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beans and rice in a bowl
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Easy rice and beans (Instant pot & Stovetop recipe)

Simple rice and beans is comfort food. Make this easy rice and kidney beans recipe today and serve it for your lunch and dinner. This vegan and gluten-free dish is very versatile, and you can serve it as pilaf, taco, burrito.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Global, Indian
Keyword rice and beans recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 3

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker
  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1.5 cups cooked kidney beans
  • 1.25 cups water Use 2 cups water for stovetop method
  • 2 medium-sized potatoes
  • 2 small carrots
  • 12 green beans
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 inch ginger (finely chopped)
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 green cardamom
  • 1 mace strand optional
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

Instructions

  • Rinse the basmati rice a couple of times.
  • Soak the basmati rice for 20 to 30 minutes. (Optional)
  • Chop the veggies and keep them aside.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Start the Instant pot in saute mode.
  • Add oil to the inner pot and then add whole spices & chopped ginger to hot oil.
  • Then goes sliced onions and let them fry for 3 to 4 minutes. 
  • Now add chopped veggies of your choice and stir it once.
  • Add cooked red beans and spice powders to the veggies mixture and mix them well.
  • If using canned beans, make sure to drain them very well. Else rice will turn sticky.
  • Drain the water from the soaked basmati rice and add it to the instant pot. If you are not soaking rice, rinse the rice and add it.
  • Add water to the instant pot and give it a good stir. You can check salt and adjust it at this step.
  • Stop the instant pot saute mode and close it with its lid. Seal the valve.
  • Start the instant pot on manual or pressure cook mode and cook it for 5 minutes on high pressure.
  • Once the Instant pot finishes cooking, wait for 10 minutes and manually release the pressure. 
  • Open the instant pot and take the inner pot out. This will prevent the cooking of rice further.
  • Add chopped fresh cilantro leaves and fluff the rice and beans. Cover and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
  • Easy Instant pot rice and beans is ready to serve!

Stovetop Instructions

  • Heat the pressure cooker over medium heat and add oil to it. Add whole spices and chopped ginger. 
  • Now add sliced onions and fry them for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add chopped veggies, mix them once and let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
  • To this veggies mixture, add cooked kidney beans.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, ground coriander, and salt. Mix everything well.
  • Drain the water from soaked basmati rice entirely and add it to this veggies mixture.
  • Then goes water into this rice. Stir it once.
  • Close the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook on medium to high flame for 1 to 2 whistles (around 7 to 8 minutes) and switch off the stove once done. 
  • Once the pressure releases naturally, open the lid. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and fluff the rice. Easy rice and beans is ready to serve.