Homemade BBQ Baked Beans in Your Instant Pot: A No-Soak, From-Scratch Guide

Say goodbye to bland, sodium-laden canned beans and hello to the rich, smoky flavors of homemade BBQ baked beans, effortlessly prepared in your Instant Pot. This comprehensive guide will show you how to create the ultimate comfort food from scratch, using dried navy or pinto beans, with absolutely no pre-soaking required. Get ready to impress your family and friends with a side dish that’s bursting with flavor and made with wholesome ingredients. Plus, discover how easily you can customize this recipe with your favorite additions like savory bacon, hearty ground beef, or tender brisket.

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This post was originally published in 2019 and has been fully updated to provide the most current and helpful information.

FOR THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END OF THIS POST. BEFORE YOU SCROLL, THERE’S IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG POST.

Baked beans are an undeniable staple, especially during warm summer months or at any backyard barbecue. Preparing this classic dish in the Instant Pot is a game-changer. Not only does it significantly cut down on cooking time, but it also eliminates the need to heat up your entire kitchen by using the oven. The magic of pressure cooking truly shines here, transforming humble dried beans into a tender, flavorful masterpiece without the lengthy pre-soaking process.

Table of Contents

Are Baked Beans Already Cooked? The Case Against Canned

Many traditional baked bean recipes, and even some Instant Pot variations, surprisingly call for canned beans or canned pork n’ beans. However, with the incredible capabilities of an Instant Pot, there’s truly no necessity for this shortcut. The Instant Pot is designed to handle dried beans efficiently, breaking them down into tender perfection without any pre-soaking.

Opting for dried beans over canned alternatives offers several significant advantages. Canned beans are frequently loaded with excessive sodium, and many brands include unhealthy additives or preservatives that you might prefer to avoid. By starting with dried beans, you gain complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to tailor the sodium content and ensure a cleaner, healthier dish. This approach not only enhances the nutritional profile but also allows for a more authentic and richer flavor that canned beans simply can’t match. You can read more about the health implications of canned beans here.

What Type of Beans to Use for Your Baked Beans

The foundation of great baked beans lies in choosing the right type of bean. While personal preference plays a role, certain varieties are traditionally favored for their texture and ability to absorb flavor. Navy beans are arguably the most common choice, known for their small size, creamy texture, and ability to break down slightly to create a thick sauce. Pinto beans are another excellent option, offering a slightly heartier texture and a mild, earthy flavor that complements the BBQ sauce beautifully. Great Northern Beans can also be used, providing a slightly firmer texture and a delicate taste.

Before cooking, regardless of the type you choose, it’s crucial to sort and rinse your dried beans thoroughly. Spread them out on a baking sheet or clean surface to inspect for any small stones, debris, or shriveled beans, then give them a good rinse under cold water. This simple step ensures your beans are clean and ready for their Instant Pot transformation.

How to Make Baked Beans in the Instant Pot: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making baked beans from scratch in the Instant Pot is surprisingly straightforward, allowing you to achieve deep, rich flavors with minimal effort. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process to ensure perfect results every time:

1. Initial Bean Cook: Begin by combining your sorted and rinsed dried beans with chicken broth (or water for a lighter flavor, though broth adds depth) in the Instant Pot. The broth infuses flavor into the beans as they cook, a crucial step for truly delicious baked beans.
2. Drain and Rinse: Once the initial pressure cooking cycle is complete and the pressure has naturally released, carefully open the Instant Pot. Drain the cooked beans thoroughly and give them a quick rinse. This removes any excess starch and ensures a cleaner base for your sauce.
3. Sauté Aromatics and Meat: Set your Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Cook chopped bacon until it’s perfectly crispy. Remove the bacon, reserving a small amount of the rendered fat in the pot. This flavorful fat will be used to sauté your diced onions and minced garlic until they are translucent and fragrant, forming the aromatic foundation of your sauce.
4. Build the Flavorful Sauce: Return the cooked and rinsed beans to the Instant Pot. Now, it’s time to build the signature BBQ flavor. Add your favorite BBQ sauce, a touch of ketchup for sweetness and tang, brown sweetener (or brown sugar), chili powder for warmth, and a hint of liquid smoke for that authentic smoky BBQ taste. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
5. Thicken and Simmer: Continue to sauté the mixture, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken to your desired consistency. The Sauté function allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to reduce beautifully, creating that irresistible sticky, rich coating for your beans.

Detailed serving sizes and precise measurements for all ingredients can be found in the comprehensive recipe card at the end of this post.

Cook Time/How Long to Cook for Perfect Beans

Achieving perfectly tender beans in the Instant Pot is all about the right cooking time and pressure release method. For dried beans that have NOT been pre-soaked, set your Instant Pot to High-Pressure for 25 minutes. This ensures the beans cook through to a wonderfully soft consistency. Following the pressure cooking, it’s crucial to allow a natural release of steam for an additional 20 minutes. This slow pressure release helps to prevent the bean skins from bursting and results in a creamier texture. Only after 20 minutes of natural release should you manually release any remaining pressure.

