I prefer the Instant Pot for making these vegan maple baked beans. We still get a glossy, thick sauce, but avoid heating up the kitchen with hours-long baking time. This is one of my favorite BBQ side and camping staples. I make them even more savory and satisfying with umami boosters like miso, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste, plus lots of spices and sticky maple syrup. Ladle them into a fluffy baked potato or serve on top of a grilled slice of crusty no-knead bread.
Grated onion and red bell pepper melt into the complex sauce that snugs around the tender beans. It is a touch more finicky than simply dicing, but it is worth it. They thicken the sauce and add a lot of natural sweetness. This is also a nice technique for the folks that dislike the texture of cooked onions–I know that you’re out there! Once you have the grating done, the Instant Pot does all the work.
Another unusual touch in this vegan baked beans recipe is the balsamic vinegar. Typically apple cider vinegar is used, but I love the dark, tangy, and syrupy quality of balsamic. It folds into that rich sauce around the beans perfectly. I add it at the end along with the miso and vegan Worcestershire, which gives you total control over the amount and keeps the overall flavor brighter.
I often add more maple syrup at the end as well. With maple baked beans, you are expecting sweetness. I personally love a touch of sweetness that complements the overall complexity, so we start slow and can take it sweeter if necessary
Smoky Maple Baked Beans in the Instant Pot (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 lb (454 grams) navy beans, soaked in water overnight
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- ⅓ cup maple syrup, plus extra
- ¼ cup molasses (I use unsulphured “fancy” molasses)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus extra
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- liquid smoke, to taste (I use about 8 drops)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Notes
- I have an older 6 quart Instant Pot Duo.
- It’s normal to see quite a bit of liquid when you finally pop the lid off of the Instant Pot. It will thicken as it sits, but you have the option to reduce the liquid yourself. Just use the SAUTÉ function of the machine to bring the beans up to a boil. Keep boiling until the volume of liquid is reduced to your liking.
- The SAUTÉ setting of the Instant Pot is basically high heat, so don’t walk away when you’re doing that part.
- I usually wind up using 2 full tablespoons of balsamic vinegar when I make these beans. I tend to prefer a more acidic flavor profile!
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the soaked navy beans. Set aside.
- Using a box grater, grate the onion and red pepper. The skin will likely pull away from the bell pepper–I just discard that part. Set aside.
- Turn your Instant Pot on to the SAUTÉ setting. Pour in the olive oil and add the grated onions and red pepper. Sauté, stirring often, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika, regular paprika, and onion powder. Stir for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and stir for another 30 seconds.
- Add the vegetable stock, maple syrup, molasses, and Dijon. Stir. Add the navy beans.
- Turn off the SAUTÉ function.
- Lock the Instant Pot lid in place. Ensure that the release valve is in the SEALING position. Select the MANUAL PRESSURE COOK option, setting the timer for 40 minutes.
- Once the time is up, hit CANCEL, and let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes. Then, very carefully, flip the release valve open. Once it’s done steaming and sputtering, remove the lid.
- Grab a medium bowl and ladle some of the liquid from the beans into it. Add the miso and use a whisk to break up the clumps of miso until it dissolves. Add this mixture back into the Instant Pot. Also add the balsamic vinegar, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Stir thoroughly.
- Give the beans a taste. Add salt and pepper to taste at this point. Some folks will find them salty enough with the miso and Worcestershire! I personally need some salt. You can also adjust maple syrup, vinegar etc to your liking. If you’d like to reduce the liquid a bit more, see my note about using the Instant Pot’s SAUTÉ function.
- Serve the beans hot!
Hurray for instant pot beans! and these are absolutely amazing. I have converted to this method for a year by trial and error. Although I like my recipe, this one is better and easier. Since I eat beans every day, having a batch of these helps putting together a quick meal. Baked beans on toast is a great breakfast in my opinion. Cheers Laura.
Laura, Been following you since A Real Mess of Peas (with that epic dill dressing) years ago. Your recipes are always beautiful and beyond delicious. Your cookbook is a fixture in our kitchen. Whether we’re feeding plant-based or carnivore, I know anything you’ve created will be a hit. These beans were no exception – the perfect balance of sweet, salty, smoky. We let them re-heat low and slow on the back of the grill while we made two huge batches of your Grilled Tempeh and the Grilled Japanese Sweet Potatoes. Everything was amazing. Many thanks for all that you do!
I made these beans for our 4th of July party and got rave reviews from vegans and carnivores alike! I’m a member of a certain bean club and have gobs of dried beans at all times and this has been the best instant pot baked bean recipe I’ve found. I didn’t have navy beans but used Good Mother Stallard and due to previous experience knew that they cook super quickly when soaked so gave them 10 minutes of pressure and it was just a perfect dish. Thank you!!!
Love to hear this, Alison! Thanks for leaving such a detailed review. So glad that all types of eaters enjoyed too :)
If you have a moment, would you mind adding a star rating? You can do so in a reply to this comment if you have time. Thank you!
-Laura
Sorry I missed them earlier!
I don’t have an instant pot–could you make these in a crock pot?
Hi Amy,
I think you could. You’d have to sauté the onions and bell pepper with the spices and garlic first. Add those to the slow cooker along with everything else up to the Dijon mustard–I would take the amount of vegetable stock up to 2.5 cups. Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours. If the beans look like they’re absorbing too much liquid, add 1/2 cup hot stock as you go. Once they’re done, you can proceed with step 9 (adding the miso, vinegar etc). It’s worth mentioning that I have not tested this myself!
-L
OMG. My kitchen smells so good right now! These baked beans are delicious! I skipped the overnight soak so I could make these right away (added extra 20 minutes to pressure cook time) and I’m so glad I did. They are perfect. You’re right, Laura. The pepper and onion just melt away. The sauce is really velvety and smooth. I will seek out a BBQ invite so I can bring these.
Thanks, Laura!
Love this, Kim! Thanks for making these so soon and leaving this review. Your note to add an extra 20 minute for un-soaked beans is so helpful! I know that lots of folks will appreciate it :D
-L
Laura, As always your recipes are delicious. And, I love your blog…I haven’t made the baked beans yet. I just might have to borrow an Insta Pot or?
I love the Greatful Dead plate. Do you have a link to purchase them?
Enjoy,
Robin
Hi Robin! The plates were part of a GD x Parks Project Collaboration from 2021. They don’t sell the pieces anymore unfortunately.
-L
Hi Laura, excited to make this! It looks like you’re using already cooked navy beans but just wanted to make sure :)
Hi Jasmine,
The beans are just soaked overnight! They are not cooked before being added to the Instant Pot. I know that they look cooked in their soaked state, but I promise you they are not :)
-L
This looks so good! Do you have a recipe that doesn’t require an instant pot?
Hi Kianna,
I have a traditional maple baked beans recipe done in the oven in my cookbook! There is also a Miso Molasses baked beans recipe on the blog that is done the traditional way: https://thefirstmess.com/2016/08/18/vegan-miso-molasses-baked-beans-recipe/
-L
Do you have a recommendation for baking or stovetop vs the instant pot?
Hi Shelly!
I have a traditional maple baked beans recipe in my cookbook! There is also a Miso Molasses baked beans recipe on the blog that is done in a more traditional way: https://thefirstmess.com/2016/08/18/vegan-miso-molasses-baked-beans-recipe/
-L