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Instant Pot red beans and rice in a bowl
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Instant Pot Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice is a quick and easy recipe that will give you the authentic taste of New Orleans and Louisiana. This meal is made with Creole Seasoning and the holy trinity of ingredients! Make this dish in no time using either no soak beans or beans that have been soaked overnight. Your choice!
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine American, Cajun, Creole
Keyword Instant Pot New Orleans Red Beans and Rice, instant pot red beans and rice
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
natural release of steam 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 7
Calories 318kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Red Beans

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 6 oz andouille sausage Sliced. I like to use chicken andouille sausage for less calories and fat.
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 1 pound red beans or kidney beans
  • 1/2-1 pound ham hock or smoked turkey See notes
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne red pepper Omit if you do not desire spicy; Start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavor optional for flavor
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 bay leaves

Rice

  • 1 1/2 cups enriched long grain white rice rinsed
  • 1 3/4 cups water

Instructions

Red Beans

  • Rinse the beans thoroughly and pick out any broken pieces or debris.
  • Place the Instant Pot on the saute' function. Add the olive oil to the pot. Add the sausage to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pot.
  • Most sausage will leave behind some oil in the pot. If you use chicken or turkey, it may not. Add additional olive oil here if needed. Add the onions, green peppers, and celery to the pot.
  • Saute for 3-4 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
  • Add in the garlic and stir. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the broth and stir to deglaze the pot. Add the cooked sausage, rinsed beans, ham hock or smoked turkey, Better than Bouillon, Creole seasoning, cayenne, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot.
    Ensure there is enough broth to cover the beans. If you are out of broth, add water. If the beans aren't covered you will end up with some beans that aren't fully softened.
  • Cook on Manual > High Pressure Cooking for 55 minutes (unsoaked beans) or 20 minutes (soaked beans). 
  • Allow the steam to release naturally for 15 minutes without quick release.
  • Open the pot and remove the bay leaves. If you used a ham hock you can remove it (there's usually little to no meat to use). If you used smoked turkey, if you wish, you can remove it shred the meat from it and return it to the pot.

Rice

  • Rinse the rice until the water from the rice runs clear. I like to use a fine mesh strainer.
  • Add the rice and water to the pot.
  • Seal the pot and cook for 3 minutes on Manual > High-Pressure Cooking
  • When the pot indicates it has finished, allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release.
  • Remove the rice and pair it with the beans.

Video

Notes

If using the Instant Pot to make your rice, you may want to make it first, if you only have 1 Instant Pot. 
If you like a lot of rice with your beans, try multiplying the rice servings by 1.5 or 2. Cook time remains the same.
You can use a ham hock, ham bone, smoked turkey leg, smoked turkey wing, salt pork, or bacon in this recipe. If using bacon I would cook it first. I often opt for a turkey wing, because sometimes the turkey leg is too large to fit in the Instant Pot.
The Better Than Bouillon is optional. I like to add a small amount even when using chicken broth for enhanced flavor.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 7g