using instant pot were great and easy to follow.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad to hear it! Thank you for sharing, Patricia! xo
Jen says
30 minutes was absolutely not enough time and I was even only doing half the amount of beans. Luckily I factored extra time in before the ribs came off the smoker.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so sorry to hear that, Jen! Is it possible the beans were old or there was any salt or acidic ingredients added to them? Those factors can cause them to need additional time.
Bill says
30 minutes of pressure cooking time followed by 15 minutes of natural pressure release worked out perfectly for me.
1 cup of beans with 3 cups of vegetable stock.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing, Bill!
Caroline McCasland says
This recipe turned out perfect! This will be my go to for beans from now on! Thank you
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Woohoo! We’re so glad to hear it, Caroline. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Caroline McCasland says
You’re so welcome!
alperen says
Please consider making a cooking time table for presoaked beans. They are easier to digest for some of us.
Thank you very much,
Thanks for the request, Alperen. We found that most of the beans didn’t need soaking. But a few did, and those were included in this list!
karlen kovalcik says
Beans were partially crunchy. Bummer.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
So sorry to hear that, Karlen! Is it possible you have hard water, are at high altitude, or are using beans that are old? You could also try soaking them for next time to ensure they soften. We didn’t find it necessary in our testing though.
Amrita says
Please consider making a cooking time table for presoaked beans. They are easier to digest for some of us.
Thank you very much,
Amrita
We have that here! It includes the few beans that we believe are best when soaked before the instant pot.