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.
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.
Emma says
I’m hoping to make this tonight, but I don’t have any coconut milk and I’m in quarantine. Can I substitute anything? I have evaporated milk or chicken broth? Thoughts?
Tanya says
Hi Emma, the coconut milk does provide a flavor I don't think either one of those subs could nail. That being said, I'd go with chicken broth and play with the other seasonings a bit.
Esther says
My 23 year old son has been asking me to find a recipe for this. Nothing like a pandemic to keep us inside and experimenting with the instant pot. That thing is a miracle maker!!
The rice is delicious! Leftovers disappear sometime in the night.
I have passed the recipe on to friends. Making it again today. Thanks!!
Michelle says
Made this for the first time tonight. I have an 8qt Duo. Followed the recipe exactly (minus the sprigs) and used the pre-set ‘Rice’ button, and it turned out perfectly. Next time I’ll use chicken broth in place of water just as a personal preference, but this is tasty and makes enough to feed lots of people and meal prep!
Tanya says
Awesome Michelle! Thank you for the feedback, I think chicken broth is a great addition too. Thanks!
M says
Kept burning on the bottom. Nothing was burned before pressure cooking. Sounds like a lot of people liked it but I won't be doing this one again.
Jenny says
Just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. I used Jasmin Rice and although it did stick in the bottom a bit, it did not burn; the hard rice in the bottom of the pot is always my favorite.
Thanks again!
Mil says
Burned for me as well. Very disappointed. Maybe include a step to wait a certain amount of time in between sautee and pressure cook or add more water.
Amy says
I just made this recipe in my instapot and it was perfect!! Thank you 🙂
Tanya says
Thank you for the feedback. So glad you liked it 🙂
Cindy says
When you say 3/4 cup of water and 2 cups of rice is this the same cups we use for baking? I am also concerned the little water you use to cook the rice in this recipe but will try! I think the sugar from coconut milk may be burning the pot.
Tanya says
Hi Cindy, Yes, the same cups for baking. I use the dry cups to measure the rice and the liquid cups to measure the water and coconut milk. I don't have any issues at all making this in the Instant Pots I purchased in 2016 and 2017. However, I believe the Instant Pot has changed their machine design over the years, where a lot of the newer machines will show a "burn" signal when the food isn't actually burning. They are in fact more sesitive. I made this recipe again and used the rice button and did not get a burn. I hope that helps. Please let me know if you try it 🙂
nylse says
I don't measure; the first time I did it; it came out perfect. Every time after that a fail. But now that I have your recipe I will try again. I love my instant pot!!!
Nandanie says
We love this rice. I’ve made it a few times now and man it’s delicious - thank you for this!! I add a few habaneros to the rice and it gives it a nice spice kick. My question is...can this be doubled in the instapot? If so do I have to make adjustments? I always make a few batches a week.
Tanya says
Hi Nandanie, Thank you 🙂 I haven't double this rice recipe in the Instant Pot yet but I have doubled rice before. I usually just double the ingredients but keep the cooking time the same when doubling.
Todd Brown says
Also got burn...do you think you may have made an error on the rice to liquid ratio? 2 cups of rice to 1.5 cups of liquid doesn't seem right. I could see 1.5 cups of liquid for 1 cup of rice though.
Tanya says
Hi Todd, there's no error in the ratio. I've made this recipe in different Electric Pressure Cookers (Instant Pots and Mealthy) and haven't gotten a burn. My ratio is usually 1 cup of water to 1 cup rice but tested this a ton and came up with these measurements. My only thought on the burn is that it truly depends on the Instant Pot you have. Here's an article that explains it but Instant Pots and burn signals aren't uncommon on newer pots. https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-burn-message/
If you decide to make it again you could try and increase the water a bit to see if that stops the burn signal. I just can't really troubleshoot it as I haven't gotten a burn signal on any of my pressure cookers.
Ella Pitts says
Do you know how much longer it would take if I use brown rice instead of white?
Kristin says
I also got a burn signal
Siobhan B says
It has been perfect everytime and delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
Tanya says
So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the feedback 🙂
Lorie says
I also got three burn signal 2 times on the pressure setting. The first time I stirred it and added some more water then started it it up again. After the 2nd burn signal, I switched it to the rice setting and crooked far about 10 more minutes on Auto.
Kate says
I don't know what happened here, but this burned the F out of the bottom of my instant pot. I doubled the recipe precisely and ran it. I don't think it ever reached pressure because when I stopped it after the natural release time, the rice was still half raw but there was a thick scorched layer at the bottom. I scooped out what I could and added some more liquid, and put it in a covered casserole dish in the oven. Hopefully it is salvageable because I have people coming over in an hour.
I have made rice in my instant pot a hundred times with never any terrible, so I don't know why this was such a disaster.
I might try this again. If I did, I would saute the onion and garlic, deglaze with water or broth, then just cook the rice with the water or broth and spices with beans on top, then add the coconut milk in afterward on a low simmer. I know it's not authentic, but I can't think of another reason it would have burned so badly.
Kate says
Oops, that should be "never any trouble"!
Tanya says
Hi Kate, I'm sorry to hear about the burn signal you received when making this recipe. I've made this recipe in 2 seperate Instant Pot (one Lux and one Duo) and a Mealthy Multi Cooker and haven't had the rice burn. I do realize that some newer IPs are more sensitive to burn signals. I found this article helpful when it comes to burn signals in the IP. https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-burn-message/ The recipe should still be fine if you choose to add the coconut milk afterwards, I'd just make sure there's enough liquid in the IP without it.
jay says
IMO the trick to not burning your rice is to check that the liquid from the recipe/rinsing the rice/undrained beans equal a 1:1 ratio with your rice.
Here's a great video for anyone having trouble with rice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJFU7ezipbg