In my family, we like to eat easy yet hearty meals. This Instant Pot Cowboy Beans recipe has all the makings of a hearty meal and is super easy to make in your Instant Pot. Made with simple ingredients this pressure cooker cowboy beans recipe is sure to be a real hit!
Contents
Why You’ll Love Cowboy Beans
- Hearty and Filling: Packed with proteins and fiber, these Instant Pot cowboy beans are a satisfying meal.
- Flavorful and Rich: This cowboy beans recipe delivers a robust, smoky flavor that’s hard to resist.
- Efficient Cooking: The Instant Pot cuts down on cooking time significantly.
Recipe Ingredients
- Lean Ground Beef: Is the meaty backbone of the dish, providing a rich, savory flavor and satisfying protein.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing, it adds a subtle fruitiness and ensures the beef and onions don’t stick to the pot.
- Spicy Red Chili or Kidney Beans: These baked beans offer a heartiness, texture, and fiber to the dish, while soaking up the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Chopped Small Yellow Onion: Add a layer of sweetness that complements the savory beef and spicy beans, while also contributing a nice crunch.
- Diced Cloves of Garlic: Infuses the dish with a pungent, spicy flavor that deepens the overall taste profile.
- Ketchup: Adds a tangy sweetness to the dish, balancing the heat from the chili beans and hot sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Gives the beans a complex, umami flavor, with a hint of tanginess that pairs well with the sweetness of the ketchup.
- Hot Sauce: Adds a spicy kick, elevating the flavors and adding a bit of heat to the dish.
- Your Instant Pot: The cooking tool that brings it all together, allowing the flavors to meld under pressure, resulting in a dish that tastes like it’s been simmering all day in just a fraction of the time.
How To Make Instant Pot Cowboy Beans
Step One: Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add the olive oil and allow to heat up. Add garlic and onions and cook 2-3 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.
Step Two: Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
Steps Three: Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup to Instant Pot.
Step Four: Add BBQ sauce followed by the beans and mix everything together.
Step Five: Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the vent is closed. Set Instant Pot to 10 minutes.
Step Six: Once 10 minutes are up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Open the vent and release the remaining pressure. Serve your cowboy beans, garnish with sour cream and chopped tomatoes.
Variations
- Pinto Beans: Feel free to use pinto beans as in this Instant pot recipe instead of kidney beans. Don’t use dried pinto beans. Use canned beans or cooked pinto beans as dried beans take much longer to cook.
- Butter Beans: Another option would be to use butter beans or navy beans for this Instant Pot cowboy beans recipe.
- Add Bacon: Add a little cooked bacon to this this recipe for added flavor.
Best Way To Store Cowboy Beans
- Cooling: Allow the cowboy beans to cool to room temperature before storing.
- Refrigeration: Transfer the cowboy beans to an airtight container or cover the dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Consume within 3-4 days for optimal freshness.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze cowboy beans in a freezer-safe container. Label with the freezing date and store for up to 2-3 months.
- Thawing and Reheating: When ready to enjoy frozen cowboy beans, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth or water if needed to maintain the desired consistency.
By following these storage tips, you can keep your cowboy beans fresh and delicious, ready to be enjoyed whenever you desire.
What To Serve With Cowboy Beans?
his dish can be used as a main dish (my choice) or you can use it as a hearty side dish. Here some things you can serve with it:
- Jalapeño Cornbread: Whip up a batch of moist jalapeño cornbread to complement the smoky flavors of Cowboy Beans.
- Cheesy Garlic Bread: A gooey, garlicky delight pairs perfectly with the hearty goodness of Instant Pot Cowboy Beans.
- Coleslaw: The crisp freshness of coleslaw, dressed in zesty cilantro-lime, balances the richness of the beans.
- Avocado Salad: Creamy avocado salad adds a cool and creamy contrast, enhancing the Tex-Mex vibe of your meal.
- Grilled Vegetables: Fire up the grill for a medley of colorful vegetables, providing a charred and savory counterpoint to the beans.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Caramelized sweetness from roasted sweet potatoes complements the savory notes of the Cowboy Beans, creating a harmonious blend.
FAQ’S
Are Cowboy Beans Chili
This recipe uses spicy red chili or kidney beans, so it can be treated like a chili would even though its a little bit different. So, eat it by itself, serve it with Fritos, tortilla chips, sour cream, or cheddar cheese. The best thing about this dish is that it’s hearty and can be eaten any way you like.
Instant Pot Cowboy Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Cans Kidney Beans
- 1 Onion Chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Hot Sauce
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add the olive oil and allow to heat up.
- Add garlic and onions and cook 2-3 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
- Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup to Instant Pot. then add BBQ sauce. Lastly, add beans and mix everything together.
- Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the vent is closed. Set Instant Pot to 10 minutes.
- Once 10 minutes are up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Open the vent and release the remaining pressure.
Nutrition
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Definitely gonna try this recipe.Looks so good