This Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice recipe makes a giant pot of the ultimate Louisiana creole comfort food – beans and rice. I love using my Instant Pot for recipes like this one as it cooks the beans in a fraction of the time it would take to cook on the stove. An Instant Pot is the must have appliance this year – like a mix between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker! I’ve never looked back since buying mine!
Start by sautéing ham hock in the Instant Pot. Add veggies, beans, and broth and set the mixture to cook on the pressure setting. As the mixture cooks, boil rice in a separate saucepan. Once cooked, remove the ham hock and chop the meat into small pieces. Return the meat to the bean stew. Stir well and serve with cooked rice, garnished with scallions.
To make Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice, you will need the following ingredients:
Switch on the “Sauté” setting on your Instant Pot. Set to heat on high temperature.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 meaty, smoked ham hock to the pot. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned all over.
Add 1½ tablespoons of chopped garlic, 2 cups of chopped yellow onion, 1½ cups of chopped green bell pepper, 1 cup of chopped celery, ¼ cup of chopped jalapeño chilis, 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning and ½ a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Stir to combine and cook while stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add 1 pound of dried red kidney beans, 2 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 dried bay leaves, 4 cups of chicken broth, and ½ a teaspoon of the salt. Stir to combine.
Press CANCEL on the Instant Pot. Cover the pot with the lid and lock into place. Turn the steam release handle to the SEAL position. Select MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK on HIGH pressure for 75 minutes. (It will take 10 to 15 minutes to come up to pressure before cooking begins.)
Combine water, 2 cups of long grain rice and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a large saucepan over high. Bring the water to a boil before covering the saucepan with a lid and reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, without removing the lid. Remove the saucepan from the heat and rest with the cover on for 20 minutes, undisturbed.
When the cooking time ends, turn the steam release handle carefully to VENTING position. Let the steam escape fully (the float valve will drop). This will take around 3 - 4 minutes. Remove the lid from the cooker, and stir well.
Remove the ham hock from the Instant Pot. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and discard any fat. Chop the meat into little pieces. Return the ham meat to the pot and stir well to combine.
Serve with the boiled rice and garnish with chopped scallions. Drizzle with hot sauce to taste.
This Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice is a delicious bowl of comfort food! Come back to leave a review below if you try this Louisiana classic.