If you prefer to soak your beans, or if you simply have the time, you can soak them for 8-16 hours (or overnight). After soaking, make sure to rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking. Soaked beans will require less pressure cooking time; typically, 20 minutes on High-Pressure with 15 minutes of natural release will suffice. Soaking can sometimes lead to a slightly more uniform cook, but the no-soak method is incredibly convenient and yields excellent results.

Baked Beans Ingredients: Crafting Your Signature Flavor

Southern baked beans are renowned for their rich, complex flavor profile that balances sweetness, tang, and savory notes. While variations abound, a few core ingredients typically form the backbone of this beloved dish. The beauty of making them from scratch in your Instant Pot is the freedom to customize these elements to suit your palate perfectly.

Most recipes, including this one, incorporate a form of brown sweetener, such as brown sugar or molasses, which provides that quintessential sweet depth. The smoky component is often introduced through bacon, a staple in many traditional recipes. In places like Kansas City, renowned for its barbecue, tender brisket is often added for an extra layer of meaty richness. Feel free to experiment with ground beef or even pulled pork if you desire.

I personally favor a baked bean that strikes a harmonious balance between sweet and a subtle tang. To achieve a more pronounced tang, some recipes call for yellow mustard or a splash of apple cider vinegar. If you’re leaning towards a tangier profile, start with a teaspoon of yellow mustard, taste, and adjust as needed. The key is continuous tasting throughout the cooking process, allowing you to fine-tune the flavors until they are exactly to your liking. Don’t be afraid to adjust the amounts of BBQ sauce, sweetener, and spices to create your ideal batch of homemade baked beans.

How Many Cups of Beans Are in a Pound?

A common question when cooking with dried beans is how much to use. As a general rule of thumb, one pound of dried beans typically yields about 6 cups of cooked beans. This information is helpful for scaling recipes or understanding how much a package of dried beans will produce.

How to Thicken the Sauce for Perfect Consistency

Achieving that luscious, thick, and clingy sauce is essential for truly great baked beans. My preferred method for thickening the sauce involves a simple trick: after the beans are cooked and the sauce ingredients have been incorporated and simmered, I simply place the lid back on the Instant Pot (without sealing or turning on a function) and let the beans rest for about 10-15 minutes. During this resting period, the starches from the beans will naturally release and absorb some of the liquid, resulting in a beautifully thickened sauce. Stirring occasionally during this time can also aid in the thickening process.

If you prefer an even thicker consistency, or if your sauce hasn’t quite reached your desired level of richness after resting, you can easily create a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth. With the Instant Pot on the Sauté function (or on low heat on the stovetop), slowly stir the slurry into the simmering beans. Continue to stir gently for 1-2 minutes until the sauce visibly thickens. Be careful not to add too much at once; you can always add a little more if needed.

Freezer Tips: Enjoying Homemade Baked Beans Later

Homemade Instant Pot BBQ baked beans are fantastic for meal prepping! You can easily make a larger batch and freeze portions for quick and convenient meals later. Properly stored, baked beans can be frozen for up to 6 months without significant loss of quality or flavor. To freeze, allow the beans to cool completely after cooking. Transfer them to airtight freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, leaving about an inch of headspace if using containers to allow for expansion. Label with the date and contents.

When you’re ready to enjoy them, defrost the frozen baked beans in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, you can reheat them gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If the sauce appears a bit thin after reheating, you can use the thickening methods described above. For more detailed instructions on freezing baked beans, check out How to Freeze Baked Beans here.

Recipe Tips for the Best Instant Pot Baked Beans

• Taste and Adjust: The secret to truly amazing baked beans is continuous tasting throughout the cooking process. As you add the sauce ingredients, taste and adjust the seasonings. If you prefer sweeter beans, add more brown sweetener. For a tangier profile, a teaspoon of yellow mustard or a splash of apple cider vinegar can work wonders. Your taste buds are your best guide!
• Choose Your BBQ Sauce Wisely: The BBQ sauce is a prominent flavor in this dish, so selecting one you genuinely love is paramount. Keep in mind that many commercial BBQ sauces are quite high in sugar. If you’re aiming for a healthier, lower-sugar version, consider making your own or seeking out unsweetened options. I’ve linked my Low-Carb Unsweetened Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe above for a delicious alternative.
• Customize with Protein: While bacon adds incredible flavor, feel free to personalize your beans with other proteins. In Kansas City, it’s common to find baked beans loaded with tender, smoky BBQ brisket. Ground beef or even shredded pulled pork are also fantastic additions that turn this side dish into a heartier meal.
• Avoid the “Burn” Notice: When adding thicker ingredients like BBQ sauce and ketchup, these can sometimes stick to the bottom of the Instant Pot, potentially triggering a “Burn” notice during pressure cooking. To prevent this, ensure you deglaze the pot thoroughly after sautéing the bacon and aromatics, scraping up any browned bits. Also, layer your ingredients carefully, placing the beans at the bottom and adding thicker sauces on top without stirring them in before pressure cooking (if you opt for pressure cooking with the sauce, which is not recommended in this recipe’s main method). Since this recipe adds the sauce after the initial bean cook, this is less of an issue, but always good practice.
• For Softer Beans: If you prefer your beans extremely soft, almost mushy, you can pressure cook them for an additional 10 minutes AFTER adding the BBQ sauce and other ingredients. However, be aware that this increases the risk of a “Burn” signal due to the thickness of the sauce. If this happens, you may need to add additional liquid (like chicken broth) and then thicken the mixture again afterward, as detailed in the “How to Thicken the Sauce” section.
• A Touch of Oven Finish (Optional): For those who love a slightly caramelized top, after the beans are cooked and thickened in the Instant Pot, you can transfer them to an oven-safe dish and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes. This adds a wonderful depth of flavor and texture.

