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Instant Pot Baked Beans Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 135 reviews
  • Author: Ethan
  • Total Time: Approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes (excluding soaking time)
  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x

Description

This Instant Pot Baked Beans recipe delivers a rich, sweet, and spicy side dish that’s perfect for any meal. Using navy beans cooked under pressure, combined with brown sugar, molasses, spicy mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, this dish offers deep flavors in a fraction of the time traditional baked beans take. The beans are cooked to tender perfection and thickened to the ideal consistency using a quick cornstarch slurry, making it a comforting and hearty addition to your dining table.

Ingredients

Scale

Beans and Broth

  • 1 lb bag of navy beans (about 2 cups)
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 white onion, diced

Sauce Mix

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Thickening Agent

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (for slurry)
  • Water (to make cornstarch slurry)

Instructions

  1. Soak Beans: Soak the navy beans in water for 4 to 24 hours to reduce cooking time and improve digestibility. If you opt not to soak, be prepared to add an additional 30 minutes to the cooking time.
  2. Pressure Cook Beans: Add the soaked (or unsoaked) navy beans, diced white onion, and beef broth into the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and set the valve to the sealed position. Use the pressure cook or manual setting and cook for 1 hour if beans are soaked, or 1 hour and 30 minutes if unsoaked.
  3. Release Pressure: Once cooking is complete, carefully open the pressure valve to release steam. After the pin drops, remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
  4. Prepare Sauce and Combine: In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, spicy mustard, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour this mixture into the Instant Pot with the beans and stir well. Activate the sauté mode on normal heat and mix frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Thicken Baked Beans: If the beans appear too watery, prepare a slurry by combining 3 tablespoons cornstarch with a small amount of water. Add this slurry to the beans while still on sauté mode. Stir until the mixture thickens. Keep in mind the beans will thicken further as they cool.

Notes

  • Soaking beans overnight reduces cooking time and can improve digestibility.
  • If you don’t soak your beans, increase pressure cooking time by 30 minutes.
  • The cornstarch slurry is essential for thickening; without it, the beans may be too runny.
  • Use beef broth for richer flavor; for a vegetarian option, substitute with vegetable broth.
  • Adjust the amount of brown sugar and molasses to taste for desired sweetness.
  • Stir frequently when sautéing to prevent burning and to evenly thicken the beans.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 4 to 24 hours soaking time
  • Cook Time: 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes pressure cooking, plus 10 minutes sautéing
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Instant Pot baked beans, navy beans, pressure cooker baked beans, molasses beans, easy baked beans, sweet and spicy beans

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Find it online: https://theethankitchen.com/instant-pot-baked-beans-recipe/