Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice (Easy Mardi Gras Comfort Food)

Today I’m making Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage, a classic Mardi Gras–worthy meal and true Southern comfort food. These red beans cook up rich and creamy with no soaking required (if your dried beans are fresh enough), and the smoked sausage adds big, bold flavor. Served over rice made separately, this is an easy, satisfying dish that’s perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras or enjoying a cozy comfort-food dinner any time of year. (Thank you ChatGPT for offering this description.) Instant Pot Red Beans (New Orleans–Style) 🧄 Ingredients 1 tbsp oil 12–14 oz smoked sausage, sliced (Andouille if possible) 1 medium onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 2 ribs celery, diced 3–4 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb dried small red beans, rinsed (not kidney beans) 1 tsp kosher salt (adjust at the end) ½ tsp black pepper 1 tsp smoked paprika ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste) 1 tsp dried thyme 2 bay leaves 6 cups chicken stock (low sodium preferred) 🔥 Instructions Sauté the sausage Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil, then brown the sausage slices well. Remove and set aside. Build the flavor base Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Deglaze Add a splash of the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Pressure cook Add beans, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, thyme, bay leaves, remaining stock, sausage, Lock lid, set to High Pressure – 50 minutes. Natural release Let pressure release naturally then vent remaining pressure. Finish and thicken Remove bay leaves Use a spoon or potato masher to mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken. If beans still need to be softened a bit, put instant pot into sauté mode and simmer for a half hour or so. Taste and adjust Adjust salt and spice. 🍚 To Serve Serve over hot white rice, with extra hot sauce on the table. 👍 Notes Make sure you use fresh beans that have not been hanging out in your cupboard for three years.  Beans should be creamy, not soupy — they’ll thicken more as they sit. Leftovers are even better the next day. This freezes very well (freeze beans only, not the rice). In our Facebook group :  https://m.facebook.com/groups/226708843531001