Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

~ This hearty, comforting Instant Pot Black Bean Soup tastes like it’s simmered for hours. But the layers of rich flavor develop quickly and easily in your pressure cooker! Perfect for weeknight dinners on busy evenings or for cozy, effortless weekend meals … and it even freezes beautifully so you can make it ahead, too. (with Vegan/Vegetarian options) ~

This Recipe Is:   •  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Freezable  •  Make Ahead  •  Vegan / Vegetarian Options  •  Gluten Free (see note)  •

A steaming bowl of this hearty Pressure Cooker Black Bean Soup is pure, cozy-day comfort food.

A satisfying, deeply nourishing meal you can easily pull together with just a few minutes of effort …

… but that’ll keep your whole family coming back for more. (Trust me – I’ve seen the “more” in action, firsthand! This one’s a real keeper!)

Why We Love This Black Bean Soup So Much (And You Will, Too!)

This soup recipe is inspired by a Cuban Black Bean Soup we’ve been ordering from our local Rockne’s restaurant for a decade or more. (Yes … we’re addicted! It’s really the only reason I ever go to Rockne’s, but Scott and I absolutely crave that soup BIG TIME.)

I just had to figure out a way to recreate it at home.

And of course, it had to check all three of my must-have boxes:

With a little tinkering, I figured out how to capture the delicious restaurant flavors we loved, all within my easy-healthy parameters, too!

Seriously Delicious … and Brimming with Nutrition!

It all starts with a flavorful, savory base of onions, garlic and green peppers.

Add to that the right combination of spices and a background of seasoned sausage, and this soup develops deep, rich, hearty layers in just minutes.

And with all those veggies and healthier sausage, this soup delivers its scrumptious flavors like a gift … with plenty of nutrition hidden inside! Protein, fiber, micronutrients … it’s all in there. But you’ll be too busy reaching for seconds to worry too much about all that. (Don’t you just love recipes that simply happen to be healthy for you, without even trying? Win!)

Quick!

Many Instant Pot Black Bean Soup Recipes begin with dry black beans. No doubt, Instant Pots do a fantastic job cooking dried beans.

BUT … even with a pressure cooker, dry black beans take much longer to become soup (often 45 minutes – 1 hour), versus simply starting with canned black beans like I do here (cooking under pressure in just 4 minutes).

Canned beans are one of my go-to, secret pantry-staple weapons for FAST recipes. (No kidding – all sorts of canned beans are probably the #1 most common pantry staple you’ll find in my cupboard at all times. With canned beans on deck, in a jiffy I can whip up Old-Fashioned Kidney Bean Salad, White Bean Hummus, “Pumpkin” Vegetarian Chili, 5-Minute Rice and Beans … the list absolutely goes on and on!)

Easy!

Your Instant Pot is perfectly suited to creating these quick but deep flavors, since you can use the sauté function to begin building the flavor profile, and then flip straight to pressure cooking – all in one pot. (Gotta love how easy Instant Pots are … and how few pans you have to clean up later!)

But again … not to worry, if you don’t have an Instant Pot, we have a stovetop version for you, too.

Adaptable!

I typically use either chicken or turkey sausage (the pre-cooked kind you usually find near the hot dogs), but I’ve also tested this recipe with plant-based sausages. Use whichever you prefer to meet your dietary goals.

And, you can choose a spicier sausage if you like extra heat.

Mmmmmmm … ready to make some? Let me walk you through just how simple it is!

How to Make Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

Step #1

Begin by setting your Instant Pot to the SAUTE setting. Heat a little olive oil and then add your chopped onions, sausage, green pepper and garlic.

Cook it all just until the onions are beginning to soften and become translucent, which should take about 4-5 minutes. It’s important to stir frequently during this sauté step, to be sure your garlic doesn’t burn.

Step #2

Once your onions have started to soften, turn off your Instant Pot, and then add 1 can of veggie broth.

