The best Instant Pot red beans and rice with canned beans recipe ever! Really easy to make and cheap too. Great pressure cooker dinner idea that’s hearty and packed with lots of flavor. Using uncooked rice and a few other ingredients it’s a one pot meal my kids absolutely love.

We’re back with another favorite pressure cooker meal, this Instant Pot red beans and rice. It came out great! This one made it to our list of fabulous Instant Pot recipes, perfect for any time of year. (originally published 3/17, affiliate links present)
Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
Instead of dry beans we used canned beans so it would cook faster. You can make it as an easy Ninja Foodi recipe, in a Crockpot Express or other brand you have at home. They all basically work the same as long as you have the saute and high pressure function to them. Easy one pot meal that is hearty and healthy.
You can add the kielbasa sausage or make it vegetarian instead like our Instant Pot black beans and rice was made. I typically buy whatever type is on sale. You could even use Northern or pinto beans instead if you preferred those.
FIRST – You should sign up for my free newsletter so you get new posts emailed to you twice a week and never miss out on anything! Now let’s start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
- Then PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- This is a great InstaPot cookbook and a set of wooden utensils are great to grab too.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should still deglaze pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the pressure cooker I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.

Ninja Foodi Red Beans and Rice
This gave our hearty rice dinner a great added flavor. You could use any sausage links that are precooked. This is the style I typically pick up at the store. There are many varieties, spicy is quite good too.
Everyone is a bit different. Some like red beans and rice a bit soupier in it’s consistency, we like it on the drier side but you can make it either way with this recipe. If you want more of a gumbo style I would add an additional 1/2 cup of liquid and with that you could include 1 cup of frozen okra too. That would transition it into that rhelm.

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice with Canned Beans
Just add a bit more chicken broth or water before you put your Instant Pot lid on and it will come out just as you had envisioned it. I ate a lot of this in Louisiana when I lived down South, plus crawfish (oh so good), gumbo and more.
- Pressure cooker – we have an Instant Pot but there are many other brands
- Wooden spoon – my preference when cooking, especially sauteeing in my pot
- Knife to dice your onion, bacon and sausage
Easy Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Start by sautéing onions, garlic, and bell peppers in the Instant Pot using the Sauté function. Once softened, add canned red beans (drained and rinsed), cooked sausage or ham, Cajun seasoning, thyme, bay leaves, broth or water with uncooked rice on top. Lock the lid, set the Instant Pot to high pressure, and cook for less than 15 minutes and done!!
While the classic recipe calls for red kidney beans, you can certainly use other types of canned beans as well. Red beans, pinto beans, or a combination of beans can work nicely in this dish. Choose the beans that you prefer or have available in your pantry.
Yes, you can freeze the leftover Red Beans and Rice. Allow the dish to cool completely, then transfer it to airtight containers or freezer bags. Label and date them, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Instant Pot beans and rice
- Onion
- Bacon
- Sausage – Andouille sausage is best if you like a bit of a kick
- Can of red kidney beans is what I used
If you wanted to start with dry small red beans, use our cooking times for beans chart to get them tender first. You do not have to soak the beans if using this pressure cooking method.
- Chicken broth
- Rice – white, long grain uncooked
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Spices
- Green onion and hot sauce can be served on top
Are red beans and kidney beans the same thing?
No, red beans and kidney beans are actually different types. The main difference is that red beans are smaller and rounder, more like pinto beans. However, these beans still are fairly similar and can generally be used interchangeably in recipes that call for either dried or canned beans
- I use what I find at the store on sale. I don’t feel there is enough of a difference to search for either one specifically.
Typically it is quite a lengthy process but there is always a way you can simplify things. That is what we did for you here.

How to Cook Red Beans and Rice in Electric Pressure Cooker
We loved this recipe because it had a great flavor and was a complete meal in a bowl! If you are not about a lot of spice use a different type of sausage as opposed to Andouille. That is where a lot of the spiciness comes from.
I am not a spice loving person but this is just perfect for me and my kids enjoy it too for dinner. It feeds the 5 of us with leftovers for lunch the next day as well which makes it a really inexpensive meal idea. Here’s a quick rundown of how it’s done:
- Set pot to saute, add olive oil, bacon, onion and garlic.
- Cook until bacon is pretty cooked and onions begin to soften.
- Add moon shaped slices of precooked sausage and warm them together with other ingredients.
- Turn pot off and pour in your red beans that have been drained and rinsed.
- If you want to use dry beans refer to our post on cooking beans in a pressure cooker.
Once they’re tender you can begin with step one of this recipe. You cannot put them in without already being soft using this cook time.

