If you are looking for a rich and hearty black bean soup with earthy flavors, where you can hide all your veggies in and feel confident that your kids won't find out while enjoying this super delicious and creamy black bean soup, then you are at the right place. This vegan black bean soup is loaded with veggies like celery, red bell pepper and baby greens and seasoned with right amount of spices to make this finger licking and healthy at the same time. This tastes very similar to Panera black bean soup recipe if you have ever tasted it.
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Black Beans Health Facts
My kids love anything with beans, which is a boon for us because of it's nutrient content. Beans and Legumes are a great replacement for meat as a source of vegetarian protein.
- Black beans are loaded with with fiber, folate, potassium, and protein.
- Since black beans are packed with fiber and protein, they will keep you feeling full and energetic for hours.
- Black beans contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.
- Black beans have a lower glycemic index compared to many other high-carbohydrate foods. This means they cause a smaller rise in blood sugar after a meal.
- They are a much cheaper alternative for meat.
Is this a Black bean soup recipe from scratch or are we using canned black beans
Good question. I am going to list both methods of making black bean soup, from scratch and from canned black beans here and you can choose which ever method you want to follow based on your time and availability.
If I remember to soak the beans overnight, I prefer using dry black beans. If not, I usually keep couple cans of black beans in my pantry for a quick meal with soup or black bean rice. Both methods are delicious.
Are we soaking the black beans for this soup?
Yes, if you are choosing the method of cooking this black bean soup from scratch instead of canned black beans. I feel that soaked black beans are much easier to digest, they have better texture and taste and soaking significantly reduces the cooking time.
Ingredients
We are not using any fancy ingredients here, most of these are commonly found in many of our pantries, if not you can find them in any grocery store.
- For fat, I prefer using Olive oil for this dish, but if you don't have it, you can use any other oil you want.
- Black Beans : You can choose to use dry black beans or canned black beans here. I am listing both methods in the recipe card below.
- Veggies : We are using Celery, Red bell pepper, baby greens, onions, can of tomatoes & green chilli & Cilantro. You can use 2 medium fresh tomatoes and 1 green chilli instead of ROTEL can.
- Spices & Seasonings : Garlic cloves minced, bay leaf, paprika, cumin powder, salt and oregano.
- Our liquid is going to be water and broth. I am using a broth powder here. So for every 1 cup of broth, I mix 1 tsp of broth powder with water.
- Optional Toppings : Sour cream ( skip it if you are vegan ), diced Jalapeno rings, chopped green onions, cilantro, diced or sliced Avocado, tortilla Chips.
How to Make this vegetarian Black Bean Soup with Baby Greens ( step by step pics )
If you are using dry black beans there are 4 steps to make this delicious and hearty black bean soup that tastes very similar to Panera bread black bean soup.
- Soak
- pressure cook black beans in Instant pot
- Sauté & Simmer the soup
- Garnish with toppings
If you are using canned black beans there are only 2 steps.
- Sauté & Simmer the soup
- Garnish with toppings
Soak : Rinse the dry beans first to remove any dirt and pick through them to remove any stones. Now put the beans in a big enough container to allow for expansion of beans and cover by at least 4 inches of water above the beans. Adding too little water will not give beans enough water to absorb with the soaking. Let them soak overnight or at least 8 hours.
Pressure cook black beans in Instant pot : Before cooking, drain the water from the soaked beans, transfer them to Instant pot steel insert and add 3 cups of low sodium broth. Close the lid of the Instant pot, close the vent and cook on manual mode on high pressure for 25 mins. Let pressure release naturally for at least 10 to 15 mins and then do a quick release.
I usually use PIP i.e. pot in pot cooking to cook soaked beans in Instant pot so I don't have to wash my Instant pot before next use. If you want to use PIP, place the soaked and drained beans in a stainless steel pot which can be used for pot in pot cooking in Instant pot and add 2.5 cups of low sodium broth to the beans. Now put this stainless steel pot in Instant pot on a trivet with at least 1.5 cups of water in the main Instant pot steel insert to help with the steam. Then follow the directions above to cook the beans.
Sauté & Simmer the soup :
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a big enough pot on the stove top.
- Once oil is medium hot, add 1 bay leaf, 5 garlic cloves minced and sauté for around 5 to 10 seconds watching very closely to make sure garlic won't burn, then add diced onions . If you can't work that fast, add garlic after the onions are slightly translucent. I like sautéing garlic in the hot oil for few seconds to infuse the garlic taste in the oil before I add onions. Add ¼ tsp of salt to the onions to help them cook faster.
- Once the onions are translucent, add paprika, cumin powder and oregano and mix well.
- Now add diced celery, diced red bell pepper and any other veggies that you want to add and mix well.
- After couple mins, add the chopped baby greens and mix well. ( use any greens you prefer, remember baby kale have less stronger and less bitter taste than regular kale, so they give much nicer taste here ).
