DadCooksDinner

  • Home
  • Rotisserie
  • Recipes
  • Tools
  • Books
  • Merch
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Books
  • Tools
  • Merch
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Merch
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Pressure cooker

    Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

    Published: Oct 1, 2024 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 19 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    A bowl of black bean soup with avocados and green onions

    Instant Pot Black Bean soup. Earthy black bean soup seasoned with cumin, coriander, and lime. Pressure cooking makes dry beans easy to cook, especially black beans. No soaking is needed; the beans can go directly into the Instant Pot after sorting and rinsing. The beans release starch while they're cooking, resulting in a thick and hearty soup.

    A bowl of black bean soup with avocados and green onions

    Would you like to save this recipe?

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • INSTRUCTIONS
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Tips and tricks
    • Sorting Beans
    • Storing leftover black bean soup
    • What to serve with Black Bean Soup
    • Instant Pot Black Bean Soup Recipe
    • Related Posts
    • 💬 Comments
    Ingredients for Black Bean Soup

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound dry black beans
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1 tablespoon paprika (preferably smoked paprika)
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme)
    • 1 tablespoon minced chipotle en adobo (optional)
    • 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth or water
    • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt (if using homemade broth or water)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • Juice of 2 limes
    • 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
    • Minced green onions (optional for garnish)
    • Diced avocado (optional for garnish)

    INSTRUCTIONS

    Sorting the black beans

    Sort and rinse the beans

    Sort the dry black beans, discarding any stones, dirt, or broken beans. Put the beans in a strainer and rinse, then let them drain.

    Sautéing the onions and peppers, and toasting the spices

    Saute the aromatics and toast the spices

    Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in the pressure cooker until shimmering. Add the onion, red pepper, and garlic and sprinkle with ½ teaspoons fine sea salt. Saute until the onion and peppers soften, about 5 minutes. Make a hole in the middle of the onions and add the cumin, coriander, paprika, thyme, and (optional) chipotle. Toast the spices for 1 minute, then stir them into the onions.

    Everything in the Instant Pot

    Everything in the pot

    Add the sorted and rinsed black beans to the pot, pour in the broth (or water), and stir in 1 ½ teaspoons of fine sea salt if using homemade broth (or water). Scrape the bottom of the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon to loosen any bits of stuck-on onion or spices. Float the bay leaves on top.

    Pressure Cook for 35 minutes

    Pressure Cook for 35 minutes with a quick release

    Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker (use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook - Custom mode in an Instant Pot) or for 30 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker. Quick release the pressure.

    Season and serve

    Unlock the pot, opening the lid away from you to avoid any hot steam. Stir in the lime juice and 2 teaspoons of fresh ground black pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with the (optional) green onion and avocado, serve, and enjoy!

    Substitutions

    No chipotle en adobo

    Canned chipotle en adobo sauce is easy for me to find nowadays in the international aisle in my local grocery store, and it was always available at my local Mexican markets. If you can't find chipotle en adobo, substitute dried chipotle powder or diced jalapeno pepper.

    Mild soup

    If you don't want any heat, skip the chipotle en adobo.

    Extra spicy soup

    Add a second chipotle en adobo. Or, on top of the chipotle, add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, which has a lot more heat than chipotle.

    Bell peppers

    I like the sweet taste of red bell peppers, but you can substitute green bell peppers - or any color you want, basically.

    No limes

    I add the limes at the end to give the soup a hint of citrus and acid. If you don't have limes, skip them or substitute 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar.

    Vegetarian or Vegan

    Easy! This recipe is vegetarian and vegan as written.

    Carnivore

    If you don't care about eating vegetarian, you can make some or all of the following changes: 

    • Butter: Substitute 2 tablespoons of butter for the olive oil. Melt the butter in the pot before adding the onions and bell pepper.
    • Ham hock: Beans always taste better with a little smoked pork mixed in. Throw a ham hock in the pot when you add the beans. 
    • Chicken broth: Use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. Chicken broth is richer and has more body.

    Fancy vegetable sprinkle

    If I want to dress this soup up, I'll save some of the red bell pepper and the onion, mince them fine, mix them with the green onions, and sprinkle them on the soup right before serving.

    Variations

    Cuban Black Bean Soup

    Cuban black bean soup is very similar to this one; everything cooks the same but with a slight variation in the ingredients. Substitute green bell pepper for the red bell pepper, diced cubanelle pepper for the chipotle, skip the coriander and paprika, replace the thyme with 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and use 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar instead of lime juice at the end.

    Tips and tricks

    Dry beans are the key

    Dry beans are the reason this is a thick, hearty soup. While they cook, they release a lot of starch into the liquid. Then, the quick pressure release roughs them up some more, releasing even more starch.

    Blending for a thicker soup

    As I said above, this soup is thick enough for my taste without any extra help, thanks to the starch in the dry beans. If you want an even thicker soup, after cooking, scoop out 2 cups of soup and beans,  blend it, and stir it back in. I use my immersion blender and a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. You can also use a regular blender, but be careful - hot air escaping from the soup will try to push off the lid. Hold the lid down with a towel, and if your lid has a removable plug in the middle, take it out.

    Floating or tough beans after cooking

    Older beans take longer to cook; if they have been sitting on the shelf at your store for a while, they may need extra cooking time. If your beans are still tough when the cooking time is over, especially any "floaters" at the top of the pot, give the beans a stir, lock the lid, and pressure cook for another five minutes.

    Sorting Beans

    Beans are an agricultural product, and stuff tends to creep in when they are processed. Beans should always be sorted and rinsed before being used to remove any twigs, stones, clumps of dirt, or broken beans.
    To sort the beans, I pour them out on one side of a rimmed baking sheet (a half-sheet pan) to keep the beans from escaping. Then I slowly run my fingers through the pile of beans, pulling them towards me on the sheet. I watch the beans as they move, looking for anything that doesn't seem right. If I see something, I poke around in the beans until I find what caught my eye and discard it. I repeat this several times until I'm satisfied everything is picked out of the beans.
    Then I dump the beans into a fine mesh strainer and rinse them under cold running water to wash off any dirt or dust still on them.
    Now, the beans are sorted, rinsed, and ready for soaking or cooking.

    Storing leftover black bean soup

    Black bean soup makes great leftovers and keeps for a few days in the refrigerator or for months in the freezer. I store it in 2-cup airtight containers, which are the perfect size for a grab-and-go lunch. 

    What to serve with Black Bean Soup

    I like to sprinkle minced onions on my soup—usually green onions, like in the recipe, but red onions are another favorite. Sour cream, tortilla chips, and shredded cheese are also good to serve with this soup. I'll add lime wedges if my diners like tart flavors.  
    As for side dishes, soup, salad, and bread(sticks) are popular at restaurants for a reason—they're a remarkable combination. I'll make a side salad, and serve it with rolls or a loaf of crusty bread.

    Adapted from: Lorna Sass Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    A bowl of black bean soup with avocados and green onions

    Instant Pot Black Bean Soup Recipe


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 1 review

    • Author: Mike Vrobel
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 8 cups of soup 1x
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Instant Pot Black Bean Soup. Earthy black bean soup seasoned with cumin, coriander, and lime.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 pound dry black beans
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1 tablespoon paprika (preferably smoked paprika)
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme)
    • 1 tablespoon minced chipotle en adobo (optional)
    • 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth or water
    • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt (if using homemade broth or water)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • Juice of 2 limes
    • 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
    • Minced green onions (optional for garnish)
    • Diced avocado (optional for garnish)

    Instructions

    1. Sort and Rinse the Beans: Sort the dry black beans, discarding any stones, dirt, or broken beans. Put the beans in a strainer and rinse, then let them drain.
    2. Sauté the Aromatics and Toast the Spices: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in the pressure cooker until shimmering. Add the onion, red pepper, and garlic and sprinkle with ½ teaspoons fine sea salt. Saute until the onion and peppers soften, about 5 minutes. Make a hole in the middle of the onions and add the cumin, coriander, paprika, thyme, and (optional) chipotle. Toast the spices for 1 minute, then stir them into the onions.

