Instant Pot Baked Beans – Easy No Soak!

Instant Pot Baked Beans are delicious and a simple recipe to make. They’re a great sweet and savory side dish that is perfect for dinner or a barbeque. I’m going to be giving to recipes for my pressure cooker Baked Beans. The first recipe is the traditional recipe, and the other is a Weight Watchers for my Instant Pot Weight Watchers fans and readers. You’ll find the WW version underneath the traditional version of the recipe.

I will also be including the points with the WW version, too! Just be sure to follow along because the ingredients are a bit different than the traditional one!

If you are looking to make your family and guests taste buds soar than this is the recipe for you. This baked beans recipe is one that you will want to return to over and over again.

Making your own homemade baked beans is easy when you have a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot, and a few basic ingredients on hand. I don’t know about you, but I seem to always forget to presoak my beans, and then I realize that I can no longer make baked beans without the beans…because I forgot to presoak. Blah!

Not anymore! Thanks to the Instant Pot, I no longer have to soak beans over night and cross my fingers and toes that I was able to soak the beans long enough during the day when I want to make the beans for supper the day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Instant Pot Baked Beans 

What kind of beans should I use

You can use several different types of beans, however, I love using pinto beans. I love the texture and the end product that comes from the recipe. However, you can use any type of bean that you have on hand. You could use great northern, navy, kidney, pinto or even butter beans.  I don’t recommend using Lima beans though, they just don’t have the same texture. Many people love using northern beans!

Can I use canned beans?

Yes and no. You CAN use canned beans. I only use canned beans when I am in a hurry and forget to soak my beans. But, you will need to change the recipe up a little bit. If you’re using canned beans, here’s what you will need to do:

• You will NOT need to use 6 1/2 cups of water that the recipe calls for. That’s only for dried beans because we are having to rehydrate them.
• When following along with the recipe, just got to step 4! You’ll want to make sure that you have a 1/2 cup of water on hand.
• Use canned Pork and Beans! You’ll use about 56oz of pork and beans. A little over or a little under will not hurt the recipe at all. Most cans are about 12-15oz in weight. With canned beans, you’ll have a little extra liquid, so you can probably drain a little bit of the liquid off.

How to store Instant Pot Baked Beans

Store your Instant Pot baked beans in the fridge for up to 5 days.  My family thinks that these beans taste better the second day. It seems sitting overnight allows them to develop an even deeper flavor. 

If you haven’t used all your baked beans by the 5th day, you can place your beans in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to six month. Simply thaw your baked beans in the fridge overnight and then heat and serve. You could even serve them cold if that is the way that your family prefers to eat them. 

This recipe bakes a lot, so this is perfect for taking to your next BBQ adventure for your home, or to help with your freezer meal planning!

Instant Pot Baked Beans 

• 1 pound of pinto beans
• 6 cups water
• 1 onion diced
• 1 ½ tbsp of Worcestershire
• 1 ½ tbsp of vinegar( I used white wine vinegar)
• ½ tsp of garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup of brown sugar
• ¾ cup molasses
• ¾ cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 6 – 8 slices of bacon

Be sure to drain the beans after you cook in the Instant Pot, and be sure to reserve a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to the side. We’re going to be using this for the second step of the cooking process!

How To Make the baked beans

1. Wash beans and remove any small rocks and debris
2. Place beans and water into the pot and set a timer for 30 min. Once down, allow to depressurize naturally
3. Remove beans and drain, while saving ½ cup of the liquid to the side
4. Replacing the pot, set to machine to sauté mode. Add bacon and cook until slightly golden brown. Once bacon is done, remove bacon and drain most of the bacon grease, and then add diced onion and cook until onions are soft.
5. Replace the ½ liquid and deglaze the pan, being sure to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beans and bacon back to the pan.
6. Add remaining ingredients of: garlic powder, Worcestershire, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, and spicy brown mustard. Stir well to combine ingredients.
7. Close lid and lock lid, set vent to sealing, and set timer for 15 min manual high pressure. Once done, allow to naturally depressurize. Stir to combine before serving.

Cooking Tips For Baked Beans

• Get a sweeter sauce by adding more brown sugar to your sauce. I recommend adding one tablespoon at a time until you get the sweetness that you desire. 
• Add some heat to your baked beans by adding chili powder or crushed red pepper flakes to your baked beans. Add chili powder one teaspoon at a time, and crushed red pepper by ¼ a teaspoon. 
• Need more meat? Add in a few more slices of bacon to add some additional meat to your beans if you like them better or toss in some diced ham.
• If you want a smokier flavor profile, you can add in a teaspoon of liquid smoke.
• If you’re going to use canned beans,

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: The recipe on top is for the Traditional baked beans, and the bottom recipe in the Notes section is for the WW version. The ingredients are slightly different, but the cooking process is not.

It’s mentioned in the recipe card, but the serving size is approximately 8 with a 2/3 cup serving size. The SmartPoints are located in the notes with the recipe.

You can cook the bacon strips as whole pieces, or cut into cubes. It’s your choice. The bacon will fall apart into the beans, so I don’t cut them.

The beans are have a great color, and they will pick up more color form the ingredients when you pressure cook them again.

What To Serve With Instant Pot Baked Beans 

• Mac And Cheese Stuffed Cheeseburger
• Summer Couscous Salad
• Deviled Egg Potato Salad
• Crockpot Pulled BBQ Pork
• Zingy BBQ Coleslaw Recipe