Vegan Black Bean Soup (Instant Pot)

Savory and simple, this lightly spicy vegan black bean soup is made from scratch with dry beans, and other pantry ingredients!  Originally created to be made in an electric pressure cooker, this recipe also works great in your slow cooker, or on the stovetop!   

Making beans is what I do - ALL the time!  Packed with protein perfect for the plant based lifestyle, useful in so many recipes, and generally hearty and filling!  My healthy slow cooker Pinto Beans are a popular go-to also!

How to cook black bean soup from scratch

Soak your beans, and then rinse and drain before using!  Although this step is not completely necessary, years of personal experience dictates that this is the best way:  

• Soaking the beans helps to clean them thoroughly – beans are unwashed before selling so they tend to be dirty and sometimes a bit moldy.  
• Soaking helps the beans release indigestible sugars – making you less gassy later!
• Soaking beans can help decrease cooking time by up to 50%.

Related recipe: Vegan Black Bean Burrito Bowls

Soaking methods:

Traditional soak - Place your dry beans in a bowl and add enough water to cover the beans by at least three inches.  Leave them for at least 4 hours and up to overnight for the perfect soak!  Rinse and drain before using.

Quick soak - Rinse and sort dried beans.  Add to Dutch oven or large stock pot.  Cover with three inches of water and bring to a boil for two minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let soak for one hour.  Then rinse and drain.

Related recipe: Blackened Tofu Black Eyed Pea Bowls

Making the Soup:

(Instant pot method - other methods below in the recipe)

Soak your beans for at least 4 hours (and up to overnight), then rinse and drain (Photos #1 & 2).  

Sauté seasonings, minced garlic, diced onion, and olive oil together in electric pressure cooker bowl on sauté setting for several minutes (Photo #3).  Stir frequently to avoid browning.  

Add vegetable broth, black beans, and canned diced tomatoes with chilis (Photo #4).

Place lid on pressure cooker and make sure pressure release valve is closed.  Switch your instant pot setting to "Manual - HIGH" for 20 minutes.  Once cooking is finished allow 'natural' release for 10 minutes and then 'manual' release as desired.

Using an immersion blender, or potato masher, puree about ¼ of the beans to create a creamier soup.

Add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice and serve with a garnish of vegan sour cream and pico de gallo!

More vegan soup recipes to try: Sweet Potato Miso Soup

What about the broth?

Bottom line, one of the most important ingredients in almost any soup is the broth!  A lot of store-bought vegetable broths lack flavor (understatement of the year, right?!!!).  Two of my favorite soup stock bases are Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base (found in many grocery stores) or McKay’s Vegan Chicken Seasoning.  

I also make my own Vegan Chicken Broth Powder that is also yummy and sodium adjustable.

More Delicious Recipes to try:

• Vegan Chimichangas
• Vegan Mexican Caesar Dressing
• Vegan Tamales
• Mexican Cabbage Salsa
• Vegan Nacho Cheese

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Recipe

Vegan Black Bean Soup

Savory and simple, this lightly spicy vegan black bean soup is made from scratch with dry beans, and other pantry ingredients!  Originally created to be made in an electric pressure cooker, this recipe also works great in your slow cooker, or on the stovetop!   

5 from 12 votes

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Pressure Natural Release: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 cups

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Kate

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb dry black beans, 1 lb. package or about 2 cups
• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup diced onion
• ▢ 4 cloves minced garlic
• ▢ 2 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 32 oz vegetable broth
• ▢ 10 oz diced tomatoes with green chilis

Just before serving:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

Instructions

For all Methods:

• Sort and rinse beans. Soak in a bowl with at least three inches of water covering beans for at least 4 hours (and up to overnight). Rinse again and drain.  

Instant Pot Method:

• Sauté seasonings, minced garlic, diced onion, and olive oil together in electric pressure cooker bowl on sauté setting for several minutes.  Stir frequently to avoid browning.  
• Add vegetable broth, black beans, and canned diced tomatoes with chilis.

  Place lid on pressure cooker and make sure pressure release valve is closed.  Switch your instant pot setting to "manual HIGH" for 20 minutes.  Once cooking is finished allow natural release for 10 minutes and then manual release as desired.
• Using an immersion blender or potato masher, puree about ¼ of the beans to create a creamier soup.
• Add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice and serve with a garnish of vegan sour cream and pico de gallo!

Slow Cooker Method:

• Sauté seasonings, minced garlic, diced onion, and olive oil together in small skillet over medium heat for several minutes.  Stir frequently to avoid browning.  
• Add sauteed mixture, vegetable broth, black beans, and canned diced tomatoes with chilis to crockpot bowl.

  Place lid on slow cooker.  Cook on 'High' heat for at least 6 hours, and up to overnight.
• Using an immersion blender, or potato masher, puree about ¼ of the beans to create a creamier soup. Add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice and serve with a garnish of vegan sour cream and pico de gallo!

Stovetop method:

• Sauté seasonings, minced garlic, diced onion, and olive oil together in a dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat for several minutes.  Stir frequently to avoid browning.  
• Add sauteed mixture, vegetable broth, black beans, and canned diced tomatoes with chilis to pot and bring to boil.
• Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, partially cover with pot lid, and cook for roughly two hours or until tender. If the broth becomes too thick, add a little water as necessary.
• Using an immersion blender, or potato masher, puree about ¼ of the beans to create a creamier soup. Add fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice and serve with a garnish of vegan sour cream and pico de gallo!

Notes

Quick Soak Method:

Quick soak - Rinse and sort dried beans.  Add to dutch oven or other large pot.  Cover with three inches of water and bring to a boil for two minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let soak for one hour.  Then rinse and drain.

Vegetable Broth Recommendations:

Bottom line, one of the most important ingredients in almost any soup is the broth!  A lot of store-bought vegetable broths lack flavor (understatemnet of the year, right?!!!)  Two of my favorite soup stock bases are Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base (found in many grocery stores) or McKay’s Vegan Chicken Seasoning.  I also make my own Vegan Chicken Broth Powder that is also yummy and sodium adjustable.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cup | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 1275mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 5mg