Pressure Cooker BBQ Beans

When you get the craving for baked beans but don’t have hours to spare, this easy Pressure Cooker BBQ Baked Beans recipe is your answer. 

Busy lifestyles don’t often have time for cooking. Dried beans cooked in a stovetop pressure cooker. Budget-friendly homemade baked beans. So much better than any canned version.

Saucy, sweet, smoky, cooked under pressure in less than an hour. If you are a Boston baked beans fan, this is the recipe for you. BBQ baked beans with bacon in a fraction of the time.

Do you have a pressure cooker? Which kind, stovetop, electric or the new Instant Pot? Are you one of the people who is scared to try any pressure cooker altogether? I was one of those people. 

I only started using a pressure cooker in the last year. Hubby insisted I get one. I insisted he stand by my side the first time I used it.

Do you know what I made? Sticky Toffee Pudding. Of course, I didn’t stop there. Irish Stew with Guinness is a great pressure cooker recipe too.

BBQ Baked Beans Shopping List

• dried navy beans
• onion
• bbq sauce
• ketchup
• bacon or bacon bits
• water
• oil
• salt and pepper

Slow cooker beans, Instant Pot beans, or beans baked in the Dutch oven. So many great ways to enjoy this ultimate comfort food. Who doesn’t enjoy baked beans on toast?

How To Make Pressure Cooker BBQ Beans

This is one of those old-fashioned pressure cooker recipes. Nothing fancy, no electronics needed.

Depending on your type of pressure cooker, directions may vary slightly. Always follow manufacturer directions.

1. Pre-soak the beans using either of the methods below.
2. Add beans to your cooker.
3. Add hot water to the pot along with some oil.
4. Place lid on and secure.
5. Cook on HIGH.
6. Once the pressure level is reached, reduce heat to maintain pressure and cook for an additional 12 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and use a NATURAL RELEASE method to release the pressure.
8. Open the lid and drain, and set beans aside.
9. Using med-high heat, place the pressure cooker on the stovetop.
10. Cook the onion in the oil.
11. Add the water, ketchup, barbecue sauce, seasonings, and beans.
12. Mix well, bring to a boil, and cook until tender (about 15 minutes).
13. Add in the bacon bits.
14. ENJOY!

Cooking baked beans from scratch gives you full control of the ingredient list. Flavors can be adjusted to your taste.

Use all kinds of BBQ sauce flavours, spicy ketchup, and of course maple syrup or brown sugar if you want them sweeter.

This barbecued bean recipe included bacon bits. You can dice up fresh bacon, cook it, and add it to the recipe at the end, or use store-bought like I did. You can even omit the bacon to make these vegan/vegetarian friendly.

To store, place in a sealed container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them.

Reheat on the stovetop, in the oven, or the microwave.

Can I Cook Beans Without Soaking?

No, you cannot. Soaking the beans is a VERY IMPORTANT step that must be done BEFORE cooking the beans.

Soaking the beans thoroughly cleans them and also makes them easier to digest. The water is then discarded. Be sure to rinse and drain the beans after soaking.

For this recipe, I used the overnight soak method.

• Place the dried beans in a large bowl or pot
• Cover with lots of water
• Add 1 tsp. of salt to the water
• Let soak overnight
• Remove any floaters
• Rinse, drain, and place in the pressure cooker

Alternatively, you can use the quick soak method.

• Add the beans to a pot
• Cover with water, and bring to a boil
• Turn off the heat and let the beans sit in the hot water for an hour
• Remove any floaters
• Rinse, drain, and place in the pressure cooker

Types Of Dried Beans

For this baked beans recipe, I used navy beans. You can be creative and use lots of other beans. Here are a few suggestions:

• Fava
• Kidney
• Great Northern White
• Pinto
• Black
• Chickpeas
• Cranberry
• Black-Eyed Peas

Since you are experimenting with dried beans, did you know dried lentils are easy to make and nutritious too? Great for budget-friendly and protein-packed meals.

Here are a few recipes to try:

• Puy Lentil Pasta Sauce (perfect over spaghetti squash)
• Red Lentil Meatless Tourtiere (a holiday classic)
• Poached Eggs and Lentil Hash (great for #meatlessmonday)
• Spicy Beluga Pasta Sauce (a great way to try black lentils)
• Green Lentil Mini Cream Cheese Balls (a fun and healthy appetizer for any party)

I just know if you mix in some of my Bourbon Caramelized Onion Jam, these beans will be kicked up a notch.

I will admit, my canned baked beans recipe is perfect for a quick an easy weeknight dinner.