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.
Sarah says
Made this tonight with some Jerk skewers and the rice was definitely the star of the show! So good! Will definitely be making again! I'm going to use the leftovers in some veggie burgers tomorrow and I think it will add some awesome flavor!
Tanya says
Thanks so much Sarah! So glad you liked the recipe. And such an awesome idea for the leftovers!
Paula says
Have been wanting to make authentic rice and peas for years and this recipe was just what I needed! I made it on top of the stove and since my allspice was a little old 😒, I threw in some whole allspice berries and fished them out when the rice finished cooking. I had to add a little more coconut milk and water for the rice to finish cooking completely – overall about 1/4 cup. I also used your recipe for oxtails. This was my first time making them and served with the rice and peas, the meal was fantastic! My family loved it- They loved the rice so much, I had to make another pot!! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Tanya says
Thank you Paula! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Richard says
Made this as the recipe in my 6Q IP and it worked perfectly, I couldn't find my allspice berries to grind up so spice was a little lacking but that was my bad.
Richard Rotman says
I cooked this on the stove and it worked perfectly. Very flavourful. Tasted very authentic and looked it too. I own an InstaPot but the stovetop seemed more straightforward. Delicious with our Jamaican curry lamb.
Tanya says
Thanks Richard! Sounds like the perfect meal with the curry and the rice and peas.
Lu says
I don't doubt this recipe is delicious but unlike everyone else here who's had issues with the recipe, I didn't even get a burn error but the instant pot was trying to come up to pressure for like 30 minutes. I thought something was wrong so when I opened it I noticed the rice was basically cooked with the bottom scorched. So I didn't get a burn error but everything seemed to have been cooked and slightly burnt at the bottom. the rice has an al dente texture and a burnt taste.
I'm using the 8qt duo Evo plus.
Tanya says
Hi Lu, it may be the 8qt pot that made a difference in your results. I made this in a 6 quart pressure cooker. For an 8 quart, the amount would need to be increased.
KB says
Turned out perfect in my instapot! I added a tiny bit of water (maybe a quarter cup) at the end while I was finishing the rest of the dinner, and it was keeping warm, so it didn’t dry out. Flavor and texture were on point. Thanks for the recipe!
Tanya says
Thank you KB! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Shauna says
Comes out perfect every time!
Tanya says
Thanks so much Shauna!
Susan says
I managed not to get a burn notice. I used parboiled rice and added a little more liquid. Will next time add a bit more. Good!
Brooke says
Tanya,
Your recipe for oxtails is SO GOOD but this one is problematic. The instant pot gives the burn warning, and looking at the liquid there's simply not enough for 2 cups of rice. The whole thing was ruined. Please adjust!
Tanya says
Hi Brooke, sorry you had trouble with this recipe. I've made this rice countless times in my Instant Pot, which I bought back in 2016. I've indicated that newer models should use the rice button as Instant Pot has changed its design since then. I've also included stovetop directions for those who have newer pots. Since this recipe as written works in older models and other pressure cooker brands, I've left the original instructions. As far as the liquid, the kidney beans should be undrained, which yields about 2 cups of liquid in total to the recipe to 2 cups of rice. In case this happens to you with any other recipe, here's a great link about the burn signal in Instant Pots. I hope it helps. https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-burn-message/
Michele says
I have been trying to make authentic rice and peas for years!! I substituted pigeon peas for the kidney beans and the dish was fantastic. Thanks so much for the recipe. And I followed the instant pot recipe. I had a tiny bit of scorching, but I think that it added character to the dish!
Stephen says
Very disappointed. Not accurate for the instant pot. Burn warnings. May work on the stovetop but the instant recipe is not one to follow. Look elsewhere if that’s what you are looking for.
Tanya says
Hi Stephen, sorry to hear you had these results. Here's a great resource when it comes to the burn signal in Instant Pots. https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-burn-message/
May Ling says
Sooo legit!!! Thank you for making such a crazy easy and delicious recipe!!!!
B Ivey says
I'm SO HAPPY and really grateful that you have both of these recipes available. You're a Godsend. I ended up making mine on the stovetop because my oxtail was in the Instant Pot. I used unsweetened coconut milk (I don't like sweet rice). When it first finished, I didn't think the rice was as tender as I was hoping for, so I added maybe 1/4 cup more coconut milk and about 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and quickly put the cover back on for another 10 minutes. *MWUAH* Yummy! Big hit at home. Thank you so much for your recipe. I'm saving this one!
Tanya says
Thank you B Ivey!
Faith Murphy says
I made yesterday for a function but cooked it on the stove cause I was making oxtails in my pressure cooker and the rice came out amazing the only thing I did different was add more coconut milk 1/4 cup more. It was fantastic and got nothing but compliments on it. Thank you for sharing this ! Can’t wait to try it actually in the cooker.
Jewel says
I followed instructions and used the Rice function but mine came out too mushy 🙁