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+ servings
Overhead photo of Instant Pot baked beans in a white bowl on a wooden board

Instant Pot Baked Beans

These classic baked beans made in the Instant Pot are sweet, smoky, and so much faster and easier to make than traditional baked beans! Inspired by my family's favorite baked beans recipe, they cook in about an hour, thanks to the Instant Pot, and are perfect for a BBQ, potluck, or anytime you're craving this delicious side dish.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield:8

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (or similar multi-functional pressure cooker)
  • whisk
  • Small bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried navy beans rinsed, not soaked
  • 8 ½ cups water divided
  • 3 tablespoons molasses see Notes
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ cup brown sugar see Notes
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 8 ounces bacon diced
  • 1 medium onion finely diced

Instructions

  • Add dried navy beans and 8 cups water to Instant Pot. Seal lid and set to Manual High Pressure. Set timer to 15 minutes.
  • When timer runs out, Natural release pressure for 20 minutes. While pressure releases, whisk together molasses, salt, pepper, yellow mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire, and brown sugar in small bowl. Set aside.
  • Quick release any remaining pressure, then carefully unlock and remove lid. Drain liquid, then rinse beans under cold water and set aside. Rinse out and dry Instant Pot.
  • Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add neutral oil and heat 2 to 3 minutes, until shimmering. Add diced bacon and finely diced onion and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in remaining ½ cup of water to deglaze Instant Pot, then turn off Sauté mode.
  • Return beans to Instant Pot and add in molasses mixture. Gently stir to coat beans in sauce, then cover with lid and seal. Set to Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes.
    Navy beans and sauce in Instant Pot
  • When timer runs out, Natural release 20 minutes, then Quick release any remaining pressure and serve.
    Baked beans in Instant Pot

Notes

  • This recipe was tested and perfect using a 6-quart Instant Pot. If you're using a larger Instant Pot you may need additional water to avoid a burn warning. Keep in mind the beans will expand as they cook, so don't overfill the Instant Pot.
  • Make it Vegetarian: Leave out the bacon. You may want to increase the amount of salt you use to make up for it.
  • Make it Added-Sugar Free: Substitute Brown Swerve for the brown sugar. Instead of molasses, try yacon syrup or a sugar-free maple syrup like Lakanto, but keep in mind that the flavor will be slightly different. For the ketchup, use a no-sugar-added version.
 
Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 8 using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 8. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 398kcal | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 968mg | Potassium: 934mg | Total Carbs: 53g | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 19g | Net Carbs: 39g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 4mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik