Learn how to cook dried red kidney beans in the Instant Pot without soaking them! This recipe is easy to make, and you get a delicious stew result every time. You'll find variations of the recipe so that you can taste them in different ways.
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Beans are a food rich in fiber and iron, a great protein source, and are inexpensive and delicious. Read about the health benefits of kidney beans.
In Central America, kidney beans are known by many names, frijol, porotos, or habichuelas. This recipe is a version of stewed kidney beans in tomato sauce.
In Panama, we love to eat them with white rice, tajadas (fried sweet plantains), and your favorite protein. From a stewed chicken to a fried fish.
This recipe is part of an Instant Pot series for you who are starting to use your electric pressure cooker.
Related Read: Green Lentils in the instant pot
I like this recipe and the Instant Pot because I don't have to be babysitting the cooking process. This is an easy way to cook any dried beans.
Sauté, add the ingredients, and when it's done, it lets me know it's ready. Making life easy when there is not much time to be supervising the food. In the end, it comes down to convenience.
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📋 Ingredients for the recipe
To prepare this recipe, you’ll need the following:
- dried red kidney beans
- water
- onion
- sweet peppers
- garlic
- culantro
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tomato puree or passata
In the recipe card below, you will have the complete measurements of each ingredient. See the substitutions box for more information.
If you prefer you can soak beans overnight, but it is not necessary. Normally if I soak them it is for a maximum of 4 hours. Remember to remove the water you used to soak them before cooking.
As for utensils, we will use an electric pressure cooker (6 QT Instant Pot), a cutting board, a knife, and a ladle.
Now that we have all the ingredients and utensils then, let's get started.
Substitutions
- Sweet peppers: You can use any peppers. The colored and 4-pointed ones tend to be sweeter. Use a small one.
- Garlic: You can use garlic powder (½ teaspoon), so you don't have to sauté. Add it before covering the pot.
- Olive oil: You can use any oil you have on hand. Preferably use an oil with a neutral flavor.
- Water: You can replace the water with any broth you have (vegetables, chicken, meat, etc.). This increases the flavor.
- Culantro leaves: if you don't find it, you can use chives and chopped parsley.
- Tomato puree: add the same amount of diced tomato or tomato sauce. This last one will add more flavors to it. You could also replace it with tomato paste (1 tablespoon) and saute it with the veggies to release the flavor.
- You can omit all the vegetables if you like and make them that simple so you can use them in other types of preparation.
- For a vegan or vegetarian option, omit the Worcestershire sauce or replace it with coconut aminos or tamari sauce.
📝 How to make the recipe? - Step by Step
Now let’s cook these dried beans.
Step 1: Wash your beans and remove any that are not in good condition. Reserve while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2: Chop the onion, peppers, garlic, and culantro leaves and reserve.
💡 Tip: You can always keep some onion, peppers, culantro leaves, and minced garlic in the fridge. It works for this and any other stew recipe. If you don't like chopping vegetables, you can use a food processor to make your life easier.
Step 3: Press the "Sauté" button and add the oil to heat it. Then add the onion and sauté for a few minutes. Now add the peppers, garlic, and half the culantro and continue sautéing for 3 more minutes or until fragrant.
💡 Tip: If you don't prefer to sauté the ingredients, you also can add everything to the pot and cook for the same time.
Step 4: Add the tomato puree and mix with all the ingredients. Press the "Cancel" button.
Step 5: Add the beans, water, the rest of the culantro, and the Worcestershire sauce. Mix all ingredients.
Use 3 cups of liquid (water or broth) for every (1) cup of dried beans.
Step 6: Make sure the silicone ring is correctly installed, then cover the pot. Move the valve to the "Seal" position. Select the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" function, depending on your pressure cooker model, and adjust the cooking time to 35 minutes. It will take approximately 6 minutes to come to pressure.
Step 7: Once the 35 minutes are up, the pot is placed in Keep Warm mode. Now, let the pot release the pressure naturally and wait until you see "L0:10". Then you can press the "Cancel" button and remove any remaining pressure by moving the valve to the "Venting" position.
Be careful when releasing the pressure. Use the end of a ladle to move the valve. Do not put any towel or anything that covers the valve. When you hear the pin, go down then you can open the pot.
Step 8: Now add the salt and pepper and mix. Start the "Sauté" function and let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or until it is reduced and thickened to your desired point. This will help the salt to concentrate better.
Step 9: Serve and enjoy!
Variations of this recipe
- Prepare it with chili flavor, add chili powder, cumin, and paprika, and let them cook at the same time as directed. Make your own chili seasoning mix to add. These beans are ready to be used in a delicious chili con carne.