- After couple more mins, add a can of ROTEL tomatoes with green chillies and mix well.
- Since I am using tomato flavored broth powder for the stock, I am adding 4 tsp broth powder now instead of cooking the beans with the broth(enough for the water in the cooked beans and water that we are going to add in the end ). If you are using liquid vegetable or chicken stock, then you can cook the beans with the broth in the Instant pot and add rest of the broth after adding the beans.
- Now add the cooked black beans along with the liquid and mix well. (or canned black beans, draining the can is your preference, I usually drain the liquid in the can to get rid of extra sodium and don't rinse the beans for soups).
- If you are using liquid broth, add it now as per the consistency you want. Add half of cilantro now and half at the end.
- Let the soup simmer for about 10 mins on low to medium flame. Add required salt only after checking the taste and adjust the seasonings.
- To make the soup little more creamy and thick, use the immersion blender for few times right in the pot to puree some of the soup. Don't puree all the beans, make sure you puree only part of the soup so you can still get whole beans while eating.
- Simmer until desired consistency and serve. If you are going to eat it over rice, then little thicker consistency tastes better with rice.
Garnish with toppings : Serve in soup bowls with preferred toppings like Sour cream, diced Jalapeno rings, chopped green onions, cilantro, diced or sliced Avocado, tortilla Chips etc. A squeeze of lemon juice adds wonderful flavor to this soup.
Spice Level
This black bean soup recipe is just right on the seasonings. It is neither bland nor spicy. My 2 year old and 7 year old who don't prefer spicy food, eat this very comfortably.
However, if you want to increase or decrease the spice level, you can for sure increase or decrease the amount of paprika and cumin powder in the recipe and also add more green chillies if you prefer.
Storage and Reheating
This black bean soup with baby greens can stay fresh for up to 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator when stored in an air tight container. Reheat it in the microwave for 1 to 2 mins or on the stove top on medium heat when required.
How to serve this Black Bean soup
You can serve this as a soup with preferred toppings ( topping suggestions given in the recipe card below) or serve it with little thicker consistency over white rice or quinoa or brown rice like black bean soup and rice. All are our favorite ways to eat this creamy black bean soup.
Variations
If you want to turn this vegetarian black bean soup into chicken black bean soup, then simply add small diced boneless chicken breast or chicken thighs after onions are cooked, season accordingly and cook the chicken well before adding the veggies.
Can this Vegetarian Black bean Soup also considered a Vegan Black Bean soup?
This can be considered a completely vegan black bean soup if you don't use sour cream that is listed under optional toppings.
Make this black beans soup right away to serve with rice or just as a soup and share it with your family. Don't forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below if you like this. Pin it for later.
Why are we not cooking this as a one pot soup in the instant pot with the soaked beans?
I tried to make this soup as a one pot soup with the soaked beans in the instant pot instead of cooking the beans and then making a soup with them. I liked the second version much much better. First version is ok, not bad but just doesn't give that wow factor to it !!
Normally I am a big fan of Instant pot one pot dishes such as this recipe as there is a fair amount of comfort in cooking them. In this case it felt like am compromising on lot of flavor and not saving any time really. Its just a different order of things.
Reasons for NOT making it as a one pot black bean soup Instant pot :
- Cooking fresh veggies and soaked beans together !! They have completely different cooking times and when you cook them together, vegetables get so much overcooked that it doesn't give the same taste as when you cook the soup with veggies and cooked beans.
- Beans are absorbing the soup flavors much better when you make the soup with cooked beans. Even in one pot method, we only season the soup after pressure cooking as the beans won't cook well or absorb the flavors if you season before. Even then it is not the same.
- Frankly I felt I am barely saving any time in the one pot mode because all it takes to make the soup is 20 mins active cook time in the kitchen (not considering the soaking & pressure cooking beans in instant pot which doesn't need any baby sitting). So why compromise on the flavor and sacrifice the vegetables for that, totally not worth it for me !!
I know many people cook bean soups as one pot dishes, but many times when it is done in Instant pot, veggies are not added to avoid the above mentioned overcooked veggies. So if you want to try cooking it as a one pot dish, try to skip veggies and season the soup after pressure cooking.
Recipe
Black Bean Soup with baby greens
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup diced onions 1 medium onion diced
- ¾ cup diced celery 2 stalks of celery diced
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 2 cups chopped baby greens I used mix of baby spinach, baby arugula & baby kale
- 1 10 OZ can of ROTEL Original with diced tomatoes and green chillies or two medium tomatoes & 1 green chilli
- 4 to 5 cups low sodium vegetable or tomato flavored broth or 4 tsp broth powder or 4 bouillon cubes
- 1 teaspoon paprika adjust as per your spice level
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder adjust as per your spice level
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Salt to taste add at the end
- 1 cup dry black beans OR 2 15OZ cans of black beans
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
For Garnish ( Optional )
- Sour cream skip it if you are vegan
- Diced Jalapeno rings
- Chopped green onions
- Cilantro
- Diced or Sliced Avocado
- Tortilla Chips
Instructions
- If you are using dry black beans there are 4 steps to make this delicious and hearty black bean soup. If you are using canned black beans skip the first two steps and start with 3rd step.