Stir everything around, scraping the bottom of the Pot’s cooking insert, to deglaze and loosen up any browned bits (which are yummy and add a terrific flavor boost – you don’t want to miss out on that).

Step #3

After deglazing, you add your tomato paste, a bay leaf, and your seasonings (some salt, oregano, cumin and black pepper).

Give it all a stir to combine. Then add your black beans (don’t forget to drain off the can’s liquid and rinse them off), and stir it all through once again.

Now you’re all ready for the Pressure Cooking stage.

Step #4

Close your Instant Pot’s lid.

Set your Instant Pot to the SOUP (high) setting for 4 minutes … and let your pressure cooker work its magic. (It takes my 6-quart Instant Pot Duo60 about 15 minutes to build enough pressure to seal and then begin the 4-minute cook time.)

Step #5

Once the 4-minute cooking time is finished, CAREFULLY manually vent the steam via the steam release knob.

Remove the bay leaf and serve up your steaming soup with your desired garnishes and toppings (I’ve got some suggestions for you on that in a sec).

Lather, rinse, repeat … ’cause mmmmmmmm YESSSSSS this is so, so good and you’ll be making it often!

How to Adjust the Thickness of Your Black Bean Soup

This recipe is intended to be fairly thick and hearty. And, like most bean soups, this Instant Pot version will continue to thicken up even more as it sits, or after being refrigerated (if you happen to have leftovers).

But what if you’d like a thinner soup, or if you want to thin it out a bit when you reheat it? In that case, I recommend buying a second can of broth to thin the soup to your liking.

Honestly, I usually don’t bother with extra broth, since I like this soup just as much when it thickens up a bit. And, full disclosure: I’m just kinda lazy about that sort of thing.

But you should feel free to customize it exactly the way you like it best!

Vegetarian Version (or Vegan or Gluten Free)

As I mentioned above, it’s really easy to adapt this soup if you’d like a vegetarian or vegan version.

Simply swap in your favorite brand of plant-based sausage. One that I like is Field Roast. Their Italian Garlic & Fennel variety is good in this Instant Pot Black Bean Soup recipe, and I bet their Spicy Mexican Chipotle variety would be great for all you heat-lovers.

If you’re following a gluten-free diet, just be sure that the brand of sausage you select is, indeed, gluten free. Most should be, but there are some exceptions, so check the labels to be certain.

NOTE: It can be tricky to find a sausage that is BOTH plant-based and gluten free, as many plant-based sausages contain ingredients like vital wheat gluten.

And just a side note, but if you’re always on the lookout for great plant-based recipes, definitely check out my collection of the very BEST Vegetarian Meals, submitted by food writers all across the Internet. 😉

How to Serve Up Your Yummy Soup

• I like to serve my Black Bean Soup next to some soft-and-crusty whole grain rolls for dipping.

• To make it extra-special, try serving it in individual bread bowls. You can easily make your own bowls out of tortillas or flatbreads. Check out the surprisingly easy technique I use to make my Cumin-Dusted Bread Bowls. They’re perfect with this soup (and yes – your friends and family will be super impressed!).

• And what about toppings?
  • Our go-to toppings are reduced-fat sour cream, reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, and fresh, diced tomatoes.
  • My spice-loving husband usually drizzles on some hot sauce, too.
  • But, you could go a different (kicky!) route with some thinly sliced jalapeños and pretty little lime wedges, along with a drizzle of sour cream and maybe a sprinkling of cilantro.
  • Some finely diced sweet onion and red bell pepper could be nice, too. Get creative!

Mmmmmm … don’t you feel all cozy and happy just looking at this soup?

Your family will love that it’s so hearty and delicious. And you’ll love how darn quick and easy it is to throw together. (And how there’s just ONE pan to wash after dinner.)

Thanks, Instant Pot! Now my favorite, restaurant Black Bean Soup is even more favorite-y!