Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice | Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Use your pressure cooker and make the best Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice recipe you've ever had! It's warm and spicy and makes the perfect comfort food.

Why Should I Make Instant Pot Red Beans And Rice?

• Fast. These Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice are done in a fraction of the time you expect with the help of your Instant Pot.
• Easy. Pour the ingredients in the Instant Pot, cook pull the meat off of the bone, and enjoy.
• Delicious. Delicious, rich flavors your whole family will love.
• Inexpensive. A great meal to help you stretch your budget.

Outside of your Instant Pot making this an incredibly simple way to make red beans and rice. The flavors in this dish alone would make you want to make this over and over!

For many cultures, rice and beans are a staple food. In my experience, each culture has its own way to make it and adds its own spice mixes to make it unique to them. This Cajun version of Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice is a flavor bomb in your mouth.

Do I Need To Soak Beans Before Instant Pot Cooking?

Realistically, no. You don't HAVE to soak your beans before cooking them in the Instant Pot. Many people give them a quick rinse and throw them right in.

However, if you have a sensitive stomach or are prone to gassy discomfort from beans, I would highly recommend you soaking these beans before making this recipe. I'll tell you how to do this quickly below.

How Do You Make Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice From Scratch?

1. Soak the red beans for an hour in hot water, or overnight.
2. Add beans, ham hocks, vegetables, seasonings, water, and hot sauce to the Instant Pot.
3. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes, and then let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the ham hocks (or turkey legs, if you don't eat ham) and take off the meat.
5. Turn on sauté and add a can of Creole cream-style beans.
6. Add the meat back to the pot.
7. Cook until it all bubbles up thick, or about 10 minutes on sauté.
8. Serve over rice.

How Do You Cook Beans In A Pressure Cooker?

Cooking red beans in my pressure cooker is my favorite way to cook them. Each type of beans will have its own set of cooking instructions in the Instant Pot. But no matter the bean, you'll save tons of time cooking them this way.

If you want to see a cheat sheet for cooking beans and lentils in your Instant Pot, I made this video that should help you! Alternatively, if you want an easy printable you can keep on hand, I made a cheat sheet in a printable version HERE.

For more info on how to cook beans and lentils in your pressure cooker, check out my guide on How to Cook Beans in the Instant Pot!

Are Red Beans The Same As Kidney Beans?

No, they are not. Red beans are a smaller bean than kidney beans. However, there aren't a ton of differences between the two beans. They can be used similarly in many recipes depending on what you have available in your pantry.

How Do I Thicken Red Beans And Rice?

Believe it or not, I have a sneaky trick for this! I have actually added a can of Creole cream style red beans so that you can get some thickness from them as they cook down.

You can, of course, choose to omit them. If you would rather use only dried beans, increase your dry beans to 1 1/2 cups of dried beans and puré all but 1 cup cooked beans.

How Do I Make These Red Beans Vegetarian-Friendly?

To make a Vegetarian recipe version of red beans and rice, use liquid smoke and tomatoes to add a bit of that umami taste to the dish without the meat. The tomatoes will also help give it a great texture addition it may miss without the meat as well. Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes are my favorite go-to comfort food.

Tips And Tricks To Make The Best Vegeatarian Red Beans and Rice

• To help thicken the beans at the end, add in a can of Creole cream-style red beans and mix. Alternatively, puré a can of kidney beans and add at the end.
• Cajun red beans, typically include Tasso sausage which is a smoked sausage. However, people often use andouille or ham as well. I have used 2 ham hocks in this recipe, but you could also use turkey legs if you don't eat ham.
• For a vegetarian version, use liquid smoke and tomatoes to add a bit of that umami taste.
• To save time, soak the dried beans in hot water for an hour, instead of overnight.
• If you would like to add some ham to this or sausage, I would recommend that you wait until the beans are cooked and smashed. Then add in diced ham, and heat the pot on sauté. Cooking diced ham or smoked sausage for 20 minutes will make it complete mush and weird tasting with a mealy mouthfeel. I’ve done this. Never again.
• To prepare ham hocks, remove and Discard the skin (preferably into the mouth of your eagerly awaiting puppy). Then cut off all the meat and add the meat back to the red beans.
• Ham hocks vary in how meaty they are. I usually use two ham hocks, but feel free to add a third if you like more meat in your red beans and rice.
• These beans get better overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat, add water and then either heat on a low flame, or do what I do: Put what you plan to eat into a Dutch oven. Cover with a lid and place in the oven at 300F for 30 minutes. Slow, hands-free, burn-free heating and totally yummy.
• You will need to make the rice separately for this recipe as 15 minutes is too long for white rice and too short for brown rice. See all my pressure cooking rice times and get a printable cheat sheet HERE.

Other Recipes You Might Like

• Try this Indian Rajma Red beans version for a change of pace
• This Cajun seafood boil is one of my most popular recipes.
• Jamaican Peas and Rice are another great way to eat red beans
• This Cajun Not-so-dirty rice is also a well-loved recipe.
• I would highly recommend making your own Cajun seasoning with this recipe.
• My Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff is another fantastic Instant Pot recipe.
• If you're looking for more great rice recipes, check out my Wild Rice Pilaf! This dish is rich with flavor and is loaded with delightful veggies.
• Looking for more great comfort food dishes? Check out my Keto Meatloaf!
• Instant Pot Basmati Rice - Make basmati rice quickly and easily.
• Charro Beans- Absolutely packed with flavor and easy to make.

This Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice recipe is so quick and delicious, you may have a new favorite comfort food. Make this for any night you're pressed for time or just need something hearty to feed your family. If you enjoy this recipe, consider sharing it on Facebook for your friends to make. Don't forget to pin it to make again later.

Originally Published September 7, 2019

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