Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans

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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:

• 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.

Looking for more Jamaican recipes? Try these out:

Brown Stew Chicken

Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Soup

Jamaican Cabbage

Jamaican Rum Punch

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4.60 from 55 votes

Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans

This Jamaican side dish of rice and beans (peas) are seasoned with delicious coconut milk and other spices. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Caribbean

Keyword jamaican instant pot rice and beans

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 26 minutes

Total Time 31 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 404kcal

Author Tanya

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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 1/2 tsp.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3.7mg

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