Homemade Baked Beans with crisp bacon are simple to prepare in the Instant Pot and deliver terrific flavor and texture without any pre-soaking. Nutty navy beans combine with crisp bacon, sautéed vegetables, pure maple syrup and a balanced mix of sauces and spices to create a hearty, crowd-pleasing side dish perfect for potlucks and cookouts.
Why this recipe works so well:
- No soak required. Dry beans normally benefit from an overnight soak to soften, but cooking in a pressure cooker eliminates that step while still delivering tender beans.
- Crisp bacon. Cooking the beans in bacon grease for flavor, then folding in crisped bacon pieces at the end preserves texture and adds a salty, smoky finish without making the bacon soggy.
- Well-balanced flavor. This version hits a harmonious balance of sweet, salty and savory. Pure maple syrup and barbecue sauce give a sweet-savoury backbone while mustard, vinegar and chili powder round the profile.
- Feeds a crowd. The recipe yields a generous batch—ideal for potlucks, family meals, or freezing leftovers for later.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe:
- Navy beans – one 16-ounce bag of dried navy beans; they hold their shape and have a classic baked-bean texture.
- Bacon – about 12 ounces, cut into small pieces; quality bacon makes a difference in flavor.
- Bell pepper and onion – diced and sautéed in bacon fat to build savory depth.
- Sauce ingredients – tomato sauce, pure maple syrup, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, barbecue sauce and a little water form the cooking liquid and glaze.
- Seasonings – chili powder, kosher salt, and black or red pepper to taste.
How to make Instant Pot Baked Beans:
Full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions are provided in the recipe card below, but here is a clear summary of the process to give you an overview before you start.
- Partial pre-cook: Sort and rinse the dried beans, then pressure-cook them briefly with plenty of water and a little salt so they soften but stay intact. Drain and rinse when complete.
- Mix the sauce: Combine the maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, barbecue sauce, chili powder and a small amount of water; whisk until smooth.
- Render the bacon: Use the Instant Pot on sauté to crisp the bacon pieces. Remove the cooked bacon and reserve the rendered fat in the pot for the vegetables.
- Sauté the vegetables: Cook diced bell pepper and onion in the bacon fat until softened, scraping the pot to loosen any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Combine and pressure cook: Return the partially cooked beans to the pot, add tomato sauce and the prepared sauce mixture, then cook under high pressure until beans are tender and flavors have melded.
- Finish with bacon: Stir in the reserved crisp bacon pieces at the end so they retain texture. The sauce will thicken as the beans cool.
Cooking tips for perfect results:
- Keep the bacon moving while frying. Stir frequently as the fat foams and bubbles to prevent burning and ensure even crisping.
- Add heat if desired. If you like spicy beans, stir in hot sauce, red pepper flakes, a diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne to taste.
- Storage. Refrigerate leftover beans in an airtight container for 3–5 days. For long-term storage, freeze in quart-sized containers and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating. Gently reheat on low in a covered saucepan, or microwave at 50% power in short intervals, stirring between each interval to heat evenly.
- Keeping warm for serving. Maintain warmth in a slow cooker on low or in a covered pot set over very low heat; keep the lid on so the beans stay moist.
What to serve with Baked Beans:
These baked beans pair beautifully with classic barbecue sides and hearty mains. Try them with coleslaw, grilled or smoked ribs, skillet cornbread, sautéed greens with bacon, or pulled pork for a complete summer meal.
Instant Pot Baked Beans
Prep 15 mins
Cook 50 mins
Total 1 hr 50 mins
Servings 16 servings
Author Krissy Allori
These baked beans are made in the Instant Pot for a quick, no-soak method that produces tender beans and bright, layered flavor. Crisp bacon is added at the end to maintain texture.
Ingredients
Initial bean cook:
- 16 ounces dried navy beans
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Baked beans:
- 12 ounces bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black or red pepper, to taste
Instructions
Initial bean cook:
- Sort through the dried beans and remove any debris. Rinse thoroughly in a colander.
- Place the beans, 8 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally, then drain and rinse the beans. Clean and dry the pot before continuing.
Cook baked beans:
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the bacon pieces and cook until crisp, stirring to prevent burning. Transfer the bacon to a plate and leave the rendered fat in the pot.
- Add the diced bell pepper and onion to the bacon fat and sauté for 5–10 minutes until softened, scraping the bottom to release any stuck bits.
- In a bowl, whisk together maple syrup, mustard, apple cider vinegar, barbecue sauce, chili powder and 1/2 cup water. Reserve the tomato sauce to add with the beans.
- Add the partially cooked beans, tomato sauce and the whisked sauce to the Instant Pot. Stir gently, close the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally, then open the lid and stir.
- Fold the reserved crisp bacon into the beans. The sauce will thicken as the beans cool slightly. Serve warm.
Notes
- Watch the bacon closely. Keep it moving while frying so it crisps evenly and doesn’t burn as the fat foams.
- Adjust the heat. Add hot sauce, red pepper flakes, diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne if you prefer a spicier result.
- Storage & freezing. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–5 days. Freeze in quart containers for longer storage; thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power, stirring occasionally for even heating.
- Keeping warm for serving. Use a slow cooker on low or a covered pot over the lowest heat to maintain serving temperature without drying the beans.
Nutrition
Calories: 244 kcal, Carbohydrates: 32 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 14 mg, Sodium: 648 mg, Potassium: 539 mg, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 13 g.
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guide only.