Instant Pot Cowboy Beans Recipe
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These Instant Pot Cowboy Beans Are
- Bright
- Saucy
- Smokey
- Loaded with Flavor
- High Protein
- A great side dish for summer
What Are Cowboy Beans?
Cowboy beans are a smoky BBQ bean dish, made with a variety of beans (pinto, kidney, and navy), ground beef, and spices. They are similar to baked beans, but not as sweet as their traditional counterpart. Beans were a staple for frontier cowboys, and this version uses a few varieties for a high protein, hearty meal.
Instant Pot for the Easy Beans!
For all my recipes I use the 8-Quart Instant Pot Ultra, its larger than the standard models (which are only 6 quart) so I have extra room to meal prep and batch cook more meals for the week. The Ultra model also has some great extra settings like cake baking and yogurt making which are really neat. I love that everything can cook in one pot, which makes for way less dishes and hands-off cooking.
The Instant Pot is hands-down my favorite kitchen appliance, and actually makes my life so much easier.
What’s In These Pressure Cooker Cowboy Beans?
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
- Dried Beans: pinto beans, navy beans, and kidney beans. You can use your favorite combo too – black beans would also be delicious in this!
- Ground Beef – or a plant-based alternative if desired.
- Chili Powder: for a really nice flavor in this dip – the chili powder isn’t spicy but will give you a rich and bright flavor.
- Onion Powder: adds a delicious and savory flavor to this dish as well, and the onion powder pairs nicely with the onions in these beans.
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Tomatoes
- Bell Pepper: If you don’t have fresh peppers, sweet roasted red peppers are a great substitute! I love adding them to breakfast bakes, sandwiches or wraps, and soups.
- Corn
- BBQ Sauce
- Jalapeno
Frozen Veggie Recipes For the Win!
I used a few frozen veggies (like frozen corn and peppers) for this recipe instead of fresh produce. Frozen produce is a great option for finding fresh and flavorful vegetables in the off season. By using freezer ingredients, I can stock up when they are on sale, and use them in all kinds of great dishes. It saves me a trip to the store, and I can add amazing veggies right into the recipe.
How Do I Make Cowboy Beans in the Instant Pot?
- To the Instant Pot, add the ground beef, and set to Sauté mode. Brown the ground beef for 8-10 minutes until all the meat is browned. Drain any grease and add meat back to the pot.
- Add the remainder of the ingredients to the Instant Pot except the barbecue sauce and jalapeno. Cook on High Pressure or Manual mode for 25 minutes. Once finished cooking, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 30 minutes and then carefully release the remaining pressure.
- Remove lid and stir in the barbecue sauce and jalapenos. Garnish with extra jalapeno and cilantro and enjoy.
More Side Dish Recipes for Your Next BBQ or Cookout:
Quick Caramelized Onions Recipe in 30 Minutes
BBQ Deviled Eggs Recipe
Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
Red Cabbage Macaroni Salad Recipe
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Instant Pot Cowboy Beans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef I used 95% lean
- 2 cups dried pinto beans
- 1 cups dried navy beans
- 1 cup dried kidney beans
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 14 ounce Diced Tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 10 cups Vegetable Stock
- 2/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 jalapeno sliced
Instructions
- To the Instant Pot, add the ground beef, and set to Sauté mode. Brown the ground beef for 8-10 minutes until all the meat is brown.
- Add the remainder of the ingredients to the Instant Pot except the barbecue sauce and jalapeno. Cook on High Pressure or Manual mode for 25 minutes. Once finished cooking, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 30 minutes and then carefully release the remaining pressure.
- Remove lid and stir in the barbecue sauce and jalapenos. Garnish with extra jalapeno and cilantro and enjoy.
Nutrition
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