Healthy Baked Beans (Instant Pot + Slow Cooker)
Healthy Baked Beans made vegan from scratch with dried beans are an easy, customizable recipe that can be made in an Instant Pot or slow cooker with NO SOAKING required (a soaked-bean method is included)!
If you’ve been looking for a great vegan baked beans recipe — especially one made in an Instant Pot — then you’re going to love this recipe!
Made from scratch with dried beans, these healthy baked beans are full of nutrition, flavor & texture. Prefer to use canned beans? We’ve included that option too!
Since celebrating my daughter’s bon voyage with a BBQ, I’ve had the itch to make homemade baked beans. Needless to say, this recipe turned out delicious and is so easy to make!
Journey To The Perfect Baked Beans
The journey to the perfect baked beans has been inspired by readers who have taken the time to leave valuable feedback. This recipe is for no-soak beans, but now includes a soaking method.
Thanks to the many readers who have made this recipe and shared their feedback, and to my trials and errors, I think we’ve finally found the happy medium between the two methods.
Just know that cooking times vary, but both methods are ‘tried and true’ and ensure your dried beans cook perfectly every time!
The end result is perfectly textured beans with a robust flavor that’s not too sweet and plenty of juice for dipping and swiping. It’s a healthy baked bean recipe I can stand behind 100%!
Ingredient Notes
In this recipe, dried beans are cooked with a variety of flavors until tender, resulting in delicious, healthy baked beans. The ingredients are fairly minimal and simple, and you may even already have everything on hand!
Here is everything you will need:
- Beans: Start with small white, navy, or great northern beans; they’re perfect. You can either use the no-soak method or soak the beans first, as noted in the recipe. Important tip: Make sure your beans are not expired, as older beans will not cook properly, and may remain hard and undercooked.
- Spices: The main spices are smoked paprika, garlic + onion powder, pepper (pref. freshly cracked from the pepper mill), and salt (added at the end to taste). I love bay leaves, but you can omit them if you like, as their flavor is pretty subtle.
- Mustard: Use your favorite mustard. I used whole-grain mustard here. I didn’t test regular or Dijon mustard, but I’m sure they will be great, too. If you try them, let us know in the comments.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness without being overwhelming. If you prefer sweet baked beans, add 2–3 extra tablespoons of syrup.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar works wonders, adding a slight tanginess. It also helps break the beans down for easier digestion! As recommended in the comments, try balsamic vinegar for variation (thanks, Tom!).
- Liquids: For maximum flavor, use all vegetable broth. Although I tend to stick with a combo of vegetable broth and water, using half-and-half of each, with great results.
- Tomato Paste: Personally, I don’t care for baked beans that are overly tomatoey. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of tomato paste, but I didn’t find it too much at all. You can use a 6 oz can of tomato paste or omit it altogether if you prefer.
Healthy Optional Add-Ins
- Small diced jalapeno (add a few seeds for extra heat) – if you like heat, you’ll love this addition.
- Diced green bell pepper – add a veggie and color.
- 2 – 4 tablespoons blackstrap molasses (unsulfured) – adds a really nice flavor!
So there you have it, now we’re ready to get cooking!
How To Make Healthy Baked Beans
You can easily make this no-soak baked beans recipe in 1 of 2 ways:
(Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post)
Instant Pot: With this method, you simply saute the onions and spices right in the Instant Pot. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on HIGH pressure for 75 minutes. Let the steam release naturally, another 20 minutes or so. No need to soak the beans! But if you decide to soak the beans first, you can reduce the liquid and cut the cooking time to 40 minutes (see recipe card notes).
Slow Cooker: Simply add all the ingredients to the bowl of your slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 10-12 hours. Depending on your slow cooker, you may need to add water every so often during cooking. There is no need to soak the beans. But if you do soak the beans first, you can cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, reducing the liquid as noted in the recipe card.