If you prefer to use canned beans for a quicker, albeit less from-scratch, approach, you can check out my Southern Baked Beans recipe.

Main Dishes to Pair with Your Homemade Baked Beans

These Instant Pot BBQ Baked Beans are the perfect companion to a wide array of classic American and Southern dishes. Their rich, savory-sweet profile makes them incredibly versatile. Here are some fantastic main dishes that pair wonderfully:

• Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
• Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
• Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
• Instant Pot Southern Potato Salad
• Air Fryer Ribs

More Southern Recipes and Side Dishes

If you’re looking to complete your Southern-inspired meal, or simply want to explore more delicious side dishes, here are some other fantastic recipes to try:

• Southern Coleslaw
  
• Air Fryer Hush Puppies
  
• Southern Soul Food Baked Mac and Cheese
  
• Instant Pot Southern Green Beans
  
• Instant Pot Collard Greens
• Instant Pot Potato Salad
  
• Southern Mustard Greens
  
• Southern Homemade Cornbread

Instant Pot Homemade BBQ Baked Beans Recipe Card

Instant Pot Homemade BBQ Baked Beans

By Brandi Crawford

This Instant Pot Homemade BBQ Baked Beans recipe will show you how to make baked beans from scratch and with no soaking. Ditch those canned pork n beans for dried navy beans or pinto beans. Feel free to add ground beef, bacon, or brisket.

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins

Total Time 1 hr 25 mins

Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 183 kcal

Equipment Required

• Instant Pot
• Serving Dish

Ingredients for BBQ Baked Beans

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 16 oz dried navy beans or pinto beans (I used navy beans.)
• 4 slices bacon (Cut into 1-inch cubes.)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-4 tablespoons brown sweetener or sugar
• 1 cup bbq sauce
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Add the chicken broth to the Instant Pot with the dried beans. While water can be used, broth significantly enhances the flavor of the beans.
2. Cook the beans using the Manual (or Pressure Cook) function on High-Pressure for 25 minutes.
3. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the steam to release naturally for 25 minutes. This slow release helps prevent the beans from bursting and ensures a creamier texture.
4. Carefully open the pot. Drain the cooked beans thoroughly and rinse them under cold water. Set aside.
5. Place the Instant Pot on the Sauté function. Add the sliced bacon and cook until it is browned and crispy on both sides. Remove the bacon from the pot, reserving about a teaspoon of the rendered fat in the Instant Pot.
6. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic to the reserved bacon fat in the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
7. Return the drained and rinsed beans to the pot. Add the BBQ sauce, ketchup, half of the cooked bacon, chili powder, brown sweetener, liquid smoke, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Continue to cook on the Sauté function for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until the sauce begins to thicken and flavors meld.
9. Turn off the Sauté function. Allow the beans to cool slightly for 2-3 minutes.
10. Place the lid loosely on the Instant Pot (do not seal) and let the beans rest for 10 minutes. This resting period will further thicken the mixture naturally.
11. Serve your delicious homemade BBQ baked beans, topped with the remaining half of the crispy bacon.

Video

Recipe Notes and Variations

• Achieving perfect flavor is a journey of tasting. Continually sample your beans throughout the cooking process and adjust seasonings (sweetener, tang from mustard/apple cider vinegar) until they match your preference.
• Your choice of BBQ sauce makes a big difference. Use a high-quality sauce you enjoy. If health is a concern, consider a low-sugar or homemade BBQ sauce option.
• If you desire exceptionally soft beans, you can pressure cook them for an additional 10 minutes after adding the BBQ sauce and other ingredients. Be mindful of a potential “Burn” signal with thicker sauces; if this occurs, you may need to add more liquid like chicken broth and then thicken the sauce later.
• For a slightly caramelized top, transfer the cooked beans to an oven-safe dish and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
• Beyond bacon, feel free to incorporate other meats like BBQ brisket (a Kansas City favorite), ground beef, or pulled pork for added heartiness.
• To thicken the sauce further, if needed, create a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir this into the simmering beans until the desired consistency is reached.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 183 kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 15gFat: 2g

Nutrition Data

Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information for a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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