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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
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup (w/Dry Beans)
- 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
Description
A simple vegan recipe for Cuban Black Bean Soup that can made in an Instant Pot with Dry Beans! Vegan and delicious!
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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: with no toppings
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 729.5 mg
- Fat: 6.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.4 g
- Fiber: 11.7 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: black bean soup, best black bean soup, instant pot black bean soup, cuban black bean soup, black bean soup dry beans
We love this soup! I’ve made it twice in two weeks. The first time I soaked the beans and the second time I did not. From now on, I will soak the beans. They were fully cooked but much firmer when they had not been soaked before cooking. This recipe is a 100% keeper.
★★★★★
Ah yes, good experiment. I always feel better after eating soaked beans. Glad you enjoyed!
All the vegetables were dyed black. you cooked the beans separately?. The attractive thing about the soup is the colors too.
I’m pretty sure I cooked it all together? I may have added veggies to the top for the photo- but it’s been a while, now I can’t remember now!
Excellent flavor. I like mine served with plain Greek yogurt.
★★★★★
Perfect!
Very nice balanced flavor although I modified the recipe slightly. It just begged for corn so I added two cans of sweet corn and two cans of diced tomatoes and chilis.
Perfect Patrick!
This soup was very good! My only complaint is that it actually took 55 minutes of cooking at high pressure to get tender beans, and I started with beans that I knew were fresh. I will definitely make again and adjust the time on the recipe now that I know.
★★★★
Thanks for sharing Ariana- I think black beans must come in different sizes. Every time I make this, they come out tender in the allotted time. So I bet it is the size that varies?
My bf is Cuban (20 years Cuba, 8 years Miami) and these are the first Cuban black beans I’ve made that he LOVED, which is kind of funny since the other ones were all “authentic” recipes from his Cuban family and friends. I did have to serve them over rice because according to him, you can’t have black beans without rice. 😉 Thanks for such a yummy and easy recipe!
★★★★★
Haha! Love this Mariah. Good to know about the rice- thanks!
Bean + Grain = Complete protein
Fundamental vegan rule to live by and occurs naturally in many traditional food combinations 🙂