Tips For Success
- Make it the day before! For an incredible flavor that will outdo any canned baked beans, I highly recommend making the recipe a day ahead and reheating it before serving. The flavors will deepen and become even more savory overnight.
Water To Beans Ratio
Wondering how much water to use for unsoaked or soaked beans? Follow this guide:
- Unsoaked Dried Beans: When using unsoaked beans, you will need 4 cups of water for both the Instant Pot and slow cooker methods. Using the slow cooker method, you may need to add extra during cooking, depending on your slow cooker.
- Soaked Dried Beans: To use soaked beans in the instant pot or slow cooker, you will need 2 cups of water (see notes in the recipe card below).
Adjusting For Dietary Restrictions
- Oil-free: When sauteing, use 1/4 cup water in place of oil.
- Fat-free: When sauteing the onions, use 1/4 cup of water in place of oil. Alternatively, skip the saute step completely.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored for 5-6 days in a covered container.
- Freezer: Homemade baked beans freeze well for up to 2-3 months. To freeze, let cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers (affiliate link), leaving 1/2-inch headspace for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in a large ziplock (remove as much air as possible before zip-locking). Let thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave in 30-60-second intervals, stirring after each, until warm.
Serving Suggestions
Baked beans will go perfectly with any of these recipes. You may just find a new combination for the meal rotation!
- Field Roast (burgers, hot dogs, or roasts)
- Smoky Black Bean Burger
- Baked Sweet Potato Wedges
- The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf
- 5-Ingredient Kielbasa with Peppers & Potatoes
- Favorite Vegan Macaroni Salad
- Vegan Mac & Cheese
- Make a meal with this vegan coleslaw and a side of corn
- Toss in diced vegan kielbasa sausage for extra protein
- Don’t forget vegan cornbread or jalapeno cornbread muffins on the side!
If homemade baked beans were not on your list of things to make, I hope they are now. A staple for summer gatherings, they are perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and picnics.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes!
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Applesauce
- Cuban Black Bean + Mango Bowl – Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Quinoa
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
If you try this baked beans recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
HEALTHY BAKED BEANS (VEGAN)
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups, serves 12 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
Healthy baked beans made with simple ingredients right in your Instant Pot or Slow Cooker. It’s a no-fuss vegan recipe, just throw the ingredients in and let the cooker do the work! Want to use canned beans, see notes.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon EACH garlic + onion powder
- 1 1b. dried small white beans (navy or great northern) (2 cups), rinsed and odd beans removed (not soaked)
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or half water + broth)
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup tomato paste (use a 6oz. can for extra tomato flavor)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard (regular, dijon or whole grain)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon mineral salt, or to taste
Optional add-ins:
- Small jalapeno, seeds removed and diced (add a few seeds for extra heat)
- Small green bell pepper, cored and diced
- 2 – 4 tablespoons unsulfured blackstrap molasses
Instructions
(These instructions are for the no-soak method, if using soaked beans, see notes below)
INSTANT POT (no soak method):
- Press the SAUTE setting on your Instant Pot and add 1/4 cup water. When hot, add onion and saute for 4 minutes. Add the smoked paprika and garlic powder, cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Next add the beans, broth, tomato paste, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, bay leaves, ground pepper and salt, gently stir until the tomato paste is dissolved completely and everything is well combined.
- Attach the lid, and make sure the vent is in the SEALED position. Push the PRESSURE COOKER button, and manually set at HIGH for 75 minutes (1 hour + 15 min) for beans that are just done. For softer beans, cook for 90 minutes (1 hour + 30 min). When done, let the steam vent for 20 minutes. Move the vent to open, be careful not to burn yourself as there may still be a little steam left. Remove lid and let cool a bit. Add salt to taste. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. Transfer beans to a serving dish.
- Beans will thicken once cooled. If too thick, add 2 tablespoons of water at a time, mix well, and repeat until desired consistency.
Total cooking time with coming to pressure is about 2 hours and 5 minutes.
