Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

Overhead view of a bowl of black bean soup garnished with lime slices and jalapeno.

4.80 from 20 votes

Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

Made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, Instant Pot black bean soup is flavorful, creamy, and satisfying. Perfect for a meatless dinner or a filling lunch.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 15

Time to Pressurize15

Total Time1 40

Course: Soups and Stews

Cuisine: Southwestern

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 medium onion)
½ cup finely chopped celery (1 stalk celery)
¾ cup finely chopped carrot (2 small carrots)
2 small jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and any foreign matter removed (1 lb.)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
2 cups water (see notes)
1 bay leaf
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, more for garnishing
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
suggested toppings: fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños

Instructions

Heat Instant Pot to sauté. Add oil, onion, celery, carrot, jalapeño, and salt, and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup chopped yellow onion, ½ cup finely chopped celery, ¾ cup finely chopped carrot, 2 small jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed, finely diced, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, or about 1 minute. Turn off the Instant Pot.
3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
Add black beans, broth, water, and bay leaf. Stir to combine, scraping bottom clean.
2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and any foreign matter removed (1 lb.), 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth), 2 cups water, 1 bay leaf
Place lid on Instant Pot and set on high pressure, Manual mode (or Pressure Cook, depending on model) for 45 minutes. Allow 13 to 15 minutes for it to come to pressure.
When cooking time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before turning vent to release any remaining pressure.
Remove bay leaf and discard. Remove about half of soup and use an immersion blender to blend (or a standard blender). This step is optional but it does give the soup a more creamy texture. If you prefer chunkier soup, don't purée it.
Stir blended soup and non-blended soup together, adding the cilantro and lime juice, and serve with desired toppings.
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, more for garnishing, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Video

Notes

Adjust consistency of soup. This soup is fairly thin immediately after cooking but it tends to thicken up as it cools. If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce water by one cup. You can always add more, but it's harder to remove it once it's in.
Add meat. Diced ham, cooked bacon, or sausage can be added to the soup. Stir it in after you purée the soup.
Stovetop instructions. Follow package directions for soaking the beans overnight or doing a quick soak. The soup will still have to simmer about two hours even after a soak.
Use canned beans. An alternative is to substitute three 15 ½ ounce cans of black beans instead of the dry beans for a quick cooking soup to make on the stovetop.
To prepare with soaked beans: If you want to soak your beans overnight, omit the 2 cups of water from the recipe. Reduce cooking time to 15 minutes, with a 15 minute natural release.

Nutrition

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