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A serving of red beans and ham on a slice of sourdough bread.

Instant Pot Red Beans and Ham

Red beans and ham is a delicious, budget-friendly meal that is full of fiber and low in fat. This nutritious recipe is even easier and faster to make in the Instant Pot. It is a great way to use leftover ham.
5 from 11 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 33 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 241kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 4 to 5 cloves of garlic finely minced
  • 3-¾ cups broth vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 pound dry red beans or red kidney beans
  • 2 whole 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. 

Notes

  • When you add the broth, make sure to scrape off any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot or you will get a 'burn' message.
  • For extra smokey flavor, you can use a smoked ham hock.
  • If you choose to soak the beans overnight then reduce the cooking time to 18 minutes.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 943mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g