Here’s a vegan dinner recipe that can be made in an Instant Pot using dry beans- Cuban Blackbean Soup! It’s hearty and flavorful and full of healthy veggies. Serve it on its own or ladle it over rice.
Hey friends, wow, what a week. I hope you are hanging in there and doing ok. This vegan Cuban Black Bean Soup is comforting and hearty and sticks to your bones without being overly heavy. Full of amazing Cuban flavor it satisfies.
What I like about this recipe is that you don’t have to soak the beans, so the whole thing comes together rather simply- although there is a bit of chopping. 😉
See recipe notes about why I’m not soaking the black beans. 🙂
This Cuban version of Black bean soup is loaded up with onion, garlic and peppers – all great for immunity!
I added smoked paprika instead of traditional bacon or ham hock- to keep this vegan.
Saute the onion, garlic and pepper until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the spices, tomato paste, broth and beans.
Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, and manually or naturally release.
To give this a creamier texture, take 2 cups of the soup and blend until smooth in a blender. Add it back into the pot.
Then it’s just a matter of adding the delicious toppings! Generally aim for crunchy, creamy and herby.
Here are a few of my favorites ( just pick a few!):
- avocado ( or sour cream or vegan sour cream)
- cilantro or scallions
- pickled onions or red onion
- crunchy toasted coconut or corn chips
- roasted sweet potato (or plantains- or plantain chips!)
- lime
Add roasted sweet potatoes for a subtle sweetness, or try fried plantains (more traditional) – I skipped them this time to save a trip to the store. The soup is also tasty with toasted Coconut!
FYI: Don’t put the sweet potatoes in the instant pot here- they will dissolve.
My husband likes his Cuban Black Bean Soup with sour cream and tortilla chips, also an option.
Ok have fun with this one!
Here are more Instant Pot Recipes you may like!
xoxo
Sylvia
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup (w/Dry Beans)
A simple vegan recipe for Cuban Black Bean Soup that can made in an Instant Pot with Dry Beans! Vegan and delicious!
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: vegan, soup, Beans
- Method: instant pot
- Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 bell peppers diced (red and yellow are nice)
- 1 ancho chili, diced (optional, not traditional)
- 6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8– 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or chipotle (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups veggie (or chicken) stock or broth
- 2 cup water
- 1 lb dried black beans (about 2 1/2 cups) unsoaked (see notes)——-
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- squeeze of lime
Optional Garnishes: thinly sliced red onion (or scallions), cilantro, avocado, sour cream or vegan sour cream, toasted coconut, tortilla chips, roasted sweet potato or plantain “chips, sliced fresh chilies, or orange zest. Pick something crunchy, creamy and green. 🙂
Instructions
- Heat oil on the “Saute” function in your Instant Pot. Add the onions, peppers, garlic and SALT and saute for 10-12 minutes, until very soft. Take your time here.
- Add oregano, bay, cumin, smoked paprika and tomato paste. Saute 1 minute.
- Add veggie broth and water, scraping up any browned bits. (If using soaked beans, leave out the water.)
- Add the dry, unsoaked, black beans, give a stir and set instnat pot to high pressure for 30 minutes. ( if using soaked beans see notes)
- Manually release (or natural) and give a stir.
- Add the sugar and lime.
- For extra luscious, Blend 2 cups of the soup until very smooth and stir back into the soup. (Recommended!)
- Taste, adjust salt, lime and heat- adding more cayenne if you like.
- Serve and garnish with a few toppings- they really do add to it! Something creamy like avocado ( or sour cream) something crunchy like the sweet potato chips or totasted coconut, something fresh- cilantro or scallions or onions.
Notes
SOAKING BLACKBEANS When talking with the farmer who grew these black beans, she told me that there is no need to soak black beans before cooking. Other beans, yes, black beans no. So I’m not soaking them anymore. That being said, do as you please. 😉 If you do soak, reduce pressure cooking time to 15 minutes, and leave out the 2 cups of water.
SWEET Potato Chips To make the sweet potato “chips”, thinly slice sweet potatoes or yams (do not peel) and lightly coat with olive oil and salt. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a hot 425 F oven – for 10-12 minututes, flip, continue roasting until golden and crisp.
To toast coconut flakes, place in a skillet in a single layer on the stove over med- low heat. Stir occasionally, until golden and dont walk too far away. They brown quickly!
STOVE TOP VERSION: ( allow 2 hours cooking time) Follow directions above, sauteing onion, garlic, peppers and 2 teaspoons salt in a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven, over medium heat on the stove, until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Take your time here. Add spices and tomato paste, saute one minute. Add broth and water ( leave out the water if you soaked your beans). Scrape up any browned bits and bring to a boil. Stir in the beans. Cover tightly, and simmer on low or medium low until beans are tender, about 1 hour. (If liquid looks low, add a little more water.) Check for doneness- if using unsoaked beans, these may take an additional 30-45 minutes to get soft. Resume the directions above starting at #6.
Keywords: black bean soup, best black bean soup, instant pot black bean soup, cuban black bean soup, black bean soup dry beans
I had to modify a little as there are no dry beans anywhere to be found at my local stores right now, and I do not have an instant pot, but use what you have/can find seems to be the theme at the moment. I sautéed everything on the stove, put it in my crockpot with a couple of large cans of black beans and it is fantastic. I should have skipped the broth or strained the beans, but a little masa harina thickened it up nicely. I’m excited to eat it with roasted sweet potatoes, but I suspect I’ll be making corn tortillas for my family who think they are non-sweet potato eaters (maybe they’ll try it). Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Appreciate you sharing your adaptions!
Looks good. I am going to make it in regular pot. I use to do it before, a little different . Where is the huge amount of sodium coming from?
It might be from the vegetable broth- my nutrition calculator always adds more sodium with the broth.
Clarification please – in the recipe you say to use 1 lb of dry beans which equals about 2 1/2 cups. However, in the instructions, you indicate to add 2 c of beans. So is it 1 lb or 2 c? If it is 1 lb, what do you do with the other 1/2 c of dry beans (the 2 1/2 c indicated to equal 1 lb).
Hi Leslie, Sorry about that- my mistake. Add the whole 2 1/2 cups ( 1 pound) I will update the recipe. 🙂
Do not be afraid to use the 1/2 cup of beans left over! Be adventurous!
Yes, there was a typo, use the full pound ( 2 1/2 cups).
Thanks for posting a dry bean recipe! I made this on the stovetop today, just following your instructions, but simmered the beans for about an hour. Had to add a little more water- but all in all, delicious!
★★★★★
This is the best black bean soup I’ve ever made. It was so easy to follow and the flavors were top notch. Add avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips- perfection!
★★★★★
I do not have an instant pot. Can you make this on the stovetop.
Yes, working on stovetop directions tonight!
I do not have an instant pot. Can you cook this on top of stove?
Yes, I just posted directions in recipe notes.
Really enjoyed this recipe! I made it on the stovetop using a not-at-all-instant pot, and used 2 cans of black beans (drained). I removed about 1 1/2 cup after the soup had been simmering for about 15 minutes, pureed it, then added it back to the pot which made the soup thicker. Then I tossed in 2 sweet potatoes (about a pound, peeled and diced the the size of the bell peppers). This simmered for another 15 minutes until they were tender. Served over steamed rice topped with a spoonful of plain yogurt, orange zest, sliced scallion, and minced cilantro. Awesome. My husband said that he could eat this ever day. 😊 Thanks!
★★★★
Thanks Victoria so glad you liked this.
Quick question, when using the canned beans, was the soup watery? My guess would have been to use 3 cans, but thought I’d check.