Kidney beans is the go to beans for most Puerto Ricans. We use it in rice, add it to salads, and make it in a stew like form. Today, I’m sharing my quick Instant Pot Kidney Beans recipe that takes dried kidney beans and transforms it into a flavorful Puerto Rican habichuelas guisada recipe.
How To Make Puerto Rican Kidney Beans In The Instant Pot
I love you abuela, but I’m so glad to have an Instant Pot! I am able to safely make habichuelas guisada quickly in my Instant Pot, and they taste as good as abuela’s.
Pre-soaking is not necessary when using the instant pot, but I do like to put my dried beans, once rinsed, in a large bowl covered with water, a chunk of onion, bay leaf, garlic, and the optional smoked ham hock. I like to soak it for an hour while I get everything else (and the rice) ready to cook.
What I love about the Instant Pot is that you have valuable stove burners available, and it still offers tons of options, like sauteing! This is where the magic happens. Put oil in your IP (Instant Pot) sleeve, add in your seasonings, homemade sofrito, and tomato sauce. Let the Puerto Rican , while stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
Next, add in your veggies and ham hock. And then your broth.
Next, place lid over the IP and turn the knob towards sealing, then press manual high pressure (or beans setting) for 40 minutes.
Once the 40 minutes are up, press the cancel button and allow the Instant Pot to naturally release. (The top knob will fall down once ready to open.)
More Bean Recipes: Cuban Navy Beans, Sausage Kale Lentil Soup, Chicken Enchilada Soup
Puerto Rican IP Kidney Beans
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry kidney beans rinsed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 smoked hamhock
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 chunk onion
- 1/2 cup sofrito
- 1 packet sazon con culantro
- 1 tbsp adobo
- 1/2 tbsp oregano
- 2 potatoes peeled, chopped
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add in dried beans, hamhock, onion chunk, bay leave, garlic and water to cover. Let sit for an hour before draining. To the Instant Pot (IP) add in oil and set saute mode for 6 minutes. Once oil is warm, add in sofrito, seasonings, and tomato sauce. Mix around and let cook for 3 minutes before adding in the drained bean mix. Allow the beans to get coated and now add the remaining ingredients. Mix, close lid and set to sealing. Place timer at 40 minutes on manual high pressure mode. Allow for a natural release by pressing cancel when the 40 minute timer goes off. Once depressurized, remove lid, stir and carefully taste the beans. Adjust the salt to your liking.
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Can you make this in a regular pot or crock pot?
Yes, in a slow cooker, I’d say go on high for 4 hours, or low for 6. (Be sure there’s enough liquid in there.)
For the regular pot, yes, cook for about 2-3 hours, or until beans are soft.
Thank you for visiting. 🙂
Do you have a cookbook? If so what is the title? I would like to purchase it.
Oh man! Nope, not yet, but I would love to make some! Thank you for the reminder. 🙂
Thanks so much for your knowledge and love Neyssa! I’m in the process of making these beans for dinner tonight with pork chops and coconut rice. Being between New York and philly, I grew up with a lot of people from PR (my brother in law, born and raised there as well) and so I have a love for Puerto Rican cuisine. Haaa you know how something looks and sounds right 😁, I didn’t even question your recipe! Well it’s a rainy friday here in philly, can’t wait to eat lol
Aww Kenya! Yes, there is a distinct Northeast taste to my cooking lol. And you’re a neighbor! I’m 10 minutes from Philly! I hope you enjoyed the beans. 🙂
Do you cook the ham hocks first?
I always use smoked hamhocks, which are precooked. If you are using raw hamhocks, I would not soak them with the beans, but you can certainly add them to the Instant Pot and they will cook with the beans. Let me know how it comes out!