This Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans recipe is generally called "rice and peas" on the island. It's made with red kidney beans, coconut milk, and added spices. Make it in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker for perfect results.
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*This recipe has been updated to include stovetop directions as well.
Today I bring you another rice dish I grew up eating, Jamaican rice and peas. I’ve named it rice and beans for the blog because the dish is made with dark red kidney beans. Sometimes it’s made with what’s called “gungo peas” in place of the red kidney beans.
I love making rice side dishes in my Instant Pot, like this Copycat Rice a Roni. This rice side dish is no different. I can set the timer and step away from the Instant Pot while I prepare the rest of my dinner.
Try this with my oxtail or with my jerk chicken recipes.
How to make Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans
Start by selecting Sauté button on your Instant Pot. Make sure you have selected the “more” option. Once your Instant Pot displays Hot, add your oil. Then add your chopped onion and stir until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add your minced garlic and green onions.
Then add your rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, all spice, salt, and black pepper and stir.
Next, place your springs of thyme on top and lay your beans on top of the rice. Do not stir the beans at this point.
Press “Cancel” on your Instant Pot and cover with the lid, making sure the valve is set to “seal”
Then, cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. Once the timer is done, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 10 minutes. Open, and fluff the rice.
Enjoy 🙂
Substitutions for Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans
- I do not recommend using dried beans in place of the canned beans in this recipe unless they have been cooked separately at first. Dried beans take much longer to cook than the 6 minutes allotted for in this recipe. Here’s a guide to cooking dried beans in the Instant Pot.
- Feel free to change it up with different canned bean variety.
- Most Jamaican rice and peas recipes include scotch bonnet pepper. I don’t put them in my rice and peas recipe. Feel free to modify this recipe by adding it in.
- Wondering what a sprig of thyme is? Check out this helpful article that defines how much a spring of thyme is.
How to Make Jamaican Rice and Peas on the Stovetop:
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Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add yellow onion and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and green onions and stir for about 30 more seconds.
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Add rice, undrained kidney beans, coconut milk, water, salt, allspice, and black pepper and stir until combined. Lay thyme on top. Bring mixture to a simmer.
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Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for 18 minutes over low heat, then remove from heat. Leave the lid on for an additional 5 minutes.
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Open the lid and remove the thyme. Fluff rice with fork. Enjoy.
Looking for more Jamaican recipes? Try these out:
Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Soup
Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 2 cups long grain white rice rinsed
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 15.5 oz can dark red kidney beans undrained
- 2 sprigs of thyme
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to "Sauté." Once Hot, add olive oil. Then add yellow onion and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and green onions and stir for about 30 more seconds.
- Press “Cancel” on the Instant Pot. Add rice, coconut milk, water, salt, allspice, and black pepper and stir.
- Pour undrained kidney beans on top of the rice mixture. Do not stir. Lay sprigs of thyme on top. Cover the Instant Pot, ensuring the valve is set to “Sealing.”
- Press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on the Instant Pot and set for High pressure for 6 minutes.
- Once the pressure cooking time is done, allow it to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure by moving valve to "Venting"
- Open lid and remove thyme sprigs. Fluff rice with fork and Enjoy!
Stove Top Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add yellow onion and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and green onions and stir for about 30 more seconds.
- Add rice, undrained kidney beans, coconut milk, water, salt, allspice, and black pepper and stir until combined. Lay thyme on top. Bring mixture to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for 18 minutes over low heat, then remove from heat. Leave the lid on for an additional 5 minutes.
- Open the lid and remove the thyme. Fluff rice with fork. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Make sure there are no dry bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This could result in that annoying "burn" signal some pressure cookers give off. Once you add your coconut milk and water, stir with a wooden spoon to ensure there is no food stuck to the bottom.
- This recipe was created in an Instant Pot Duo 6QT. If using a newer model, use the "Rice" button on your Instant Pot.
- White Basmati rice or Jasmine rice can be substituted for the long grain.
- I always rinse my rice under cold water before cooking..
- If subbing dry for fresh thyme springs, use about ½ tsp.
