Instant Pot Cowboy Beans are made with multiple types of beans mixed with bacon, ground beef, and a delicious combination of sauces and spices to make the perfect hearty side dish.
I’ll be the first to stand up and say that I’m not a big fan of baked beans. I’m not sure why because I like beans and I like the barbecue flavor but something about baked beans just doesn’t do it for me. My husband on the other hand loves them so he often enjoys them in the summer as a side dish when we grill.
When I first saw these Cowboy Beans I was intrigues. Beans mixed in a tasty sauce along with beef and bacon sounded like something I would eat. I decided to give it a go.
The original recipe I saw uses canned beans but I had two packages of dried beans that I needed to use so that’s what I went with. I’ve included cooking times for both types of beans so you can use either one. Obviously the dried beans take a little more time because they need to soak and cook longer.
To make the beans I started by frying up the bacon in a skillet until it was crispy. Then I cooked the ground beef, onion, and garlic until the beef was cooked through and the onion had softened.
I added everything to the Instant Pot and cooked on high pressure for an hour. If I was using canned beans I would have only cooked on high pressure for about 30 minutes.
The smell when I lifted the lid was amazing. It smelled like bacon, barbecue, and beef and I could see the different types of beans. I couldn’t wait to try a spoonful so I didn’t. I dug right in the Instant Pot and tried a bite.
These beans are so flavorful! They are so much better than any canned baked bean I’ve ever tasted. The flavors were a little bit sweet, a little bit tangy, and the bacon and beef really made a flavor appearance.
So if you are looking for something a little different for your next cookout or social gathering give these hearty Instant Pot Cowboy Beans a try!
Pro Tips and Substitutions:
- Feel free to use your favorite types of beans. I used kidney beans, northern beans, and black beans because that’s what I had in the cupboard but you can use navy beans, fava beans, or pinto beans as well.
- If you want to soak your dried beans the traditional way (not the quick method I have in the directions) cover them with water, add a teaspoon of salt, and let them soak for 6-12 hours before rinsing and using.
- Ground chicken, turkey, or pork can certainly be substituted for the ground beef in this recipe.
Cowboy Beans are made with multiple types of beans mixed with bacon, ground beef, and a delicious combination of sauces and spices to make the perfect hearty side dish. Recipe adapted from Blogghetti As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Instant Pot Cowboy Beans
Ingredients
Instructions
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Rebekah Hills
I love cowboy beans! That bbq smell… mmmm! Love that you did a version in the instant pot – I need to try beans in the IP.
Radha
This is hearty and delicious recipe! Thanks for the tips.
Karen
I have some of those Camelia beans leftover too just looking for a recipe. This sounds so hearty and delicious.
Wendy Klik
Love cowboy beans and the instant pot is a great way to cook them…This is a great recipe for using up all those parial bags of beans left in the pantry.
Sneha Datar
This bowl looks so warm and cozy!