This Instant Pot Mexican Black Bean Soup is flavorful, healthy, and so easy to make in just an hour with no soaking required! It will warm you and your family up on cold winter nights. Includes slow cooker instructions. (vegan, gluten-free)
This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Lively Table running!
Did you ever eat beans and cornbread for dinner growing up? If you’re from the South, I’m betting you did, just like my family. My mom would make a big pot of pinto beans and homemade cornbread muffins on the coldest of nights. While it was a simple, humble meal, it was always so cozy, comforting and warm.
Now that I’m grown up, I like to make beans and cornbread for dinner for my own family on those bone-chilling nights. And while the family pinto bean recipe will always have a place on my dinner table, I also like to switch things up a bit sometimes. That’s why I came up with this Instant Pot Mexican Black Bean Soup!
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Mexican Black Bean Soup
I love the Mexican flavors in this twist on black bean soup. And I think you’ll love it, too. With hints of cumin, smoky paprika, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a tiny kick of jalapeño, this black bean soup is simply delicious. Especially with toppings, because they’re always the best part of a bowl of soup, right? I like to load up my soup with yogurt, avocado, shredded cheese, and cilantro for the ultimate bowl of comfort food.
This Mexican Black Bean soup is made with Bob’s Red Mill Black Turtle Beans, which are naturally vegan and gluten-free, as well as a good source of iron, plant protein, and fiber. Beans are also a good source of resistant starch, which helps feed the good bacteria in your gut. So this black bean soup packs a serious nutritional punch.
What you’ll really love, though, is how easy it is to make! All it takes is a few simple ingredients and about 10 minutes of hands-on time, and you’ve got a delicious, flavorful soup full of Mexican spices and creamy, perfectly-cooked beans ready to warm you up on a cold night. There is no bean soaking required, and you’ve only got your Instant Pot to clean when it’s done!
How to Make Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
If you’ve ever been intimidated by making beans from scratch, cast your worries aside, because this black bean soup recipe couldn’t be easier!
- Sauté the veggies for about 5 minutes at the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, close the lid, and pressure cook for 30 minutes on High.
- Let the pressure release naturally before removing the lid. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Give it a stir and enjoy!
Shouldn’t I Soak The Beans Before Cooking?
While soaking beans is usually a helpful step when cooking beans on the stovetop because it speeds up the cooking process, this recipe is already so quick because of the pressure cooking method, that you really don’t need to soak them. (Who really ever remembers to soak beans the night before anyway?)
That said, soaking beans and then discarding the soaking liquid may improve the digestibility of beans if you tend to have discomfort when eating beans. Though research also shows that once you start eating beans often, discomfort and gas usually go away as your body adapts to a higher fiber diet.
If You Want To Use Soaked Beans
To make this recipe with the soaking method, simply cover the beans with water (add enough so that there is about an inch of water above the beans), let them sit at room temperature overnight, and discard the soaking liquid before cooking. You’ll need to decrease the broth in the recipe by a cup, and decrease the cooking time to 6-8 minutes.
Can I Make This Black Bean Soup In The Slow Cooker?
No Instant Pot? No problem. You can make this Mexican black bean soup in the slow cooker. To do so:
- Sauté the vegetables like the recipe calls for, but on the stovetop.
- Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker and give it a stir.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours.
Enjoy this healthy, delicious Mexican black bean soup with all of the toppings that your heart desires! And make sure to stock up on Bob’s Red Mill Black Turtle Beans so you can make this soup on repeat this fall and winter.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!
PrintInstant Pot Mexican Black Bean Soup
This Instant Pot Mexican Black Bean Soup is flavorful, healthy, and so easy to make in just an hour with no soaking required! It will warm you and your family up on cold winter nights. Includes slow cooker instructions. (vegan, gluten-free)
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: about 10 cups 1x
- Category: soup
- Method: instant pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil (avocado or vegetable oil work too)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 small jalapeños
- 1 lb dry Bob’s Red Mill Black Turtle Beans (about 2 3/4 cup)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (14.4 oz) diced fire roasted tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot on Sauté mode set to medium/normal.
- Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and whole jalapeños. Sauté until vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
- Rinse beans and drain.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot and stir to combine.
- Close and lock the lid, sealing the steam valve. Set to Pressure Cook on High for 30 minutes.
- Once beans are done cooking, let the pressure release naturally (for about 20 minutes) before removing the lid.
- Stir soup and remove bay leaf. Spoon into bowls and top with any toppings you’d like, such as sliced avocado, cilantro, sliced jalapeños, sour cream or yogurt. Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips.
Notes
- The instructions above are for unsoaked beans. If you’d like to use soaked beans, decrease broth to 5 cups and cook on High pressure for 6-8 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally before removing the lid.
- To make this black bean soup in the slow cooker, sauté vegetables on the stove, then add to the slow cooker with remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- These beans have a bit of a bite. If you prefer softer beans, increase cook time to 37 minutes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Keywords: Mexican black bean soup, Instant Pot black bean soup, Instant Pot black beans recipe
Sources:
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/100/suppl_1/437S/4576589
I made this today on the stovetop and it was delicious. The smoked paprika is a must. I like that you don’t suggest pureeing part of the soup as some recipes do, I love the beans to remain whole Will definitely make this again.
★★★★★
I’m curious about the whole jalepeno…do they break down?
No, it doesn’t break down. It just adds a little flavor without being too spicy!
I chopped up my jalapenos and sauteed it with my onions, celery, carrots and garlic, it was’t overly spicy.
Thanks so much for the tip! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
This looks so good. So full of flavors and comforting. I will definitely give this recipe a try. I never made bean soup before. I bet I’ll like this one.
Thanks Natalie! I hope you enjoy it!
I love a good homemade black bean soup and this one looks so tasty! Love that it is so easy in the Instant Pot!
★★★★★
I’m all about easy, hands-off dinners lately!
I’ve been firing up my Instant Pot lately but have never made a black bean soup in it. Yet that is. Can’t wait to try!
It’s so easy! The IP was made for beans!
I am a huge black bean soup fan. Love the spicy kick to this one. Thanks for sharing!
Mmm this soup looks super comforting and so simple to make. Will definitely be pulling out my instant pot to make this!