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This Instant Pot Black Bean Soup is rich, creamy, and filled with healthy, comforting ingredients that will keep you feeling satisfied all fall and winter long. Have this plant-based favorite ready in 30 minutes or less.
Table of Contents
Soups and meal planning go hand in hand for several reasons. They’re hearty, are easy to make in large batches, and can be served as a filling, meatless meal. This fabulous Instant Pot recipe contains all the flavor of your favorite, delicious black bean soup recipe in a fraction of the time. And it’s made with just a few wholesome, plant-based ingredients – no ham hock, no refined oils, and no gluten!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Broth: The flavorful base of this hearty soup. As we do in most of our soup recipes, we used our Homemade Vegetable Broth. If you are sensitive to sodium, opt for a low-sodium vegetable broth (either homemade or store-bought).
- Black beans: Most Instant Pot black bean soup recipes are made using dry beans. While dried beans are incredibly budget-friendly, they do take a long time to cook, even in an electric pressure cooker! We opted for 2 cans of black beans to keep the cook time under 15 minutes, but if you only have dried beans, feel free to use them but make sure to cook them before adding them to the soup!
- Onion + garlic: The foundation of flavor in this simple soup. These essential aromatics add depth, complexity of flavor, and enhance the overall flavor of this soup recipe.
- Bell pepper: We recommend red bell pepper, but orange bell pepper and yellow bell pepper will work well, too!
- Celery: While not a commonly used ingredient in Mexican cuisine, we love the refreshing, crisp texture celery adds to this soup. If you don’t love celery or don’t have any on hand, feel free to omit.
- Jalapeño: Adds a touch of heat, while remaining mild enough for the whole family to enjoy. The spice level of jalapeños can vary greatly, so taste before adding to the Instant Pot and adjust the measurement accordingly.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: Bring a smoky, charred flavor profile to the dish. If needed, plain diced tomatoes will work, too.
- Corn: Corn kernels provide sweetness, texture, and color to the soup. Feel free to opt for canned, frozen, or fresh, grilled corn.
- Lime juice: A final squeeze of fresh lime juice adds a bright, tanginess that enhances the savory flavors in the soup.
- Spices: We like to keep it simple and use a bay leaf, ground cumin, and chili powder. If you prefer your soup on the spicier side, add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper. Increase to taste.
Equipment Needed
- Small bowl
- Potato masher or fork
- Instant Pot
- Spatula
How to Make Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
- Mash half of the black beans. In a small bowl, add 1 can of the drained and rinsed black beans. Mash with a potato masher or fork until uniform. Set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add in 3 tablespoons of the vegetable broth. Once warm, add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño. Sauté, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Add in the remaining broth along with the mashed black beans, whole black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, bay leaf, cumin, and chili powder. Mix until well combined, scraping the browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pot.
- Pressure cook for 15 minutes. Add the lid and set the Instant Pot to the “beans/stew” setting and cook for 15 minutes.
- Release pressure. Once the soup has cooked, quick release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
- Season and serve. Discard the bay leaf, then stir in the fresh cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Stovetop Variation
No pressure cooker? No problem!
- Mash half of the black beans. In a small bowl, add 1 can of the drained and rinsed black beans. Mash with a potato masher or fork until uniform. Set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add in 3 tablespoons of the vegetable broth. Once warm, add the onion, bell peppers, celery, and jalapeño. Sauté, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Add in the remaining broth along with the mashed black beans, whole black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, bay leaf, cumin, and chili powder.
- Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Mix until well combined and bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season and serve. Discard the bay leaf, then stir in the fresh cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This soup is filling and nutritious enough to enjoy as a standalone main dish. For the best flavor, load it up with your favorite toppings! Here are a few popular black bean soup toppings:
- Homemade tortilla chips or fresh corn tortillas
- Diced red onion
- Cubed avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Dollop of sour cream
- Restaurant-Style Salsa or pico de gallo
- Fresh jalapeño slices
- Sliced green onions
- Diced red pepper
If you’re looking for a few appetizers to start with, check out these blog favorites:
Appetizers for Pairing
Appetizers and Sides
Baked Mushroom & Potato Taquitos
30 Minute Meals
Potato & Bean Quesadillas (5-Ingredients)
Appetizers and Sides
Homemade Tortilla Chips (No Oil Added)
Appetizers and Sides
Easy Homemade Guacamole
Recipe FAQs
Mashing 1 can of black beans before adding it to the soup helps make it thick and creamy. If you prefer a thicker soup, use an immersion blender or stick blender to blend more of the soup ingredients with the broth until as thick as desired. Alternatively, try a thickening agent like cornstarch. To use, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Set the finished soup on the sauté setting and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Stir and heat until thickened.
Yes, it is possible to overcook beans. In a creamy soup like this one, it is less of a concern, but to ensure your black bean soup retains some of its texture, release the pressure on the Instant Pot immediately to stop the cooking process.
Yes! For best results, rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the soup. This helps reduce the excess sodium and can improve digestion by removing some of the compounds that are difficult to digest.
I choose to sauté veggies at the beginning to deepen their flavor, but you can totally make this recipe without doing so. Simply dump all of the recipe ingredients into the Instant Pot and cook!
Storage Instructions
Leftover black bean soup will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before storing, let the soup cool to room temperature. This will prevent condensation from building inside the container and is extra important if freezing (no freezer burn!).
To reheat, place your desired serving size in a microwave-safe bowl or in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting and heat until warmed through, as desired. Garnish with fresh toppings after reheating.
More Instant Pot Recipes YOu May Enjoy:
30 Minute Meals
Instant Pot Lentil Noodle Soup
Gluten Free
Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili
30 Minute Meals
Instant Pot Mushroom Stroganoff
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
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Instant Pot Black Bean Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
This Instant Pot Black Bean Soup is rich, creamy, and filled with healthy, comforting ingredients that will keep you feeling satisfied all fall and winter long. Have this plant-based favorite ready in 30 minutes or less.
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 (15 oz.) cans (3 1/2 cups) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 large (1 cup) yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/2 medium (¾ cup) red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 ribs (1/2 cup) celery with leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes with liquid (see notes)
- 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with
- Cilantro, roughly chopped
- Green onions, sliced
- Avocado, diced
- Vegan sour cream
- Red bell peppers or tomatoes, diced small
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add in 1 can (1 3/4 cups) black beans and mash with a potato masher or a fork until uniform. Set aside.
- Set the instant pot to the saute setting and add in 3 tablespoons of the vegetable broth. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeno, and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. (see notes)
- Stir in the remaining vegetable broth along with the mashed black beans, remaining whole black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, corn, bay leaf, cumin, and chili powder. Mix until well combined and pop the lid on. Set the instant pot to “beans/stew” and cook for 15 minutes.
- Release the pressure and open the instant pot. Discard bay leaf and add in the cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve warm with a dollop of vegan sour cream plus a sprinkle of avocado, cilantro, green onions, and bell peppers. Enjoy!
Notes
- If your pressure cooker does not have a saute setting, you can simply just add the onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic with the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook straight from there.
- Stovetop option: Follow steps 1-2, using a stovetop pot instead of an instant pot. Once you have added in all of the ingredients, bring the pot to a boil and then lower to a simmer on medium-low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once finished, discard the bay leaf and add in the cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve warm with a dollop of vegan sour cream plus a sprinkle of avocado, cilantro, green onions, and bell peppers.
- You can use regular canned tomatoes instead of fire roasted if not available.
- You can make this ahead of time and freeze it in a freezer safe bag for 2-3 months.
- The nutrition facts do not take into consideration the addition of garnishes. It does take into consideration 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free
Keywords: Soup, Instant Pot, Black Bean, Leftovers, Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
So I noticed a few asterisks in the recipe…. but no indication as to what they meant. Might want to fix that. 😉
The asterisk means to refer to the notes 🙂