How long does it cook red beans?
On the stovetop you’d need to cook red beans for 1 hour, and then begin checking for doneness. These can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to cook through though depending on their size and age. Be patient. In an Instant Pot it takes closer to 30 minutes with no pre-soaking required.
- Pour in your chicken broth, water, cumin and salt now. Stir
- Sprinkle in uncooked rice and submerge into the liquid on top, do not stir.
- Close lid and set valve to sealing. Push the rice button which will automatically set to 12 minutes.
- Those without this button, set to high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Allow to naturally pressure release for 2 minutes when done, then let rest of steam out quickly.
Looking for more easy Instant Pot recipes

Soon after we made this other cheesy version of Instant Pot sausage and rice using the same links!
- Instant Pot chili has only 5 ingredients and we make this every few weeks on top of rice
- New Years dish = Instant Pot Hoppin John with black eyed peas inside
- A huge kid fave is this Instant Pot chili mac recipe
- These Instant Pot black beans are a great side dish
Yes I am sure you could find a stove top recipe for beans and rice but why bother when you can make it to perfection in under 20 minutes here??!!
What do you serve with red beans and rice?
- Southern Bacon Cheesy Grits are known to be a favorite to some
- Cajun Shrimp are a good add in if you want more protein
- Of course mixed vegetables work as well as:
- cauliflower
- steamed spinach

Instant Pot red beans and rice recipe
Put Instant Pot on saute, high. Add olive oil. Add onions, garlic and bacon and cook down until bacon cooks a bit and onions soften.
- Add precooked sausage and warm along side other ingredients. Turn off IP by pressing cancel.
- Pour in your can of red beans, that have been drained and rinsed.
- Add chicken broth and water (we used 2 c. of each to look like this picture, if you want it wetter add an extra 1/2-1 c. chicken broth for a soupier consistency). Stir.
- Add salt, and cumin. Stir. Sprinkle in uncooked rice and submerge into liquid on top, do not stir.
Put lid on IP and close steam valve. Push rice button, will automatically set for 12 minutes. When it beeps allow to naturally release steam for 2 minutes, then do a quick release, stir. Season more if desired and serve!
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Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put Instant Pot on saute, high.
- Add olive oil. Add onions, garlic and bacon and cook down until bacon cooks a bit and onions soften.
- Add precooked sausage and warm along side other ingredients.
- Turn off IP by pressing cancel. Add red beans, drained and rinsed.
- Add chicken broth and water (we used 2 c. of each to look like this picture, if you want it wetter add an extra 1/2-1 c. chicken broth for a soupier consistency). Stir.
- Add salt, and cumin. Stir. Sprinkle in uncooked rice and submerge into liquid on top, do not stir.
- Put lid on IP and close steam valve. Push rice button, will automatically set for 12 minutes. When it beeps allow to naturally release steam for 2 minutes, then do a quick release, stir, (season more if desired) and serve!
Jen
Thursday 11th of June 2020
This was great. I made it vegan. Used a tofurkey kielbasa and veggie stock; skipped the bacon. Super yummy!! A new go to for us.
The Typical Mom
Friday 12th of June 2020
Oh awesome
Joe
Tuesday 17th of March 2020
Can I double the size of the recipe on a 6 Qt. IP? Do I have to increase the cook time for a 2x recipe?
The Typical Mom
Thursday 19th of March 2020
I wouldn't double especially in the 6 qt., it will be too much and won't pressurize.
Amy Goins
Tuesday 21st of January 2020
Very good. First attempt at red beans and rice. Thanks for a fool proof recipe!
Cathleen
Tuesday 30th of July 2019
Can I skip the bacon?
The Typical Mom
Wednesday 31st of July 2019
Yes of course
Nicole
Saturday 22nd of June 2019
So I have a multi function rice cooker..can I still use this recipe with that? It's pretty similar I looks to the insta pot(aroma 20 cup rice cooker/slow cooker). Would I pre cook the bacon and sausage on the stove and then add to rice cooker?
The Typical Mom
Saturday 22nd of June 2019
I'm not sure how that would work in a traditional rice cooker