Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup is a hearty, but simple recipe that is perfect for those chilly winter days. Instant Pot Black Bean Soup comes together in 20 minutes because of the use of canned black beans and the pressure cooker.

Do you love soups and stews as much as I do? If so, try this Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup or Italian Lentil Soup. Perfect and easy meals to warm you from the inside out.

While this Instant Pot black bean soup is great for when it’s cold outside, my family will eat this soup any time of the year. I love recipes that come together easily in the Instant Pot. And using canned beans instead of making your own from scratch saves even more time!

One trick I like to do is cut up all of the vegetables the night before I need to make this soup. Then I can just toss everything in the Instant Pot and make this soup even quicker.

This soup is done in no time at all and it will taste like it’s been cooking all day.

This black bean soup is vegetarian but does not lack in flavor. You won’t be missing the meat here. Keep it vegan, by simply leaving off any of the dairy toppings.

Tips for Thickening the Soup

You can eat this soup as is or you can puree a small part of this soup, to thicken it and to add some creaminess. There are three different ways you can puree this soup.

1. Put two to three cups or 499-748 grams (depending on the consistency you want) of the cooked soup into a separate container and smash it up with a potato masher. Pour back into the pot.
2. Allow cooked soup to cool about 5 minutes. Carefully ladle some of the soup (2 to 3 cups or 499-748 grams depending on your desired consistency) into a blender. Do not fill the blender more than halfway. The soup will get even hotter when it’s being blended so only blend for a few seconds at a time. The lid may need to be held down with your hand on top of a kitchen towel because the steam may try to lift the lid. Blend until smooth. Mix pureed soup back into the pot.
3. Use a hand held immersion blender to puree the soup. You can pull some of the soup out of the pot and puree until smooth, then pour that back into the soup. Or use the immersion blender right in the pot, just don’t over blend it.

What to Serve With Instant Pot Black Bean Soup?

Once the black bean soup is served up in bowls, you can top it off with fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes, pickled red onion, sour cream, sprinkling of shredded cheese, fresh lime juice, Mexican Crema and some queso fresco. Serve it with tortilla chips or warm flour tortillas on the side for dipping.

Can I Make Black Bean Soup in Advance?

Yes, you can make this soup in advance. It will be good for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Soup thickens as it sits in the fridge. When you re-heat it, you may need to add some broth to thin the soup back out or just eat it thickened.

Black Bean Soup Ingredients

• Oil: I like to use olive oil.
• Onion: One large, yellow onion that has been diced. Can also use sweet or white onion.
• Garlic: I like garlic, so I used 5 large cloves.
• Bell Pepper: Red bell peppers are the ones I like to use in this soup, but yellow, orange, or green will also work.
• Tomatoes: Three large Roma tomatoes that have been diced.
• Black Beans: Four cans that have been rinsed and drained.
• Oregano: Dry oregano.
• Thyme: I like using ground thyme, but dried will work also.
• Cumin: Ground cumin.
• Salt: I like using sea salt.
• Pepper: Freshly ground pepper tastes best.
• Broth: I used vegetable broth but chicken broth could be substituted.
• Optional Toppings: a sprinkling of shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, tortilla chips or strips, sour cream or Mexican crema, queso fresco, lime juice, avocado, or diced tomatoes.

How to Make Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

1. Heat oil on the sauté setting on pressure cooker.
2. Add in the onions and sauté until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add in red bell pepper and garlic sauté for another minute.
4. Stir in tomatoes, black beans, all of the spices, and broth.
5. Lock pressure cooker lid into place. Set to high pressure for 15 minutes.
6. Once timer goes off either allow the steam to release naturally or do a quick release (which is manually turning the valve to the venting position).
7. Uncover pot and carefully blend using a hand held immersion blender until soup reached the desired consistency. Or carefully ladle some of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Mix pureed soup back into the pot.
8. Season with more salt if needed and top with optional toppings.

Instant Pot Black Bean Soup Tips

• Be super careful when using the blender with the soup. It will get even hotter in the blender. Only blend for a few seconds at a time. The lid may need to be held down with your hand on top of a kitchen towel, the steam may try to lift the lid.
• Serving this black bean soup with a squeeze of lime, adds a kick of acidic flavor that blends perfectly with this soup.
• Soup will thicken after it has been sitting in the fridge. When you are re-heating the soup, it can be thinned with a little broth.

Black Bean Soup Variations

• For spicy soup, add in 1/2 teaspoon (.93 grams) of cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon (1.87 grams) of red pepper flakes before cooking.
• Use one can of diced tomatoes instead of the fresh tomatoes if it’s what you have on hand.
• If you would like even more veggies in this soup, add in a chopped stick of celery or some diced up carrots.

Storage Instructions for Black Bean Soup

• How to Refrigerate Black Bean Soup: Let the soup cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. The soup should last about 5 days in the fridge.
• How to Freeze Black Bean Soup: Let the soup cool off completely before putting into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label the soup with the recipe name and date. The black bean soup should last about 3 months in the freezer.
• How to Thaw Black Bean Soup: Thaw the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight.
• How to Reheat Black Bean Soup: Reheat soup in the microwave for a minute at a time (stirring between heatings) until desired warmth is reached. Or reheat on the stove until hot.

Try these other soup recipes!

• Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Italian Lentil Soup
• Quick and Easy Vegetable Soup
• Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage

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