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Instant Pot Ham and Beans

  • 3 min read

Hello food lovers! It’s your culinary guide, Foodie Mike, back with another fantastic Instant Pot recipe. Today, we’re making a heartwarming classic that’s always been close to my heart: Ham and Beans. Only this time, we’re adding a twist and simplifying the process using our trusty Instant Pot. Let’s get into it!

Why the Instant Pot, you might ask? It’s all about simplicity and convenience without sacrificing flavor. With the Instant Pot, you can achieve the slow-cooked taste of Ham and Beans in a fraction of the time.

Absolutely everything you need to know about Beans!

One of the best things about this recipe is its flexibility. You can toss in whatever veggies you have in the fridge, adjust the spices to your liking, or even change up the type of beans to suit your preference. The possibilities are endless!

Instant Pot Ham and Beans
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Instant Pot Ham and Beans

Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

300

kcal

Instant Pot Ham and Beans is a quick and easy way to make a classic comfort food. The beans are cooked in the Instant Pot, which means that they cook up quickly and evenly. The ham hock or ham adds a layer of flavor and richness to the beans. The dish is also very versatile and can be served with a variety of sides, such as cornbread, rolls, or vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried beans, such as pinto beans, navy beans, or great northern beans

  • 1 ham hock or 1 cup chopped ham

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 2 carrots, chopped

  • 2 celery stalks, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 6 cups water

  • Rinse the beans and sort through them to remove any stones or debris.
  • Place the beans, ham hock or ham, onion, carrots, celery, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper in the Instant Pot.
  • Add the water.
  • Close the lid and seal the valve.
  • Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and cook for 60 minutes.
  • Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
  • Remove the ham hock or ham and shred it.
  • Stir the shredded ham or ham hock back into the beans.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

  • For a more flavorful dish, use dried beans instead of canned beans.
  • If you don’t have a ham hock, you can use 1 cup of chopped ham.
  • To make the beans even more flavorful, add a teaspoon of brown sugar or molasses.
  • Serve the beans with your favorite sides, such as cornbread, rolls, or vegetables.

Foodie Mike’s Tips and Substitutions:

Best Beans

Wondering about the Best Beans to Use? I usually opt for navy beans because they’re quick and easy, cooking in just 10 minutes after soaking. The Alubia Blanca beans from Rancho Gordo are a superb substitute and work exactly the same as navy beans in my recipe. However, don’t be afraid to mix it up. Great Northern beans, Cannellini beans, or even pinto beans can replace navy beans if you’re after a larger white bean. Do note that for these larger beans, you’ll need to up the pressure cooking time to 15 minutes. As for Baby lima beans, they will need about 20 minutes under high pressure.

Ham or?

Got a Ham Bone or Leftover Spiral-Sliced Ham? In this recipe, I’ve used diced ham, but don’t let that limit you. If you’ve got some leftover ham, especially from a spiral-sliced holiday ham, go ahead and use it. Even better if you’ve got a smoked ham hock or a leftover ham bone with a bit of meat still attached – it’s an excellent way to elevate the flavor of the recipe.

Broth?

Is Chicken Broth Mandatory? I’m a fan of chicken broth, mainly because it adds extra flavor and richness to the recipe. But let’s be real, we don’t always have homemade chicken broth or store-bought low-sodium broth at our disposal. If you’ve got homemade ham broth, even better, but it’s a rarity for me too. If you’re running short on broth, feel free to use water, or a combination of both water and broth. This recipe calls for 5 cups of liquid, and with store-bought broth usually coming in 4-cup cartons, I’ll often use 1 cup of water instead of buying an extra carton. And remember, even if you’ve only got water, that’s fine. The beans will create their own flavorful broth, and your recipe will still be delicious – just remember to add in the 1 ½ teaspoons of salt.

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