Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Step 1

Soak Dried Red Kidney Beans: *Note: If you're using canned red kidney beans, skip this step. Just drain and rinse the beans before cooking.a. Overnight Soaking Method (Recommended): Place 1lb (454g) dried red kidney beans and 1½ tbsp (25g) fine table salt in a large container. Pour 6 cups (1.5L) cold water in the container and give it a few stirs. Soak beans overnight for at least 8 – 16 hours. *Pro Tip: If your house is very warm, place the beans in the fridge to avoid fermentation.b. Quick Soaking Method: *Note: If you’re short on time, use this quick soaking method, but the result won’t be as good as the overnight soaking method. Place 1lb (454g) dried red kidney beans, 1½ tbsp (25g) fine table salt, and 6 cups (1.5L) cold water in Instant Pot. Close lid and Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 0 minute + 30 minutes Natural Release. *Pro Tip: No matter which method you use, rinse red beans under cold running water and drain well before cooking.

Step 2

Saute Sausages: Press “Saute” button to “Sauté More” function to heat up Instant Pot. Wait until the indicator says “HOT” (~8 mins). Add 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil or vegetable oil and 1lb (454g) sliced sausages in Instant Pot, then saute for 4 minutes.

Step 3

Saute Onions & Spices: Add diced onions, green bell peppers, and celery in Instant Pot, then saute for 3 minutes. Add in minced garlic, 3 bay leaves, ½ tsp (0.4g) dried thymes, ½ tsp (0.5g) dried oregano, 1 tsp (3g) smoked paprika, and ½ - 1 tsp (1.2g - 2.4g) cayenne pepper, then saute for another minute. *Spicy Level Tip: This dish's spicy level will depend on your sausage, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Adjust how much cayenne pepper to use according to how spicy you want your red beans and rice to be. We used ½ tsp (1.2g) cayenne pepper and it was close to medium spicy.

Step 4

Deglaze Instant Pot & Add Soy Sauce: Pour ½ cup (125ml) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add in 2 tbsp (30ml) regular soy sauce, then give it a quick mix.

Step 5

Pressure Cook Red Beans and Rice: Push all ingredients to one side, then add in the soaked & well-drained red kidney beans. Give everything a quick mix so all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Pour in 3½ cup (875ml) unsalted chicken stock. Make sure all the red beans are fully submerged in the stock. Add in 1lb (454g) smoked pork hock, and make sure it's mostly submerged in the liquid. *Pro Tip: If you're using more than 1lb of smoked pork hock, cut the pork hock into two halves. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 20 minutes + 20 minutes Natural Release. Open the lid carefully. *Note: When the Instant Pot is natural releasing, it's a good time to start cooking the rice.

Step 6

Thicken & Shred Pork Hock: It'll look a bit too watery at first, that's normal! Use the "Saute" or "Saute More" function to bring the red beans to a simmer. Find and discard the 3 bay leaves. Place pork hock in a large mixing bowl, then shred the meat with 2 forks. While you are shredding the pork, thicken the gravy by simmering the red beans until desired consistency (~5 to 10 minutes). Stir occasionally. Place shredded pork hock back in the Instant Pot. Taste & adjust the seasoning accordingly (for reference, we added roughly 1 - 2 pinches of salt to open up the flavors & season the dish properly).

Step 7

Serve: Add rice in a serving bowl, then pour the deliciously saucy red beans beside or on top of the rice. Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro, then serve. Enjoy~