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This Instant Pot red beans and ham recipe is about as low-effort as it gets for something that tastes like it simmered all day. No soaking, no babysitting, just sauté, seal, and let the pressure cooker do the heavy lifting.
The beans turn tender, the broth gets rich from the ham, and you end up with a solid, comforting pot of food that pulls its weight on a busy day.
Similar to our butter beans recipe, red beans and ham is a budget-friendly meal the whole family will enjoy!
Testing Notes For
I tested this recipe without soaking the beans first because I wanted it to work for real life, not just for people who plan a day ahead. The Instant Pot cooked them up tender without the extra step.
I also wanted the beans to taste like they had been simmering for hours. Pressure cooking gave them that slow-cooked flavor in a fraction of the time.
I kept the ingredients flexible while testing, too. Red beans and kidney beans both worked well, and I had good results with both bone-in and boneless ham.
The ham was one of the biggest flavor builders in the pot. It added richness and seasoned the beans as they cooked, so the recipe didn’t need a lot of extra ingredients.
I adapted this recipe from our original recipe for stove-top red beans and ham.
If you want another easy Instant Pot dinner, these Instant Pot baby back ribs are so good.
Recipe Tips
Deglaze the pot well: After sautéing, scrape up any browned bits on the bottom so you avoid the burn warning and keep all that flavor in the pot.
Adjust for kidney beans: If you use red kidney beans instead of small red beans, increase the cook time to 40 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally: A natural release helps the beans stay tender and keeps them from splitting as much.
Taste before adding more salt: Ham and broth can add quite a bit of salt, so it’s best to wait until the end before adjusting the seasoning.
Use smoked ham for deeper flavor: A ham hock or smoked shank will give the beans a stronger, smokier flavor.
If you choose to soak the beans then that works too. You can read about the benefits to soaking beans in our post for Instant Pot black beans.
Instant Pot Ham and Beans
This is one of those recipes that earns a spot in your regular rotation. It’s simple to put together, flexible with what you have on hand, and the Instant Pot does most of the work for you. The beans turn out tender, the broth gets rich from the ham, and it all comes together into a solid, satisfying meal.
If you like this recipe, my Instant Pot pinto beans are another easy option that comes together quickly.
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Instant Pot Red Beans and Ham
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 ¾ cups broth, vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 pound dry red beans, or red kidney beans
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ pound ham, bone-in or boneless works fine
Instructions
- Rinse the dried beans and pick out any pebbles if you find them.
- Set the Instant Pot to ‘saute’ and add the vegetable oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until soft. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and deglaze the pot (scrape off the brown bits of onion on the bottom of the pot).
- Add the red beans, bay leaves, salt and ham then seal the lid.
- Cook on high pressure for 33 minutes (40 minutes if you’re using red kidney beans).
- Let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves, taste the beans and add more seasoning if needed.
- Slice or shred the ham before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Those beans must have tasted esp. delicious, mellow and flavourful after soaking up all the juice from ham. A comforting and tasty meal for the crowd!
Yes they really do soak up that flavor from the ham. So delicious!