Spicy Black Bean Soup

Spicy Black Bean Soup in an Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or on the stovetop is a delicious, spicy, hearty meat-free soup that is always a huge hit! 

 

At our church every Sunday, we host a fellowship hour after the service where we all get to chat and have a small meal after a long morning.

It’s a nice tradition- and gives us a chance to hang out with our friends who we don’t get to see very often.

The only drawback is making big enough meals when it’s our turn to host the fellowship – especially during lent (when our Greek Orthodox Church follows a fast that is basically a vegan diet (fish and wine are ok certain days) until Pascha/Easter.)

 

 

This last weekend, my husband wanted to put our new Instant Pot to good use (he’s possibly addicted to it even more than I am), and try out making a bean soup straight from dried beans (no pre-soaking.)

Dried beans are a big favorite for us during lent – they are inexpensive, easy, and can fit into lots of meals – but soaking and re-hydrating them is a MAJOR pain.

Luckily, Luke’s master plan for a soup with NO pre-soaking (if you have an Instant Pot – if you don’t I have instructions for a stove-top or slow cooker recipe listed below, as well) was a massive success – it was so delicious, the soup was one of the first things gone from the table!

 

 

This soup is insanely easy – just sautee and dump the ingredients, and let the Instant Pot do all the work.

The roasted peppers give a rich, smoky, and almost meaty flavor to the soup – without adding any meat whatsoever – making this a perfect vegan or meat-free monday dish.

 

 

Of course, if you’re looking to dress it up a bit, you can always add some sharp cheddar cheese or even crunchy tortilla strips on top.

This soup is so delicious and easy, we came home from church and made it again for dinner that night – and have had it twice since. It’s seriously THAT good!

Meal Prep Tip: This soup is great to make in a giant batch, and then portion out for lunches. You can also easily freeze it in single-serve sizes, so that you have a hearty, delicious meal at the ready whenever you need it!

Now, I really do recommend making this in an Instant Pot (NO SOAKING TIME!!!), but it can easily be done in a slow cooker or on the stovetop as well. If you are looking for an Instant Pot (the most magical kitchen device you’ll ever use), check out my shopping guide below.

Important Instant Pot Note:

this is a double batch of soup – if making in a 6 quart pot (like I did in this video) make sure to cook it in *2* batches, to give the beans more room to expand. If you have a larger pot, you should be ok (you’ll want it just above 1/2 full).

I show the entire batch in a pot for video purposes, but you want more room for your beans to expand, and steam to create pressure!!!

Spicy Black Bean Soup