Instant Pot Black Bean Soup transforms humble dried beans and aromatics into a rich and vibrant vegetarian soup packed with fiber and flavor.
The Instant Pot is my favorite tool for preparing dried beans. I can whip up perfectly cooked, tender, plump, Instant Pot beans without soaking in under an hour.
I also love turning to the Instant Pot to make hearty soups, like Instant Pot Lasagna Soup and Instant Pot Split Pea Soup, as the pressure cooker works to build amazing flavor in record time.
So it just makes sense to combine two of my favorite things into one delicious dish. Which is exactly what I did in this recipe for Instant Pot Black Bean Soup.
Reasons to Love this Black Bean Soup
- No Soaking Required. That's right! You don't need to remember to soak your dried beans overnight before planning to make this black bean soup. The pressure cooker works its magic to soften the beans perfectly without the need to soak them first.
- Amazing Flavor. Instant Pot Black Bean Soup is anything but boring! Perfectly spiced and finished with fresh lime zest and lime juice, this soup is layered with flavor. It is earthy, creamy, hearty, and just downright delicious.
- Inexpensive. While this soup is not lacking anything in terms of flavor, it comes together with a handful of fresh ingredients and inexpensive pantry staples.
- Hearty & Filling Black beans are packed with fiber and protein, ensuring this Black Bean Soup leaves you feeling full and satisfied.
- Allergy-Friendly. This black bean soup is naturally naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and soy free. By using vegetarian broth, this soup is also vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
Ingredients for Black Bean Soup
- Black Beans: Use 1 pound or two cups of dried black beans. See notes on recipe modifications for using soaked or canned black beans.
- Aromatics: Carrots, onions, and garlic combine to build a strong base of flavor for the black bean soup.
- Peppers: I use both a red bell pepper and a jalapeno pepper to build flavor in this soup. The bell pepper adds a fresh, sweet flavor to the soup, while the jalapeno adds subtle heat.
- Broth + Water: Salt can interfere with dried beans' ability to soften, so I recommend using a combination of water and low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth for best results. This ensures the beans fully soften and the soup is flavorful.
- Seasonings: Fresh lime, cumin, bay, and smoked paprika give the black bean soup a Tex-Mex vibe and pair well with the earthiness of the black beans. I love using smoked paprika for a smokey undertone, but regular paprika will work as well. But remember to wait to season the soup with kosher salt until after pressure cooking.
How to Make Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Sauté Aromatics
While you can simply dump everything into the inner pot and pressure cook, taking a few minutes to sauté the onions, carrots, peppers, and garlic together with the cumin and paprika, will help to develop rich, intense flavor and allow the spices to release their essential oils into the veggies.
Deglaze Inner Pot
Any time you sauté anything in your electric pressure cooker, it is crucial to add a bit of the cooking liquid and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot. This will prevent a burn notice.
Rinse and Sort Beans
Be sure to rinse the dried beans well to remove any dirt or debris from them. Once rinsed, add them to the inner pot, along with the broth and bay leaf.
Pressure Cook with Natural Pressure Release
Pressure cook the soup for 30 minutes on high pressure. After the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes. That will ensure the beans finish cooking and prevent hot soup from spewing all over the kitchen.
Puree Beans if Desired
If desired, you can remove some of the soup to a blender or food process and puree the beans. This adds a creamy consistency to the soup, but it is an optional step.
Finish with Flavor
Add in both the zest and juice of fresh limes to make everything pop and give the soup a bright, acidic finish. This is the time to add the salt as well.
Serving with Toppings
I love serving Instant Pot Black Bean Soup, just as I do Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, with sliced avocado, minced cilantro, and tortilla chips. Adding a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled feta, or Queso fresco is delicious as well. And no one complains when a side of homemade cornbread is added to the menu!
Recipe Modifications
- Spice It Up: For a kick of spice, add one canned chipotle in adobo sauce/and or up to 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce. You can also keep the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno intact for a spicier version of this soup.
- Tame It Down: As written, even with 2 jalapenos, the soup is not overly spicy. It instead very subtle notes of spice. However, if you are sensitive to spice, omit the jalapenos or only use 1.
- Use Soaked Beans: If desired, soak your beans in water overnight. Reduce the water to 1 cup and pressure cook the soup for 20 minutes, instead of 30 minutes on high pressure.
- Use Canned Black Beans: Replace the dried beans with 4 (15oz) cans of rinsed and drained beans. Omit the water from the soup and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
- 3-Quart Instant Pot: If you want to make this soup in a 3-quart pressure cooker, you will need to cut the recipe in half. If you want to double the recipe, you will need to use an 8-quart. Otherwise, the recipe works in a 6 or 8-quart equally well.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Cool the leftover Black Bean Soup and then store it an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Freeze the leftover cooled soup in an airtight freezer-safe container, being sure to leave 1 inch of space for expansion, for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: If needed, defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the black bean soup in individual savings in heat-safe bowls at 60-second intervals in the microwave.
More Tex-Mex Instant Pot Recipes
If you tried this recipe for Instant Pot Black Bean Soup, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely minced
- 1 large red bell pepper ribs and seeds removed and diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 2 small jalapeño peppers ribs and seeds removed, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups water
- 1 pound dried black beans rinsed and any foreign matter removed
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 small limes zested and juiced
- ½-1 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh minced cilantro, diced avocado, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños, fresh limes, etc for serving
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Add oil and let heat briefly. Once heated, add in minced onion, bell pepper, chopped carrots, and diced jalapeno and sauté, stirring often, until the onions are softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Hit cancel to turn OFF the sauté function.
- Add 2 cups of water to the inner pot and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot (this will prevent a burn notice.)
- Add the rinsed and sorted beans, the broth, and the bay leaf. Stir gently to combine.
- Place the lid on the inner pot, and be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed, and/or the lid is locked into place. To set the cooking time, hit manual or pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time to 30 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
- Once the pressure has been released, open the instant pot, remove the bay leaf, and discard. Transfer about 3 cups of the cooked soup to a blender or food processor. Place the lid on the blender or food processor, with the filler (cap on lid) slightly ajar. Blend on low speed to puree the beans into the liquid.
- Stir the pureed beans back into the inner pot. Add the zest and juice of the limes, and ½ teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt as needed.
- Serve with minced cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, jalapenos, etc.
Claudia Salisbury
As usual, another five star rating. Wonderful soup!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks, Claudia! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.