Took me awhile to hop on the pressure cooker bandwagon, but now, I’m driving the thing! I’m so in love with my kitchen buddy. It’s magical. I can prove it! It typically takes at least 2 hours to cook dried red beans. Even after soaking! Using my pressure cooker I was able to cook these things in less than 20 mins! Don’t believe me? Watch this…
Magic, right? I know! Now, you can skip the soaking part and just add them to the pressure cooker after rinsing and sorting. But, then you’d have to cook them longer and they’re not as creamy. Just try it my way.
I do a quick soak. That’s when you add a little heat for a short amount of time and then allow the beans to soak. The pressure cooker also reduced the soaking time. Quick soaking would usually take 45 mins before cooking on the stove. With the pressure cooker, 20-25 mins is more than enough time.
I love being able to saute and brown meat and veggies in it as well. I brown the sausage first, then remove them. Brown the veggies and add the beans and water. I use my beans preset on the cooker which has three times to choose from: 5 mins, 11 mins., and 30 mins. If the beans weren’t soaked, we would select the 30 min timing. But, I use the 11 min one first. Then add in the sausage and butter and let it go for the 5 min setting.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE SALT! Don’t use the salt until after the beans are finished cooking. Salt will prevent the beans from softening. Wait until they are done to add the salt. However, you can add other seasonings, like onion and garlic powder, at the beginning of the cooking process.
If your beans aren’t as thick as you’d like after the second round in the pressure cooker, just turn it on the saute/brown setting and allow them to simmer until they are as thick as you’d like. You may also add more butter as needed. 
Happy Cooking,
B. Coop
- 1 lb dried red beans
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 lb sausage (sliced into coins)
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1/2 cup diced bell peppers
- 1 T minced garlic
- 5 cups water
- 1 T onion powder
- 1 T garlic powder
- 4 T butter
- salt and pepper or Cajun seasoning to taste
- 3 cups of cooked rice
- Sort beans to remove the bad ones and rinse well.
- Add the beans to a large pot and cover them with about 2 inches of water
- Bring the pot to a boil
- Boil for 5 mins then turn off the heat
- Allow the beans to soak in the pot for 20-25 mins
- Drain water off of the beans; set aside
- Add the oil to the pressure cooker and set it on the saute/brown setting
- Add the sausage and saute until brown
- Remove the sausage; set aside
- Add in the onion and bell peppers
- Saute for 3 mins
- Add the garlic and saute for 30 secs
- Add in the drained red beans, 5 cups of water, onion and garlic powders
- Lock the lid and ensure that the pressure releasing valve is locked as well.
- If your pressure cooker has a "Beans" preset, select it. If not, set the timer for 11 mins.
- When the time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 mins before releasing the valve.
- Stir in the sausage and the butter.
- Close and lock the lid and valve again.
- Set the timer for 5 more mins.
- When the time ends, carefully release the pressure valve.
- If the beans aren't as thick as you'd like, select the saute/browning preset again and allow the beans to simmer until the desire thickness is reached.
- Serve over warm rice.
- Enjoy!
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