Angelique says
Been making this rice over the past weeks over and over and its been delicious and a hit with our Caribbean and French families! I use Basmati Veetee rice and double all portions for 6pp+. Keep same cooking time though. In an 8qt IP 2020 model and on 'rice' setting (12mn auto comes up). Can of beans with juice. We can't get enough of it and so quick and easy! Thanks for the recipe 😀
Carey G. says
The first few times I made rice in my NutriPot, it didn't turn out right. It got better but guess what? I just make the beans in a skillet and boil rice in a pot while the oxtails are cooking in the Nutripot. Mix them together when they're done. Used regular milk but still came out good.
Paulette says
I made it tonight and it was so yummy.lovely balance of flavours.I had whole allspice so used that and f course scotch bonnet pepper .It will be my go to now junebug
LaWanda says
Thanks for the recipe. Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk?
Tanya says
thank you. I use unsweetened.
Megan says
This was amazing!!!
Dee says
Great easy recipe easy to follow and it was tasty. Thank you.
Tanya says
Thanks so much Dee 🙂
Bruce says
Hey this recipe is the tops this is the second time round I used black beans this time very good my girls loved it
Nandanie says
Hi! I love this recipe and use it quite often! Can this be doubled? I'd like to make it for Thanksgiving, and wanted to make sure we had enough.
Tanya says
Hi Nandanie, Yes it can be. Just keep the cook time the same in the Pressure Cooker.
Kyle says
Made this the other night and it is so good! Added some chopped carrot and 2 minced jalapenos. Thank you!
Jen says
Hey Tanya will be making this tonight with your oxtail recipe! That said since I’m going to be using my instant pot to make the oxtail do you think the rice and peas can be made in a rice cooker? Would the rice and liquid ratio need to be adjusted at all? Also if you could include stove top instructions for this recipe I would be so grateful!!!
Tanya says
Hi Jen, I actually don't own a rice cooker but I'm sure the ratios will be the same. Great idea. I'll update the recipe with stovetop directions soon. Thank you 🙂
LORI CHAFE says
This recipe is so delicious. I lost a bet with my son and this is what he chose for me to make him as rice and peas are a favorite of his and after making this recipe he told me to never make a different one.
Tanya says
That's awesome! So glad he liked it.
Rah says
Hi! Can you clarify the 'undrained' for the kidney beans. Do you mean that you should add the liquid from the can into the instant pot as well with the beans? Is that in addition to the 1.5 cups of water?
Thanks!
Tanya says
Hi Rah, yes, I add the liquid from the can of beans to the Instant Pot. That is in addition to the water.
Rah says
@Tanya, thank you!!
We made this and it was great! My daughter loved it! https://www.instagram.com/p/CEBo5_8gvvR/?igshid=r99vve80i90
Tanya says
Awesome! So glad she liked the recipe. Also, super cute video.
Frank says
I followed your instructions to the "T" and the food burn warning came on.
Tanya says
Hi Frank, Did you try the rice setting? The newer machines are different than the older models. If you have an Instant Pot other than the Lux, I'd suggest using the rice setting. It cooks on low pressure.
Kelly says
@Frank,
Same thing happened to me. I added (a lot) more water, tried again and still “food burn” still came back on. I ended up taking it out putting it in a pot on the stove and adding a little more water and simmering it. I forgot about it while I was preparing the ox tails and when I went back to check on it thankfully it was saved and ended up working out. The rice recipe tastes great and the ox tails were amazing as well. Thanks for the recipes Tanya!
Della McCarthy says
@Kelly, same thing to me
Laura says
Made this today and it was DELICIOUS! Very impressed by how easy it was. Next time I'm going to try adding more veggies to it so it can be a complete meal... thinking diced celery and carrots would be good.
Tanya says
Thank you so much Laura! Additional veggies would be a great addition.
Kalisha says
I made this to go with your ox tails recipe. The rice turned out perfectly and I could taste the coconut in the background even though there wasn't much of it. I did use dry beans that I precooked myself and I also used dried thyme. I love that the recipe is vegan too, so I can share some with my vegan sister when she visits. Or maybe not!!!I have to double this recipe next time.
Tanya says
Thank you so much. lol at not sharing, I feel ya lol