Black Bean Potato Instant Pot Soup

Hello my internet friends! It’s time for some soup. Today I’m sharing a recipe for a hearty, plant-based, Black Bean Potato Instant Pot Soup I made a couple of weeks ago.

The soup started as an experiment in creativity. I was attempting to make a meal out of what was left in the pantry. To my delight, the soup turned out quite good. So good, in fact, that I ate it three nights in a row and would happily make it again.

Thus, I decided to share the recipe here. Because Black Bean Instant Pot Soup is not only delicious, budget-friendly and filling, it is something you can make with a couple of things you may already have around your pantry.

I used dried black beans in this recipe, and I recommend you do the same, if possible. Canned beans will work too, but the resulting soup will be a bit mushier (I have been spoiled by the al dente firmness of cooked dried beans).

I quartered some small boiling potatoes that were on their last figurative lim to add to the soup, but you could use cubed sweet potatoes if you prefer.

If you prefer black bean soup without potatoes, check out this recipe for Spicy Black Bean Soup here.

Anyways, if you are looking for a simple, vegan Black Bean Potato Instant Pot Soup to try, I hope you give this one a whirl.

This is my first time having an ‘Instant Pot’ recipe on this blog, and I am not sure how I feel about it. On one hand, I feel like many people look for and appreciate Instant Pot-specific recipes.

On the other, I feel as if it may not be useful to people who do not have an Instant Pot. Let me know what you think if you’d like by dropping a comment down below.

Black Bean Potato Instant Pot Soup

Active Time:  30 minutes
Cook Time: ~3 hours
Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 2 cup dried black beans
• 3/4 pound potatoes or sweet potatoes
• 1 small onion or shallot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 – 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on your preferred level of spice; omit completely if you do not like spicy foods)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
• 1 4.5 ounce can chopped green chilis (can omit)
• 4 cups water (2 if using canned beans)
• 3 tablespoons liquid aminos or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (optional; if you do not have a lime and want to add some acidity, add 1 teaspoon vinegar)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• For serving: avocado, hot sauce, vegan sour cream, crushed tortilla chips or homemade tortilla chips (made from leftover tortillas)

Method:

1. Soak dried beans for one hour in 4 cups water. Boil for 10 minutes and allow to simmer for additional hour.
2. Meanwhile, dice onion or shallot and mince garlic. Cube potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.
3. Heat oil in Instant Pot on sauté setting, use a small sauté pan or skillet on medium heat the stove. Add diced onion or shallot and garlic and cook until onion or shallot until translucent, stirring occasionally.
4. Add cumin, cayenne, and oregano and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. If cooking on stove top, at this point, move onion and spice mixture to the Instant Pot. Add diced tomatoes and chopped green chilis and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add dried beans, cubed potatoes, water, and liquid aminos or soy sauce. Stir.
7. Cover with the lid and set the Instant Pot to ‘Pressure Cook’ on ‘High’ for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes have passed, allow soup to sit in the Instant Pot for an additional 20 minutes. Carefully release pressure from steam vent before opening the lid.
8. Stir soup. Remove bay leaf. Add lime juice and nutritional yeast and stir again. Salt and pepper to taste.
9. Enjoy. If you are not eating immediately, warm soup on ‘Keep Warm’ setting for up to 5 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the deeper the flavors.
10. Top with sliced avocado, vegan sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze up to 6 months.

If you like ‘Black Bean Potato Instant Pot Soup,’ you may also like:

• Spicy Black Bean Soup
• Homemade Tortilla Chips
• Vegan Salad Nicoise