Don’t give up the best BBQ side dish, just because you’re meat-free. Easy vegan BBQ beans are sticky, sweet and simple (thanks, Instant Pot)!

Classic BBQ Side Dish, Just Meatless
Don’t get me wrong. Baked beans are delicious. But… everything tastes better with BBQ sauce! When it’s time to fire up the grill and hang out on the deck, I’m ready for BBQ beans. And these are so sweet, sticky and delicious that I honestly don’t miss the meat.
Bonus points: Instant Pot means you don’t have to be stuck inside cooking & heating up the house while the weather is beautiful! Heck, bring the Instant Pot outside and keep an eye on it from your hammock. Your neighbors will probably stop by because it smells so good!

Mixed-diet families: Here’s a tip for preparing this dish for both veg & meat eaters in one family!
Make these vegan BBQ beans in the Instant Pot. Add cooked bacon chunks or packaged bacon bits to a small bowl, so those who prefer meat can add it to their individual bowl.

Let’s Make Vegan BBQ Baked Beans
Saute Onions Add beans Add BBQ sauce, etc.
With the Instant Pot lid off, press the saute button. Add olive oil and diced onions, and stir until softened.

Add beans, BBQ sauce, ketchup, molasses, mustard, maple syrup and liquid smoke. Pro Tip: don’t add salt until the end, as it can toughen beans and take longer to cook!
Lock the lid, set vent to sealing. Cook on manual for 23 minutes. Quick release steam when done. Remove lid, and set to saute again.
Whisk cornstarch and water, then add to the beans. Stir until beans have thickened.

I am absolutely nuts about these vegan BBQ beans… especially when there’s grilled corn on the same plate. Even when I was a meat-eater, a backyard BBQ was all about the sides for me! You won’t feel left out of summer food traditions with these delicious beans on your plate.

Hungry for More Summer BBQ Food?
- 6-Ingredient Hawaiian Tofu Tacos with Grilled Pineapple
- Vegan Pasta Salad: Your New Signature Dish for Summer BBQs
- Vegan Potato Salad by This Savory Vegan

Easy Vegan BBQ Beans [Instant Pot]
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4 side dish servings 1x
Description
Don’t give up the best BBQ side dish, just because you’re meat-free. Easy vegan BBQ beans are sticky, sweet and simple (thanks, Instant Pot)!
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cans Great Northern beans, drained
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup black strap molasses
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- Dash liquid smoke
- 1/4 c water
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- salt to taste
Instructions
- With the lid off, set Instant Pot to saute mode. Add olive oil and diced onion. IP gets hot quickly. Stir onions until softened with slightly crispy edges.
- Add beans, BBQ sauce, ketchup, molasses, mustard, maple syrup and liquid smoke. (Do not add salt until the end, as it can toughen the bean skin which takes longer to cook.) Stir to combine. Lock lid in place and set vent to sealing.
- Set Instant Pot to manual (or pressure cook, depending on your model). Use + and – buttons to adjust time to 23 minutes.
- Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, and then will begin counting down the 23 minutes. When this has finished, the Instant Pot will beep.
- Stand back and carefully use a wooden spoon to tap the vent open, and release the steam.
- Remove the lid after the pin has dropped.
- Whisk cornstarch in water, and add to the pot.
- Set Instant Pot to saute mode again, and stir gently. Cornstarch slurry will begin to thicken the beans.
- Salt to taste at the end.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: vegan bbq beans, vegan baked beans, vegan bbq, vegan instant pot beans
I love how easy these beans are to make with the instant pot! The flavors sound incredible. Definitely perfect for summer grilling season.
★★★★★
These are so flavorful and a must have all summer long! Thanks for the tip about the salt too.
★★★★★
I was looking for a vegan barbecue recipe and this looks soooo amazing. I am trying it soon.
★★★★★
I absolutely LOVE that these are made in the instant pot!
These vegan baked beans are to die for! Love how they cooked up in the Instapot!!
★★★★★
What a great side dish for our next BBQ get together. Everyone loves beans so I’m sure these will be a hit.
★★★★★
These barbeque beans sound delicious. Such a good flavour and perfect as a grilling side dish. Ideal for all non-meat eaters too.
★★★★★