Electric pressure cookers, like the very popular Instant Pot, help busy people enjoy meals that are traditionally hours at the stove time consuming. For example, the black bean soup below would take 2-3 hours to make on the stove and require you to soak the beans overnight as well. Instead, if you grab your Instant Pot, it takes about 30 minutes. And if you are worried that flavor or texture will be adversely impacted, think again! Electric pressure cookers are great at giving you all day simmered flavor without having to invest all day.
If you'd like to make this soup vegan, omit the chorizo and avoid dairy-based toppings like sour cream and shredded cheese. If you like the meaty options but don't have chorizo, substitute bacon, ham, or other sausage. If you want the soup smoother, grab an immersion blender and blend it in the pot to your liking. Or serve it chunkier ... it's up to you!
Since there are so many fantastic topping options for this soup, little else is needed to add to this meal to complete it. If you find it a touch spicy, maybe a tall glass of milk? Otherwise, a chilled IPA might hit the spot with this complex soup that speaks simultaneously of the chill of autumn and places that bask in the sun.
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
- 8 oz. chorizo (often 1 link) - optional
- 1 large red onion
- 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 ½ tsp. salt, divided, plus more
- 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, sliced crosswise, liquid reserved, plus 1 T. adobo sauce
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed
- 2 T. fresh lime juice
If using, remove the chorizo from its casing and cook it fully using the Sauté setting of your electric pressure cooker.
Meanwhile, cut the onion into quarters; reserve one quarter for topping the soup later. Coarsely chop the remaining onion. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and garlic to your electric pressure cooker, season with salt, and cook on the Sauté setting until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.
Add the chiles along with their liquid, adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin to your electric pressure cooker and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add the dried beans, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 quarts of water. Lock the lid and cook the soup at high pressure for 20 minutes. Release the pressure manually and stir in the lime juice. Taste soup and season with more salt if needed.
If desired, use your immersion blender to blend the soup a bit before serving with the chopped reserved red onions, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, guacamole, shredded cheese, tortilla or corn chips, chopped tomatoes, and/or steamed corn.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes