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Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

Name: Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cups black beans ((dried and washed)); 1 large onion ((chopped)); 3 large carrots ((chopped)); 1 stalk celery ((chopped)); 1 large red bell pepper ((chopped)); 4 cups chicken broth; 15 ounces diced tomatoes ((small can)); 1 teaspoon oregano ((dried)); 1 teaspoon cumin ((ground)); 3 tablespoons garlic paste ((or 3 cloves, crushed)); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 bay leaf; 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

Last updated on April 27, 2020. Originally posted on January 18, 2022 By Elaine 32 Comments

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The ease and deliciousness of this instant pot black bean soup recipe will have you tossing out your stockpots and lovingly embracing your pressure cookers. But that’s a little extreme because although you may not make black bean soup in them again, they’re good for other things, like boiling pasta.

Another view of the black bean soup with a dollop of sour cream in it. There is a crock and the pan of soup behind it

Soup is a great comfort to me. And although I eat it year round, I find it tastes wonderful, it’s warming and like being wrapped in a fluffy comfy blanket. This is one of my favorite soups and I eat it whenever I’m feeling like I need a little extra loving.

💭 Helpful tips

Always wash and pick over dried beans. Sometimes there can be rocks hiding in there.
No need to soak the beans.
Although I urge you to make the recipe with dried black beans for a more robust soup, you could substitute three cans of black beans instead and set the cooking time to 10 minutes.
To make this recipe vegetarian, either use vegetable broth or water.
If you’re not vegetarian, you can either use beef or chicken broth.
Here is how to do a quick release
- Don an oven mitt and carefully turn the knob to the venting position. It will take up to 5 minutes for the pressure to release and the pressure knob to drop. Now it is ready to open the lid of the instant pot.

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🥘 Ingredients and substitutions

Black beans – dried, organic.
Onion – I use a Vidalia onion because it is a little sweeter but you can also use a yellow onion.
Carrots – organic and washed.
Celery – organic and washed.
Red bell pepper – organic, medium and washed.
Diced tomato – canned.
Chicken broth – organic. I love the Trader Joe’s brand. It’s affordable and delicious. You can also use homemade chicken stock.
Garlic paste – you can find this in the produce section near the fresh herbs. If you can find it, you can substitute minced garlic cloves.
Cumin – ground and organic.
Oregano – ground and organic. You can substitute it with basil if you prefer.
Chipotle powder – organic. Sprinkle as much as you want. I can only use a little since my hubby can’t take the heat.
Bay leaf – organic.
Salt – to flavor the soup.

Alternate garnishes

Sour cream
Cilantro
Pico de gallo
Sliced avocado
Lime – squeeze some lime juice on top and stir
Mexican cheese

🔪 How to make instant pot black bean soup

Pre-step

Take out an instant pot or pressure cooker. Wash and pick over the black beans.

Step one

Gather the ingredients – black beans, onions, red bell pepper, carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, chicken broth and garlic paste.

Black beans, vegetables, diced tomatoes, chicken broth and garlic for the soup

Step two

Chop the onion, pepper, carrots and celery in chunks. Gather the herbs and spices – oregano, cumin, bay leaf and salt. (A)

Step three

Place beans, veggies, chicken broth, diced tomatoes and herbs and spices in the instant pot insert. (B)

Left - herbs and spices and a glass bowl with chopped vegetables. Right - All the ingredients in the IP container

Step four

Seal the instant pot, make sure the venting knob is in the sealed position. Press the soup function button and set the timer for 40 minutes. Make sure the mode is on ‘normal’ and at high pressure.

The pressure cooker will take around 15 minutes to come to pressure.

Step five

Either let the instant pot release the pressure naturally which could take up to 25 minutes. Or after 5 – 10 minutes, do a quick release. (See helpful tips on how to do that.)

Transfer the soup into a serving bowl.

A pan filled with the soup with crocks in the background

Ladle the instant pot black bean soup in some crocks.

Close up of the crocks full of soup with a pan of it in the background

If you want, dollop some sour cream on top. Or if you want to, sprinkle on fresh cilantro to give it a little kick.

Another view of the soup with a dollop of sour cream in it. There is a pan of soup in the background

Yum.

Overhead view of the black bean soup with sour cream and a plate with bread

I hope you enjoyed this instant pot black bean soup. It’s so delicious!

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