Published 8/21/2023 My grandma’s sweet and savory baked beans were a childhood staple. I still remember how wonderful her kitchen smelled whenever she had a batch of these cooking. As a busy working mom, I don’t have all day to spend making baked beans on the stove or in the slow cooker, so I turned to my Instant Pot for quicker baked beans. These baked beans are made with the same classic baked beans ingredients (sausage! sauce!) and cook in the Instant Pot in about 30 minutes. They taste just like grandma’s home cooking and you’d never know they were made so fast!
What You Need for Instant Pot Baked Beans
There are 3 parts to these baked beans: beans + sauce + sausage.
Beans
You’ll need 1 pound of dried navy beans for this recipe. The best part about using the Instant Pot for baked beans is that there is no pre-soaking required! Traditional baked beans recipes call for soaking dry beans overnight. With the Instant Pot, the beans cook in 20 minutes before mixing in the rest of the ingredients.
Sauce
This sweet, savory, and all around delicious sauce is incredibly simple. It’s made with tomato sauce, bbq sauce (your favorite kind), and classic baked beans spices. We also added molasses and maple syrup for the perfect amount of sweetness. Tip: Before starting this recipe, mix, chop, and sort all of the ingredients you need so they’re ready to go once the beans are ready.
Sausage
Ground sausage adds flavor, texture, and even more protein to these baked beans.
Substitutions
Beans: We’ve only tested this recipe with white navy beans, but feel free to use any dried beans you enjoy. The cook time may vary a bit depending on what bean you use. Sausage: Mix up the flavor of baked beans with different types of sausage! Use a breakfast sausage or spicy sausage, or try a maple sausage to sweeten up the baked beans. BBQ Sauce: We used Lillies smokey BBQ sauce, but use your favorite kind or whatever you have on hand.
More Side Dishes We Love
Mexican Street Corn Salad Smashed Red Potatoes 15-Minute Broccoli Salad Rainbow Grilled Vegetables Parmesan Baked Zucchini Jalapeño Corn Pudding Easy Mac and Cheese
Storage
Baked beans are a great make-ahead side dish! Store baked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze baked beans, let them cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, move the container to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, then reheat until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these hearty and comforting Instant Pot baked beans with:
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast Ground Turkey Meatloaf Homemade Burgers Oven Baked Pork Chops Skillet Cornbread