1. Soak
- Rinse the dry beans first to remove any dirt and pick through them to remove any stones. Now put the beans in a big enough container to allow for expansion of beans and cover by at least 4 inches of water above the beans. Let them soak overnight or at least 8 hours.
2. Pressure cook black beans in the Instant pot
- Pressure cook black beans in Instant pot: Before cooking, drain the water from the soaked beans, transfer them to the Instant pot steel insert and add 3 cups of low sodium broth. Close the lid of the Instant pot, close the vent and cook on manual mode on high pressure for 25 mins. Let pressure release naturally for at least 10 to 15 mins and then do a quick release.
- For using PIP i.e. pot in pot cooking, place the soaked and drained beans in a stainless steel pot which can be used for pot in pot cooking in the Instant pot, and add 2.5 cups of low sodium broth to the beans. Now put this stainless steel pot in the Instant pot on a trivet with at least 1.5 cups of water in the main Instant pot steel insert to help with the steam. Then follow the directions above to cook the beans.
3. Sauté & Simmer
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a big enough pot on the stovetop.
- Once the oil is medium hot, add 1 bay leaf, 5 garlic cloves minced, and sauté for around 5 to 10 seconds watching very closely to make sure garlic won't burn. Next, add diced onions. If you can't work that fast, add garlic after the onions are slightly translucent. I like sautéing garlic in the hot oil for a few seconds to infuse the garlic taste in the oil before I add onions. Add ¼ tsp of salt to the onions to help them cook faster.
- Once the onions are translucent, add the spices i.e. paprika, cumin powder, and oregano, and mix well.
- Now add diced celery, diced red bell pepper, and any other veggies that you want to add and mix well.
- After couple mins, add the chopped baby greens (baby spinach, baby kale & baby arugula ) and mix well. (use any greens you prefer, remember baby kale has a less strong and less bitter taste than kale, so they give much nicer taste here).
- After couple more mins, add a can of ROTEL tomatoes with green chilies and mix well. (You can absolutely use 2 fresh tomatoes and a green chili here if you prefer, instead of the can.)
- Since I am using tomato flavored broth powder for the stock, I am adding 4 tsp broth powder now instead of cooking the beans with the broth(enough for the water in the cooked beans and water that we are going to add in the end ). If you are using liquid vegetable or chicken stock, then you can cook the beans with the broth in the Instant pot and add the rest of the broth after adding the beans.
- Now add the cooked black beans along with the liquid and mix well (or canned black beans, draining the can is your preference, I usually drain the liquid in the can and don't rinse the beans for soups).
- If you are using liquid broth, add it now as per the consistency you want. Add half of the cilantro now and half at the end.
- Let the soup simmer for about 10 mins on low to medium flame. Add required salt only after checking the taste and adjusting the seasonings. Remove and discard the bay leaf now.
- To make the soup a little more creamy and thick, use the immersion blender a few times right in the pot to puree some of the soup. Don't puree all the beans, make sure you puree only part of the soup so you can still get whole beans while eating.
- Simmer until desired consistency and serve. If you are going to eat it over rice, then little thicker consistency tastes better with rice.
4. Garnish
- Serve in soup bowls with preferred toppings like Sour cream ( skip it if you are vegan ), diced Jalapeno rings, chopped green onions, cilantro, diced or sliced Avocado, Tortilla Chips, etc. A squeeze of lemon juice adds wonderful flavor to this soup.
Notes
- This soup is spiced just right, neither spicy nor bland with loads of flavor. To adjust the spice level, increase or decrease the amount of paprika and cumin powder.
- Cook time mentioned here is given for the black bean soup made with canned beans since both methods are mentioned. If you are making with dry beans then please consider the soaking and cooking time when you plan.
- After pressure cooking the soaked beans in the instant pot, if you prefer, you can remove the cooked beans into another vessel, rinse the instant pot steel insert and use the instant pot 'sauté' mode to cook the soup instead of in a pot on stove top.
- Please read the section above the recipe card " Why are we not cooking this as a one pot soup in the instant pot with the soaked beans" for reference.
Looking for other recipes for cold and chilly days, try my Instant Pot Chicken Congee ( Rice Porridge) or Instant pot Aloo Matar | Indian Potato and Peas Curry (Instant pot & Stove top) or Garlic pepper mushroom masala
Looking for more vegan recipes, try my Indian style scrambled tofu curry | Scrambled tofu matar masala( Vegan)
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