Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
This black bean soup is made in the Instant Pot using dried black beans with no soaking required. This simple recipe creates a hearty, flavorful soup that cooks quickly in a pressure cooker.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m all about making recipes as quick and easy as possible. So it might seem like a surprise for me to tell you that dried beans are worth it in this recipe. But here’s the thing, if you have a pressure cooker, it doesn’t take that long to make this soup. Plus, this soup doesn’t require any soaking time, so you don’t have to plan ahead to make this soup.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Black Beans: Provide a hearty base for the soup, lending rich flavor; substitute with kidney beans, pinto beans, or a mix.
- Vegetable Broth: Forms the liquid base, enhancing the soup’s flavor; replace with chicken broth or water.
- Onion: Adds savory and aromatic notes; substitute with shallots or leeks.
- Garlic: Enhances overall flavor; use garlic powder or granules as an alternative.
- Bell Peppers: Add sweetness and crunch; substitute with other colored bell peppers or mild chili peppers.
- Tomatoes (canned or fresh): Contribute acidity and richness; replace with canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce.
- Cumin: Provides warm and earthy flavor; substitute with ground coriander or chili powder.
- Chili Powder: Adds heat and depth; use paprika or cayenne pepper as alternatives.
- Bay Leaves: Infuse a subtle herbal flavor; substitute with oregano or thyme.
- Salt and Pepper: Enhance and balance overall taste; use preferred salt substitute or alternative spices like garlic powder.
- Lime Juice: Adds citrusy freshness; substitute with lemon juice.
- Cilantro (optional garnish): Adds fresh, herbaceous flavor; substitute with parsley or green onions.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
To store Instant Pot Black Bean Soup, allow it to cool before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for an extended period. Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight if needed. When reheating, use stovetop, microwave, or Instant Pot methods, ensuring the soup reaches a safe internal temperature. Stir occasionally, add water or broth if necessary, and adjust seasoning before serving. Proper storage and reheating practices help maintain the soup’s quality and safety, allowing for convenient enjoyment over time.
Do I have to soak my beans?
No! Most recipes will tell you to soak your beans overnight but I rarely plan that far ahead! So I wanted to make a recipe that had all the delicious flavor and texture of making beans from scratch, without all the prep work. After reading this article on Serious Eats, I was convinced that soaking was a step we could skip and I’m so thrilled with how this recipe turned out!
How to Make Black Bean Soup in the Instant Pot
Frequently Asked Questions
- What size Instant Pot do I need? I have a 6-quart Instant Pot, but this recipe should work in most pressure cookers.
- What are the best toppings to add? I like topping my soup with fresh jalapeños and crushed tortilla chips. I love a salty crunch! But you can also add sour cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, or avocado.
- Can I make this on the stovetop? This recipe would require the beans to be soaked if cooking on the stovetop. If you want to make soup with canned beans, try my vegan black bean soup.
How to Store Black Bean Soup
This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. Let it cool before storing it. (Don’t put hot soup in the refrigerator as it can raise the temperature of the refrigerator and potentially spoil other foods.) If storing in the freezer, leave a little bit of room in the container to allow for expansion as the soup freezes. To thaw frozen soup, transfer it to the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it or use the defrost function on the microwave.
What to Serve with Soup
This soup is quite filling so it can totally be a main dish! Just pair it with a simple side dish like cornbread or your favorite chips and street corn dip! Another option is to enjoy this soup as a side dish on taco night. Try it with my buffalo chickpea tacos or serve it with my sweet potato enchiladas.
More Black Bean Recipes
Short on time? Try my 5 ingredient black bean soup! Or make a batch of my slow cooker black beans and enjoy them in tacos, salads, and soups! If you want to turn them into a burger, try my chipotle black bean burger.
Print
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This black bean soup is made in the Instant Pot using dried black beans with no soaking required. This simple recipe creates a hearty, flavorful soup that cooks quickly in a pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black beans, rinsed (not soaked)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Add the black beans, onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, vegetable broth, salt, and bay leaf to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Lock the lid in place and set to manual pressure cook for 50 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure, then it will start counting down.
- Once the timer reaches zero, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes.
- Flip the vent knob to release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid and use a slotted spot to remove the bay leaf.
- Use an immersion blender and blend until the soup is just slightly chunky. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, allow the soup to cool slightly then carefully transfer 2 cups of soup to a blender. Blend and then return the blended soup to the pot.)
- Divide into bowls and add your favorite toppings.
I made this yesterday for a simple get together with my friends and everyone loved it. Good thing I made an extra batch because everyone was scraping their bowls! It was so good!