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.
Brandon McLean says
Not near enough liquid to cook, I kept having to add water because my Instant Potkept saying food buring and researching it meant no enough water. Which is tue because as long as i've made rice its always been a 2 to 1 ratio.
Dee says
Turned out perfect! Certainly is a lot quicker than cooking rice and peas the old fashioned way. Thank you so much for sharing.
Tanya says
Thanks, Dee! So happy you liked the recipe 🙂
Wynn says
This was undercooked for me. Any advice for correcting it?
Tanya says
Hi Wynn, you could try increasing the time by a couple of minutes and see if that works for you. You could fo 8 minutes of high pressure rather than the 6.
Marisa says
This was absolutely delish and was very similar to the rice I get at some of the local Jamaican restaurants I visit. I was skeptical at first with adding the whole can of beans without rinsing, but it worked fantastic.
Tanya says
Thanks Marisa, I'm so happy you liked the recipe 🙂
Jeff says
Had burn notices the entire time. This was a fail, unfortunately.
Brandon says
same!!!! needs way more liquid because it was so annoying getting that constantly
Stephanie Allen says
Made as a side for jerk chicken and collards. Friggen GREAT! the rice with the coconut and allspice is something I’ve never tried but it was a huge hit. We used a ninja foodie-I know all cookers are different but it turned out great as directed!
Tanya says
Thanks so much Stephanie Allen! Your jerk chicken dinner sounds amazing. I agree, all cookers do work different. That Ninja Foodie is a good device too.
Marcia says
My family loves this rice!
Tanya says
Thanks Marcia! So happy you all like it.
Chintamani says
I have made this rice many times using the IP. I have made it exactly as you have it written and it always turns out great! Plenty of liquid in my experience. The only issue I have had is sometimes getting a burn notice. I think my IP runs hot. My solution is to put the water and coconut milk in the freezer while I sautee the aromatics. I take the insert out of the IP and set on counter. I use the very cold water to deglaze the pan. I mix in everything as you direct, put the insert back and do the pressure cook as directed. My boyfriend is Jamaican and he says this recipe is awesome! Thank you!
Tanya says
Thanks so much, Chintamani, and thank you for the tips on avoiding the burn signal. Super helpful. So glad you enjoy the recipe.
Ma says
Clearly not enough liquid.
2 cups rice should have at least 3.5cups liquid. Cooking my rice over and over. Aside from that error it's a good recipe.
Tanya says
Thanks for your feedback, Ma. I’ve had great success with my recipe as written multiple times. However, I do understand that some may find that they need more liquid. Glad you found a ratio that worked for you. Thanks again for sharing.
Sasha says
This is a fantastic recipe. I tweak it slightly because I really like garlic… and onion… and.. scallion lol so I tend to add more. I noticed a lot of comments about “burn” and I’m glad my device doesn’t necessarily notify but listen “bun bun” is a thing and as a yardie abroad it’s really nostalgic to dish out that fluffy delicious rice made with ease in the instant pot and then sit my butt down with a wooden spoon to eat what’s left over.
Thank you. I’ve used this recipe many many times and always get compliments.
Side note. I also add granulated scotch bonnet as part of the seasoning mix and it’s magnificent.
Tanya says
Thank you so much Sasha!
Nee says
Perfect results!
I adjusted this for 4 persons and followed recipe exactly,but also added an extra 1/4 cup water in case of burn.
Insta brand instant pit used,6 litre.
Tanya says
Thanks so much Nee! So happy you liked the recipe.
Mary says
Unfortunately I kept getting burn error on my instantpot. I kept adding water and unfortunately it didn't turn out well as I got the error twice so the rice didn't cook properly
Tanya says
Hi Mary, sorry to hear the Instant Pot version didn't work well for you. I've included stovetop directions as well.
Ange says
Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe! I am an Instant Pot newbie and was looking for a rice and peas recipe. This one didn't disappoint! I did add more liquid as other commenters suggested. I used 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water with 2 cups of quick-cook brown rice (Simply Nature). Followed the instructions for everything else, including cooking time, and it turned out awesome! Served with air fryer jerk wings and oven roasted cabbage. Chef's kiss! Husband forking loved it. 😉
Tanya says
Thanks Ange! So happy you liked the recipe 🙂
Shawna says
I've made this multiple times with the InstantPot 6 qt, and tonight I tried the stovetop version in a cast iron Dutch oven, since I'm staying at a place without a pressure cooker. I usually use the whole can of coconut milk since I don't know what to do with the leftovers, and I have to play around a bit with the amount of water depending on the humidity in the air. Usually a half a cup of water is fine.
Goes great with BBQ jerk chicken, and when I run out of leftover chicken I've still got beans and rice, the classic student meal, to keep me going.
Tanya says
Thanks Shawna! So happy you like the recipe. I agree, beans and rice goes will with so many meals.
Tina S says
For those who are getting the burn notice or having issues with this recipe, I altered the liquid amount. I used 3/4 cup coconut milk, and 1 cup water + another 1/4 cup of water. So total you have 2 actual cups of liquid per 2 cups rice. I did not use the liquid from the beans, so I rinsed and drained my beans and then added them to the top. Hope this helps.
Tanya says
Thank you Tina S 🙂