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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Instant Pot Baked Beans (Vegetarian)

    Published: Jun 21, 2021 · Modified: May 25, 2023 by Cassidy Reeser · This post may contain affiliate links.

    1.1K shares
    • 4
    jump to recipe
    White bowl filled with baked beans on a marble background with a pink cloth
    Close up of vegetarian baked beans

    It's easy to make vegetarian baked beans in the Instant Pot with dry navy beans! No soaking is required for this recipe, and the result is baked beans that are both sweet and savory, just like classic canned baked beans.

    White bowl filled with baked beans on a marble background with a pink cloth.

    Are they technically baked beans if they aren't baked in the oven? Maybe not, but I promise that these Instant Pot baked beans are just as delicious as any oven-baked beans.

    Baked beans are one of my favorite healthy-ish comfort food sides. Growing up, they were a regular side with lunch and dinner. Baked beans with mashed potatoes, baked beans with hot dogs, with burgers, etc. etc. Usually from a can, sometimes homemade, and always a comforting side dish.

    These homemade Instant Pot baked beans are vegetarian as-is (no pork here or Worcestershire sauce here!) and use dry navy beans. The best part? Like many of my favorite Instant Pot recipes, you don't have to soak the beans prior to pressure cooking them.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe features
    • What you'll need
    • Step by step instructions
    • Tips and variations
    • Recipe FAQ
    • Storage tips
    • Looking for more instant pot recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Recipe features

    • These baked beans are made with dry navy beans. Because navy beans are smaller than great northern beans, they do not need to be soaked prior to pressure cooking.
    • Super easy: Instant Pot bkaed beans require only 5 minutes of active time! Most of the ingredients are also shelf-stable.
    • Homemade sauce: This recipe uses a homemade BBQ sauce that is similar to my go-to vegan BBQ sauce. It's a pretty sweet sauce with hints of acidity from mustard and ketchup.
    • I personally think these are even better than canned baked beans because they are customizable to your exact flavor preferences.

    What you'll need

    Labeled ingredients used to make instant pot baked beans
    • Navy beans: These are small white beans, not to be confused with Great northern beans, lima beans, or anything labeled "white bean".
    • Ketchup adds the classic baked bean flavor. You can use an equal amount of tomato sauce if you prefer but it will lead to a thinner and less sweet sauce.
    • Stone ground mustard is typically spicier than regular yellow mustard. This is the brand that I love.
    • Molasses and brown sugar give this recipe the classic baked beans sweetness. Molasses gives a deep, rich flavor but it can be replaced with brown sugar if needed.
    • Worcestershire sauce is usually made with anchovies, but a lot of store brands are actually anchovy-free! Just double-check the ingredients label for a vegetarian sauce.

    Step by step instructions

    All of my Instant Pot recipes are made in a 6 qt DUO60 Instant Pot.

    Overhead view of navy beans and water in an Instant Pot

    Step one: Add the drained and rinsed navy beans and 3 and ¾ cups water to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place and set the vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 27 minutes and allow a natural pressure release.

    Ingredients in a white bowl before and after whisking together to make BBQ sauce

    Step two: While the beans pressure cook, whisk together the BBQ sauce ingredients in a bowl.

    Step three: Add the BBQ sauce to the cooked beans. There will be some liquid remaining in the pot - don't drain it off unless you want a very thick sauce.

    Overhead view of baked beans in Instant Pot

    Step four: Select "sauté". Simmer the BBQ sauce and beans together for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken up to the consistency of canned beans. The longer the beans sauté, the thicker the sauce becomes.

    Tips and variations

    • Spice/heat: Add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste) for spicier baked beans.
    • Smokiness: I love the lightly smoky taste smoked paprika adds but if you prefer smokier beans you can add liquid smoke. Careful, liquid smoke is very strong. Start small with ½ teaspoon.
    • Sweetness: These are quite sweet baked beans. Decrease brown sugar to ¼ cup for a less sweet result.
    • To make gluten-free choose a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce gluten-free certified ketchup (ketchup is usually GF but sometimes it is processed on the same equipment as wheat).
    • Serving ideas: Enjoy vegan baked beans with vegan mac and cheese, vegan cornbread, chicken fried tofu and okra for a comforting dinner.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I use store-bought BBQ sauce?

    This recipe was originally written for store-bought BBQ sauce instead of homemade. If you want to use store-bought I recommend draining water off the cooked beans before adding BBQ sauce to taste.

    My beans aren't tender enough after 27 minutes. What can I do?

    Stir the beans and cook on high pressure for another 2 minutes. Do a quick pressure release and check for tenderness, repeating as necessary.

    Can I make this on the stove top instead?