SLOW COOKER (no-soak method):
- In bottom of slow cooker, add the onion, beans, maple syrup, vinegar, 4 cups water/broth, tomato paste, smoked paprika, garlic powder, mustard, pepper, and bay leaves. Gently stir, until the tomato paste has broken up and dissolved.
- Cook on HIGH for 8 – 10 hours. Check periodically, adding up to 1/2 cup more water as needed (I’ve used up to 1 + 1/2 cups for 8 hours). You will also want to check for doneness towards the end so the beans don’t overcook. Add salt to taste.
Makes about 6 cups.
Serves 8 – 12
Notes
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. These freeze wonderfully and will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. Thaw before reheating.
Use your favorite mustard. I used whole-grain mustard here. I didn’t test regular or dijon, but I’m sure they’ll be great too.
These baked beans are not overly sweet. If you prefer sweet baked beans, add an extra 3 – 4 tablespoons of maple syrup after cooking when seasoning for flavor. Best to add at the end so they aren’t too sweet.
Soaking Methods:
Long soak: Add the beans to a large pot (or an Instant Pot or slow cooker insert), then pick through and discard any odd-shaped or colored beans. Fill the pot with water, adding enough to cover the beans with an inch of water. Let soak on the counter for 8 hours, or overnight. You can also let the beans soak in the refrigerator if the temperature is high.
Quick Soak: If you’re in a hurry, place beans in a pot, cover with 3 inches of water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and let soak for 1 hour. Drain beans before using.
How To Cook Using Soaked Beans
Instant Pot: If soaking the beans, reduce liquids to 2 cups. Manually set the time for 40 minutes, instead of 75 minutes.
Slow-Cooker: Follow assembly instructions for slow cooker, reducing the liquids to 2.5 cups, and cook on HIGH for 4 – 5 hours or LOW for 8 – 10 hours. Check after a few hours, adding an extra 1/2 cup as needed if water burns away. Add salt to taste.
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 min
- Category: Side
- Method: pressure cooker, slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
FOLLOW TSV on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, or Subscribe (email) for more recipes and inspiration! ♥︎
Followed exact recipe, using no soak method in the instant pot. Set to 90 minutes with 20 min natural release. These were SO good and I will definitely be making them again soon. Delicious, great flavor and texture!
Thank you for sharing, Jen! We hope you enjoy the recipe often. :)
I’m not sure what I did wrong. I followed the recipe exactly, and it was all burnt to the bottom of the pot. :(
Oh no, sorry that happened, Laura. Not sure what could have happened, and why you didn’t get the burn notice. I hope it cleaned up ok and you try again with a better experience (it must be a rare situation).
Absolutely amazing flavor! I used the whole can of tomato paste, peppers, and molasses. I made them for a crowd over the weekend and made them again, this time using pinto beans. I did them in the instant pot for 75 min because I liked the firm texture. Thank you for this easy and flavorful recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Kelly! Hope you enjoy the recipe often. :)
I made the recipe as-is with using the whole can of tomato paste and omitted the optional add-ins.
It was DELICIOUS!
So much better than from the can! What I appreciate is choosing how much I want in that moment.
I look forward to making this a staple!
I doubled the recipe and soaked the beans overnight. I made the recipe as written including the optional green pepper and molasses; except that I added 5 cups of broth instead of 4 as recommended for a double batch of pre soaked beans. I pressure cooked for 25 minutes. Then natural released for about 30 minutes. The beans were a nice texture but overall it was way too soupy and had very little flavor. I added brown sugar, liquid smoke, more mustard, tamari. Bbq sauce, and a large can of chipotle baked beans. Finally some flavor. Next time I’ll cut the broth down and use more bbq sauce. I’m happy to find a recipe that starts with dry beans and will try it again until I get the flavor I’m looking for. Note: I used a large instant pot and even doubled was not near the max level.
Delicious and easy to follow recipe. I added the whole tin of tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of molasses and had good results. Thank you, will definitely be making again.