Try this healthy and delicious 5-ingredient Instant Pot bean soup for lunch or dinner. It's easy to make, gluten-free and budget-friendly features a handful of key ingredients that add plenty of flavor. You can use any dried beans you like; we opted for Great Northern white beans.
1.5cupswhite beansdried, we used Great Northern beans
5cupswater
For cooking soup
2tablespoonsolive oil
1onionmedium, finely chopped
3ozsmoked bacon90-100 grams, diced (we use Canadian back bacon as it's meatier and lower in fat)
1cupcarrotchopped
1.5cupspasta saucechunky vegetable, marinara or Napole tana
3cupsvegetable stockor water
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: any herbs you have on handparsley
Instructions
Cooking dried beans
Measure out about 1.5 cups of dried white beans. Add unsoaked beans to the Instant Pot together with 5 cups of water. We're not adding salt at this stage as it tends to make the beans tougher. They will take on the flavor in the soup.
Select Bean/Chili button on Normal mode (30 minutes, HIGH) or use the manual Pressure Cook button and adjust the time to 30 minutes on HIGH. The Instant Pot will take 15 minutes to come to pressure due to the amount of liquid. Once the timer has finished, release the pressure naturally for 15 minutes.
Then strain the beans and rinse. They are now ready for adding to our soup!
Cooking the soup
Rinse and wipe the pot clean. Place back in the Instant Pot and turn the Saute function on. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, onions and bacon and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Then press Cancel to stop the Saute process.
Pour in 3 cups of stock and stir by scraping the bottom with a spatula.
Add the pre-cooked or canned beans, chopped carrots, and tomato sauce. Stir through.
Secure and lock the lid. Select Pressure Cook and adjust the time to 3 minutes on HIGH. Once the timer has finished, allow 5 minutes for natural release and then use the quick release to let off the pressure.
Open the lid and stir the soup. Taste for salt and add black pepper or a pinch of chili flakes for an extra kick. Serve as is or garnish with basil or parsley if you have some on hand.
Hacks for thickening the soup
Leave the soup in the post and select Saute. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes stirring a few times to reduce the liquid slightly, this will thicken the broth.
Scoop about a cup of the soup into a measuring jug or a bowl. Puree using a blender or a food processor, then stir back into the soup.
Notes
Add-ons for cooking: diced celery, zucchini, cubed potatoes, garlic, mushrooms, baby spinach, diced bell peppers. Add-ons after cooking: Croutons, shaved Parmesan, sour cream.If using canned beans, you will need about 4-4.5 cups or 2 cans (drained).