Dried beans are cooked to tender perfection without any pre-soaking in this deliciously seasoned Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup. Old fashioned comfort food at its best!
I’ve been cooking with my Instant Pot for 3 years now and I’m still amazed at what it can do with dried beans. You can decide to cook up a pot of Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup whenever the craving strikes. There’s very little advance prep and the way it cooks dry beans to tender perfection just gives me a little thrill every single time.
Pressure cooking has been around for ages, but the Instant Pot is a real game-changer. It has effectively changed how and what we cook for dinner. You can decide on bean soup from scratch late in the afternoon and it’s on the table in time for dinner.
Bean soup falls at the top of the my list of nostalgic comfort foods. It’s pretty much on par with grilled cheese and tomato soup in my book. It is part of that special group of foods that somehow make things better.
If you have cozy bean soup memories, I think you’re going to love this quick and easy bean soup recipe. It has a creamy, tomato based broth, smoky ham, and a delicious blend of seasonings to evoke that classic feel.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Dry beans: There are many different brands of 15 or 16 bean soup mix and any will work for this soup. If yours comes with a seasoning packet, just toss it. You can create great flavor with far less sodium by using your own seasonings.
- Ham: Seasoning hams are bony pieces of ham that are used solely to add meaty, smoky flavor to recipes. A leftover meaty ham bone from a holiday ham is a great option, but since we don’t always have one tucked in our fridge, check the meat department for a ham hock or ham shank. You can also buy a ham steak to chop up and add for an even meatier soup if you’d like but this is totally optional.
- Seasoning: A mix of dry spices including oregano, cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, black pepper, and a little cayenne adds great classic flavor. You might notice I didn’t include salt in this list. Between the seasoning ham, tomato sauce, broth, and spices, I find the soup to be perfectly seasoned. I recommend waiting until the end of the cooking process to taste and add salt only if you feel it needs it.
How to Make Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
- Set your Instant Pot on the Sauté setting and add the oil. Once heated, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion and veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute then press Cancel.
- Transfer the rinsed dried beans to the Instant Pot.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, broth and water.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and the bay leaves. Stir well to combine.
- Tuck the seasoning ham (ham hock, shank, or meaty leftover ham bone) down into the mixture. Lock the lid in place and make sure vent is sealed (on older models). Pressure cook on High for 40 minutes.
- When time is up, allow the steam pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes then manually release any remaining pressure. Unlock and remove the lid. You can remove any good chunks of ham from your seasoning ham (if any) to chop up and add back to the soup. Discard the remainder of the seasoning ham and bay leaves.
If a creamier (less brothy) texture is desired, pulse the mixture with an immersion blender 3 or 4 times. Just enough to break up some of the beans. Don’t go overboard, you want lots of whole beans and a few pulses will yield a nice and creamy result.
Serving Suggestions
This 15 Bean Soup is delicious in its natural state or garnish it will a little shredded cheese.
Serve it with some crusty bread for a truly delicious meal. It would also be delicious served with a warm slice of Mexican Cornbread.
The Best Instant Pot
I own and LOVE the 6 quart Instant Pot Duo Nova and based on the Amazon reviews, it looks like I’m not alone! They improved on several features that makes this unit simpler and easier to use than older models. Once you close the lid and set the time, it automatically seals and begins to come to pressure without any need to move the steam release valve. After cooking, the steam releases with an easy press of the button. It is slick, easy to use, and has never failed me.
More Comfort in a Bowl
- Instant Pot Navy Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
- Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
- Hamburger Stew with Rice
- Cabbage Roll Soup
Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound 15 or 16 dried bean soup mix, any brand will work (toss the seasoning packet)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne, optional (it adds a nice kick)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ham shank, ham hock, or meaty ham bone
- salt, to taste and only if needed
Optional Garnishes
- grated Parmesan or Monterey Jack cheese, oyster crackers, crushed saltine crackers
Instructions
- Place beans in a colander and rinse them well with cold water and allow to drain. Pick through the beans and remove and discard any debris.
- Add oil to the Instant Pot and press the SAUTE button. When display reads "Hot" add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion and veggies begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute then press CANCEL.
- Add beans, broth, water, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and the bay leaves. Stir well to combine. Tuck the ham shank (or meaty ham bone) down into the mixture. Lock the lid in place and make sure vent is sealed (on older models). Press the MANUAL or the PRESSURE COOK button, select HIGH, and cook for 40 minutes.
- When time is up, allow the steam pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes then manually release any remaining pressure. Unlock and remove the lid. Transfer ham shank (or bone) to a cutting board. Use a fork to remove the ham from the bone and stir it into the soup. Discard the bone.
- If a creamier (less brothy) texture is desired, pulse the mixture with an immersion blender 3 or 4 times, just to break up some of the beans. Don't go overboard, you want lots of whole beans and a few pulses will yield a nice and creamy result.
- This soup is excellent reheated. It will thicken when refrigerated so just add a little water to reach desired consistency.
- Taste and season with salt and additional pepper, if desired. I don't recommend adding any salt until the end of the cooking process as the seasoning ham, tomato sauce, and broth tend to add enough.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Instant Pot Recipes
I haven’t left a review on an online recipe till now. 100/10! I soaked my beans overnight (especially since they were old). I used tomato paste and sautéed it in with my carrots, onions, and garlic. I made my own chicken stock from bones and veggie scraps. I also used a meaty ham bone leftover from the holidays plus a smoked ham hock for some extra meat. Skipped the celery. This came out better than I expected! Will definitely make again! I feel like this would go with well chili toppings and garnishes too. Thank you!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating, Ann! I’m so happy this recipe worked so well for you. 🙂
Just curious- has anyone tried using chicken instead of ham?
I followed the recipe but after IP cooking, my beans were hard. I tried to cook them longer but then I got the dreaded ‘burn’ message. Ideas?
Hi Ellen. So sorry you had this issue! Dried beans can vary a lot by brand and age. Older beans in particular can be difficult to soften. When you need to cook them longer, it’s important to add a little more liquid before restarting the Instant Pot. If the pot is too dry or thick, it can trigger the burn notice. I usually recommend adding at least ½ to 1 cup more broth or water, stirring well, and then pressure cooking again for 5 to 10 minutes. Once more liquid is added, the beans should finish cooking up nicely. Hope this helps!
Thanks for responding so quickly! Also thanks for the info on additional cooking time in the iP. I was not aware of the need to add more water. Even though the soup didn’t; turn out as planned – I will definitely try it again, Do you think soaking the beans overnight would have made a difference?
Soaking isn’t required for this recipe, but it can help, especially if the beans are older. If you soak them overnight, be sure to drain and rinse them well and you may be able to reduce the cook time slightly. You’ll still want to watch the liquid level and add a little more if you need to pressure cook longer.
I tried the soup again. This time I soaked the beans, added more broth (per your suggestion) and cooked for 50 minutes. It turned out AWESOME. Thanks for the great recipe!
I love hearing this, Ellen. Thanks so much for letting me know. 🙂
This came out great! Loved it
We LOVED your recipe!! Left out the tomato sauce. Added a shot of “W” sauce. Put all the ham with the shank in.
IT WAS AMAZING!!
Really easy and delicious! I used ancan of crushed tomatoes and added 1/2tsp smoked paprika. Will make this a winter regular!
This recipe came out so good. I pre soaked the beans the night before and still did the full 40 minutes. It came out nice and thick and creamy. I added some Slap Ya Mammas seasoning to give it a lil kick. Will make again.
Can i presoak the beans overnight and if so do I adjust the cooking time?
Yes, you can presoak the beans overnight. If you do, drain them well and cook the soup for about 30 to 35 minutes on high pressure instead of the full 40. Mixed bean blends can still include some slower-cooking varieties, so I wouldn’t reduce it more than that, but everything else stays the same.
I followed the recipe exactly, but after the 40 mins of pressure cooking and 15 mins of natural pressure release, the beans had absorbed all the liquid and they were not cooked all the way. What went wrong?
Thanks for the feedback. Dried beans can vary a lot based on age, brand, and the specific mix of beans in the package. Older beans take longer to soften and can absorb more liquid, even when the recipe is followed exactly. Instant Pot models can also vary slightly in how hot they run.
If the beans aren’t fully tender after the initial cook, just add a little more liquid and pressure cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. This is a normal adjustment with dried beans and won’t hurt the soup.
Hi! Is there a way to make this in a slow cooker/crockpot? I have had it made from an InstantPot and it’s excellent but I just have a crock!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tested this recipe in a slow cooker, so I don’t want to give specific instructions without knowing the results would be consistent. Dried beans behave quite differently in a slow cooker versus an Instant Pot.
Soup is delicious even without ham! I used a couple of slices of diced bacon in lieu of ham and the flavor was very good. I’ve learned, with my Instant Pot knock-off, to add a few minutes for dried bean recipes. I used 50 minutes and it was great.
Really good soup recipe. I used 2 left over honey ham bones that had plenty of meat on them. The soup was rich in flavor. No extra salt was needed. Thank you!
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