Sweet and Smoky Instant Pot “Baked” Beans
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I have been trying to cook more from my pantry this week, which apparently contains a lot of beans. I also had some bacon in the fridge that needed used, so baked beans seemed like an obvious choice. You could, of course, make these without the bacon to keep them vegetarian, and they would be equally as delicious. These Instant Pot Baked Beans (or rather “baked” beans, as they never see the oven), are incredibly easy to make, and use ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
(Quick) Soak the Beans
You can either soak the beans overnight, or follow this quick soak method.
To quick soak the beans, rinse the beans and put into the Instant Pot with 6 cups of water. Put on the lid, turn the knob to Sealing, and set to High Pressure for 25 minutes. When the time is up, allow to naturally pressure release for another 25 minutes before venting. Drain the beans and set aside.
Make the Sauce
Turn the Instant Pot to Saute, and increase to More. Heat the oil. Put the bacon in the pot, and cook until it begins to brown and crisp (approx 5 minutes). Add the onions and garlic to the pot, and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the ketchup, and stir for 30 seconds, followed by the water to deglaze the pot. Turn off the Saute function.
Add the the remaining sauce ingredients, and stir well, making sure the brown sugar is dissolved. Return the beans to the pot and mix.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the knob to Sealing, and set to High Pressure for 30 minutes.
Finishing the Beans
When the time is up, do a quick release. Remove the lid and stir the beans. Turn the Saute function back on, and allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes to thicken slightly. Turn off the Saute function. For thicker beans, allow to sit before serving. I set the lid back on, and allowed the Instant Pot Baked Beans to sit for an additional 10 minutes, but you could skip this step.
Enjoy!
For another comfort food side dish, check out these Instant Pot Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.
Sweet and Smoky Instant Pot "Baked" Beans
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 16 oz dried navy beans rinsed
- 7 cups water divided
- 6 slices bacon diced
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight, or follow quick soak method below.
- Put dried beans into the Instant Pot with 6 cups of water. Put on the lid, turn the knob to Sealing, and set to High Pressure for 25 minutes. When the time is up, allow to naturally pressure release for 25 minutes before venting.
- Drain the beans and set aside. Dry out the Instant Pot.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute, and increase to More. Add oil, and heat before adding bacon (if using). Cook bacon until starting to crisp and brown, approx 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, and saute for 2 more minutes.
- Add the ketchup, and stir for 30 seconds before adding the remaining cup of water to deglaze the pan. Turn off the Saute function. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, and stir well, making sure the brown sugar is dissolved. Add the reserved beans and mix.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the knob to Sealing, and set to High Pressure for 30 minutes.
- When the time is up, perform a quick release. Stir the beans, and turn the Saute function back on. Simmer for 4-5 minutes to thicken. To thicken even further (optional), allow to sit before serving (approx 10 minutes).
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