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A spoon scooping up from a bowl of 15 bean soup.

Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup

This rich and filling 15 bean soup is easy to make with the Instant Pot (or another electric pressure cooker). You can start this recipe with dried beans and skip the soak but if you prefer to soak the beans first we include cooking instructions for that as well.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 large carrots sliced
  • 3 celery stalks diced
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 bag 15 bean soup mix
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cups water or chicken broth
  • 2 cups diced cooked ham (about 10 ounces)

Seasoning blend (or use the included seasoning packet)

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¾ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke optional

Add in last:

  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

Instructions

  • Sort through the beans and remove any pebbles that may have snuck in. Rinse the beans and set aside.
  • Turn the pressure cooker to saute mode and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until soft. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds to release the aroma. Press the cancel button. 
  • Add the rinsed beans, bay leaves, broth or water, diced ham, and the seasoning blend or the included seasoning packet.  Stir well and scrape any cooked-on bits off the bottom of the pot. 
  • Secure the lid and make sure the pressure valve is in the sealed position. 
  • Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. 
  • Let the pressure cooker release pressure naturally, about 20.  
  • Remove the bay leaves. 
  • Stir in the canned tomatoes.

Notes

  • Use a 6 quart or larger pressure cooker for this recipe. 
  • Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot after you saute the veggies. If any cooked-on bits are stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot you will get a burn notice. 
  • Older beans will take longer to cook. Check the ‘best by’ date and make sure it isn’t expired. If you do have older beans you can still use them but you will need to adjust the cooking time. Start by adding 5 minutes to the pressure cook time and adjust as needed. 
  • Do not add the tomatoes until the beans finish cooking. The acid from the tomatoes will prevent the beans from cooking properly. 
  • To thicken the soup smash some of the beans with a fork or use an immersion blender to give some of the soup a quick blitz. The blended or smashed beans will act as a natural thickener. 
  • If the pressure cooker does not release all the pressure after 20 minutes you can release the rest of the pressure manually. Use a towel to protect your hands in case the vent sprays moisture. 

Cooking Times for High Altitudes

  • Above 2000 feet = 47 minutes
  • Above 3000 feet = 49 minutes
  • Above 4000 feet = 51 minutes
  • Above 5000 feet = 54 minutes

Cooking Times For Soaked Beans

  • If you soak the beans overnight first, reduce the cooking time to 25 minutes.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 479mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 6g