- Skip the tomato puree and continue with the normal procedure. So you can use them in other types of preparation. Once done, you may skip the saute part, drain and use only beans for salads. Use the liquid for soups or cooking meats.
- Have leftover holiday ham? Use the ham bone and ham pieces and add to them.
- If you enjoy beef shank (jarrete as we call it in Panama), you can add the boneless meat cut in 3-4 inch pieces, previously seasoned and seared. Cook everything together for the same amount of time.
- You can also add salted pork tails (Rabito de Puerco Salado) and cook them simultaneously. Ensure you boil the pork tails at least 3 times before adding them to the beans, changing the water with each boil. This will ensure that they have enough salt. You can omit adding salt to the beans.
- Add chopped pumpkin and chorizo for a simple bean soup, and use the same cooking time. Make sure to sauté the chorizo first with the vegetables.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- Serve with white rice, your favorite protein, and a salad.
- It pairs well with fried fish or some stewed meat. You can try it with stewed beef tongue.
- You can eat it on its own or serve it with some cauliflower rice, so you have a delicious vegan or vegetarian option but omit the Worcestershire sauce.
Storage tips
- Storage: Once cool, you can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- Freeze: Once cool, place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Seal well to avoid freezer burns. You can keep them for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator the night before and follow the instructions for reheating. Preferably freeze in ½ or 1 cup portions, so you don't have to defrost everything together. You can use these freezer containers to store them.
- Reheat: You can heat them in a pan, use the microwave. If it's a little dry, you can add a little extra water or broth to it before heating.
❓FAQs and Tips
For every 1 cup of dried beans, you would need to add 3 cups of water. Make sure that all the beans are submerged, so they cook evenly.
They must be tender and firm, they shouldn’t be hard. If after the time they are still hard, you can cover the pot again, add one to two more minutes of cooking.
I prefer to add the salt once the beans are soft. I have found that sometimes adding salt to it during cooking tends to increase the cooking time.
If you tried the recipe for red kidney beans in the instant pot or any other recipe at Nashi Food, don't forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I love knowing about your cooking experience.
Instant Pot Red Kidney Beans
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ onion
- 5 sweet peppers
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 culantro leaves
- ¼ cup passata (tomato puree)
- 1 cup dried red kidney beans
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash your beans and remove any that are not in good condition. Reserve while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Prepare the ingredients. Chop the onion, sweet peppers, garlic, culantro, and reserve.
- Turn on the instant pot, press the "Saute" button and add the oil to heat it. Then add the onion and sauté for a few minutes. Now add the peppers, garlic, and half the culantro and continue sautéing for 3 more minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the tomato puree and mix with all the ingredients. Press the "Cancel" button.
- Add the beans, water, the rest of the culantro, and the Worcestershire sauce. Mix all ingredients.
- Make sure the silicone ring is correctly installed, then cover the pot. Move the valve to the "Seal" position. Select the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" function depending on your pressure cooker model and adjust the cooking time to 35 minutes. It will take approximately 6 minutes to come to pressure.
- Once the time is up, let it release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes (until you see "L0:10"). Then you can press the "Cancel" button and remove any remaining pressure by moving the valve to the "Venting" position.
- Now add the salt and pepper and mix. Start the "Sauté" function and let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or until it is reduced and thickened to the point you prefer.
- The result will be delicious stewed red kidney beans ready to eat. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Once cool, you can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- Freeze: Once cool, place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Seal well to avoid freezer burns. You can keep them for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator the night before and follow the instructions for reheating. Preferably freeze in ½ or 1 cup portions, so you don't have to defrost everything together. You can use these freezer containers to store them.
- Reheat: You can heat them in a pan, use the microwave. If it's a little dry, you can add a little extra water or broth to it before heating.
- Sweet peppers: You can use any peppers. I prefer the colored ones and the 4-pointed ones that tend to be sweeter. Use a small one.
- Garlic: You can use garlic powder (½ teaspoon), so you don't have to sauté. Add it before covering the pot.
- Olive oil: You can use any oil you have on hand. Preferably use an oil with a neutral flavor.
- Water: You can replace the water with any broth you have (vegetables, chicken, meat, etc.). This increases the flavor.
- Culantro leaves: if you don't find it, you can use chives and chopped parsley.
- Tomato puree: add the same amount of diced tomato or tomato sauce. This last one will add more flavors to it. You could also replace it with tomato paste (1 tablespoon) and saute it with the veggies to release the flavor.
- You can omit all the vegetables if you like and make them that simple so you can use them in other types of preparation.
Maur says
Thanks for providing a list of variations.
Nancy says
This is such a unique and delicious new way for me to enjoy kidney beans.