    I have not tested this recipe on the stove-top. You should be able to simmer together the sauce ingredients over medium-low and 3-4 cans of navy beans for similar results.

    Can I use soaked beans?

    Sure! I know that some people prefer soaking beans to make them easier to digest. Soaked beans cook much more quickly and require less water to cook. Soak the beans for 8 to 12 hours in plenty of cool water. Start with 5 minutes on high pressure and a 5-minute natural pressure release. Add 2 minutes at a time as needed.

    Storage tips

    Leftovers: For best quality keep refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days.

    Freezing: Instant Pot baked beans freeze well. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Leave at least ½ inch space at the top of the container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

    Reheating: Reheat on the stove top over medium heat, in the microwave, or reheat in the Instant Pot by selecting "saute less". Stir occasionally until heated through.

    Close up of orange-brown baked beans with a sprig of rosemary on top in a white bowl

    Looking for more instant pot recipes?

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      Black Bean Soup (Stove Top, Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
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      Instant Pot Black Beans
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      Instant Pot Vegan Mac and Cheese
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      Vegan Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

    Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review down in the comments section. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter!

    📖 Recipe

    Close up of orange-brown baked beans with a sprig of rosemary on top in a white bowl
    Print Recipe
    4.63 from 8 votes

    Instant Pot Vegan Baked Beans

    Easy pressure cooker recipe for vegetarian baked beans using a sweet and smoky homemade barbecue sauce.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time27 mins
    Total Time1 hr 2 mins
    Servings: 12 servings (½ cup each)
    Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound dry navy beans see note #1
    • 3 and ¾ cups water
    • 1 cup ketchup
    • ½ cup light brown sugar adjust to taste
    • ¼ cup molasses
    • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 and ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce see note #2
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • salt to taste
    • red pepper flakes to taste

    Instructions

    • Rinse the dry navy beans and remove any shriveled beans and debris. Add to the Instant Pot with 3 and ¾ cups water. Lock lid in place and set vent to "sealing". Select "high pressure" and adjust timer to 27 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, whisk together all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl to make the BBQ sauce.
    • When the Instant Pot timer is up, allow the pressure to release naturally. This will take 15-20 minutes. Remove the lid and test a couple of the beans to make sure they are tender. If not, cook on high pressure for 2 more minutes, then let pressure naturally release. Repeat as needed.
    • Add the BBQ sauce to the beans. I don't drain off the water because I like saucey baked beans but you can drain it if you prefer a thicker sauce. Select "sauté" and sauté on normal heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will thicken the sauce and allow the flavors to meld together.
    • Taste for seasonings (salt, red pepper flakes, etc.) and enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    1. Navy beans are a small white bean. This recipe has not been tested with any other kind of white bean (cannellini, great northern, etc.)
    2. Worcestershire sauce: Many brands contain anchovies, but a lot of store-brand versions are anchovy free. 
    3. Leftovers: Keep refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days.
    4. Freezing: These baked beans can be portioned into large or individual containers and frozen for up to 3 months. These are the containers I use. It will need to thaw in the fridge for up to 24 hours before enjoying.

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    Serving: 1servingCalories: 129kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSodium: 367mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 1.5mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1.1mg

    Note: This recipe was originally shared August 2018. It was updated June 2021 with an improved method to provide more consistent results. The previous recipe cooked the beans with BBQ sauce for a longer time but the new recipe uses a custom BBQ sauce that is added after the beans are cooked.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elle

      March 31, 2021 at 12:13 pm

      I use my instant pot often and really hoped to like this recipe for baked beans. I followed the recipe exactly as written but 45 min with a natural steam release still resulted in undercooked beans. It required another 20 min of pressure cook time, and the beans still contained more liquid than I prefer even after using the sauté function as suggested. Disappointed with the flavor despite using my favorite bbq sauce; recipe definitely requires adjustments.

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser

        March 31, 2021 at 12:34 pm

        Hi Elle, I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out! I'll definitely be making this recipe again soon to see if there's any way I can update it to make it work out for everyone. Thanks for the review!

        Reply
    2. Carel

      May 24, 2020 at 4:24 pm

      SO easy with what you have on hand, I didn't have an onion, so used a cup of chopped celery and 2 tsp onion powder and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Added 2Tb brown sugar, I used dry pinto and dry red beans... after 40 minutes they were not cooked and there was a lot of water. So I cooked for another 35 minutes, Next time I might soak the beans, But this is so simple and good! thanks!

      Reply
      • Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD

        May 24, 2020 at 5:57 pm

        Thanks, Carel! I know kidney beans can take longer to cook but I am surprised they took that long. Either way I am glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Cassidy! I’m the registered dietitian behind Cozy Peach Kitchen, a food and nutrition blog sharing easy vegetarian recipes for every occasion.

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