    3. Everything in the Pot: Add the sorted and rinsed black beans to the pot, pour in the broth (or water), and stir in 1½ teaspoons of fine sea salt if using homemade broth (or water). Scrape the bottom of the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon to loosen any bits of stuck-on onion or spices. Float the bay leaves on top.

    4. Pressure Cook for 35 Minutes With a quick release: Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker (use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook - Custom mode in an Instant Pot) or for 30 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker. Quick release the pressure.

    5. Season and Serve: Unlock the pot, opening the lid away from you to avoid any hot steam. Stir in the lime juice and 2 teaspoons of fresh ground black pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with the (optional) green onion and avocado, serve, and enjoy!

    Equipment

    6-Quart Pressure Cooker

    Buy Now →

    Fine Mesh Strainer

    Buy Now →

    Flat edged wooden spoon

    Buy Now →
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 55 minutes
    • Category: Sunday Dinner
    • Method: Pressure Cooker
    • Cuisine: American

    Would you like to save this recipe?

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @DadCooksDinner on Instagram and hashtag it #DadCooksDinner

    Related Posts

    Pressure Cooker Turkey and Black Bean Chili 
    Pressure Cooker Feijoada - Brazilian Black Bean and Meat Stew 
    Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans 
    Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Bean Soup, AKA Pasta Fazool) 
    Pressure Cooker Southwestern Pinto Bean Soup 
    Pressure Cooker Tuscan Bean Soup 
    Pressure Cooker Senate Bean Soup 
    My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes 

    Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via email and share this post with your friends. Want to contribute directly? Donate to my Tip Jar, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.

    Subscribe
    BirdSend Email Marketing Tool

    More Pressure cooker

    • A bowl of Instant Pot Moro Beans
      Instant Pot Moro Beans
    • Instant Pot Lasagna on a plate with spices in the background
      Instant Pot Lasagna
    • A bowl of split pea soup
      Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
    • A plate of Instant Pot Jerk Ribs with green onions sprinkled on top
      Instant Pot Jerk Ribs

    Sharing is caring!

    Comments

    1. Mary says

      October 01, 2018 at 2:34 pm

      Ah, I lost this recipe! Fortunately the website has a name that's not easy to forget. Made this soup several times last year and we all loved it. So I'm back to make the soup again for my vegetarian relatives and me. We all like it much better than Paneras.

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Questions? Made the Recipe? Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner!

    I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

    More About Me →

    Popular

    • Three bowls of cooked Pinto Beans on a wood table
      Instant Pot Pinto Beans (No Soaking)
    • Pressure Cooker Beef Shank (Osso Bucco)
    • Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
      Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)
    • Pressure Cooker Brown Jasmine Rice
    • Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
      Grilled Tomahawk Steak (Long Bone Ribeye, Reverse Seared)
    • A green bowl full of chicken noodle soup
      Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

    Seasonal

    • A bowl of asparagus risotto
      Instant Pot Asparagus Risotto (Pressure Cooker Recipe)
    • Grilled Butterflied Chicken with Garlic Butter
    • Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Dijon Bread Crumb Crust
    • A bowl of beef stew with asparagus, carrots, and radishes.
      Instant Pot Spring Vegetable Beef Stew
    • A Rotisserie Chicken (Pollo Asado)on a platter of shredded cabbage
      Rotisserie Chicken Pollo Asado
    • Rotisserie Pork Shoulder Roast with Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
      Rotisserie Pork Shoulder with South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Dad Cooks Dinner

    458 shares
    • 36