Jamaican Instant Pot Rice and Beans

Begin by setting your Instant Pot to the “Sauté” mode and heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped yellow onion and gently stir, allowing it to soften and become translucent, which typically takes about 3 minutes. Next, incorporate the minced garlic and chopped spring onions, stirring for an additional 30 seconds to awaken their fragrant essence. Press “Cancel” to stop the sauté function. Pour in the rice, creamy coconut milk, water, salt, ground allspice, and black pepper, stirring the mixture gently until all these ingredients are well combined and the rice is evenly coated. Carefully add the undrained kidney beans on top of the rice mixture without stirring, ensuring the beans stay layered above the rice. Lay the fresh sprigs of thyme over the bean layer for an aromatic infusion during cooking. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting, adjusting it to cook on High pressure for 6 minutes. Once cooking completes, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes to help the flavors deepen and the rice finish cooking tenderly. Afterwards, perform a quick release by turning the valve to “Venting” to release any remaining pressure. Open the lid carefully and remove the thyme sprigs, which have imparted their subtle herbal notes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork to separate the grains and mix in the beans evenly. Serve warm and enjoy this fragrant, flavorful Jamaican classic! Tip: For an even more pronounced coconut flavor, try lightly toasting the rice in the olive oil before adding the liquids. Also, avoid stirring after adding the beans to allow distinct layers and avoid mushiness.