Ham Bone Red Beans and Rice in the Instant Pot/Electronic Pressure Cooker

Ham bone red beans and rice, both made in an instant pot/electronic pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Ham Bone Red Beans and Rice

The Monday tradition of red beans lives on here in the Deep South, even if they’re made on Sunday, which, when they're made from dried beans, more often they are!

Because time is precious these days, I have four different ways I make them up here on the blog currently, depending on the time factor I have on my hands.

From a quick skillet version like you get with those convenience boxes (but without the added chemicals and preservatives), to a shortcut version that you'll never believe started with canned beans, plus one for the slow cooker and of course, old school, slow-stewed from dried beans (still my number one favorite)... I've got you covered. 

Red Beans and Rice

An iconic symbol in the Deep South, you'll find some form of Red Beans and Rice in many homes and at most restaurants every Monday in the Deep South. Here are several ways that I personally prepare them - from super speedy for those busy days, to low and slow, homemade from scratch - my personal favorite.

A quick skillet version of red beans and rice, made with canned kidney beans, the Trinity of vegetables and cooked with instant rice.

Skillet Red Beans and Rice

It's Monday and in this part of the Deep South, red beans and rice are a traditional Monday meal, so yes, this is yet another way to consume those favorite Monday red beans!

Now, I'll be the first to say that these are not traditional. The best red beans and rice are gonna come from a soaked dried bean that is slow stewed for a couple of hours on top of the stove. Hands down, that is my preferred method, even above the shortcut red beans and the slow cooker red beans, both of which are actually delicious too. But, even working from home now, I get stretched for time too.

Slow Cooker red beans & rice made with dried beans, and cooked with a ham bone, bacon and smoked sausage.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Though it's a tradition in the Deep South, we don't have red beans and rice every single Monday of every week at my house, but, I admit that when we don't, things do seem to feel a little out of sorts for me!

It's just a routine that has been part of the culture down here for all of my life really. Even as a career woman working outside of the house, red beans and rice were the special of the day, every Monday, at local restaurants we frequented for lunch.

Blue Runner Shortcut Red Beans and Rice

Quick cook red beans and rice made with the southern trinity of seasoning veggies, bacon, smoked sausage and canned kidney beans. You'll never believe they're a shortcut version!

Shortcut Red Beans and Rice

Red beans and rice made from dried beans are delicious, but of course, like any dried bean, take a bit of time to stew down to delicious creaminess on the stove top, so there is a bit of a time commitment.

Homemade red kidney beans made with dried beans, and slow stewed with the Trinity, bacon, smoked sausage and a good ham bone or ham hock if you have one, served over hot rice with fresh French bread.

Homemade Southern Red Beans and Rice

Monday. Wash Day. Red Beans and Rice day.

Back in the day at least, that was the way that it was, and the tradition of eating red beans & rice on Mondays, either for lunch or dinner, carries on down here in the south, even if nobody’s doin’ laundry.