15 Bean Soup in Instant Pot

This easy 15 bean soup in Instant Pot, packed with protein and fiber, makes a healthy and nourishing meal to add to your diet routine. Making it in Instant Pot will help you cook the beans without soaking them before.

What Beans Are in the 15 Bean Soup?

These are some of the beans that go into the soup mix: Navy, Pinto, large and small Lima, Yellow Eye, Red Kidney, Black Bean, Cranberry, Chickpeas, Green split peas, Yellow split peas, Lentils of different types. Mung beans, Fava, and Black-eyed peas can also make a good addition.

When choosing the mix of beans to add to your soup, you can opt for a pre-packed beans soup mix, or do as I did – put to use all those different dry beans that I have in my pantry and never get to become a meal on their own.

Pre-packed 15 bean soup mixes usually contain a seasoning packet, but making your own enables you to play with your favorite spices and flavors instead of just relying on a given seasoning powder.

It’s not necessary to reach the 15 number, but it’s great if you can add a good variety to make sure you get different types of fiber, minerals, and protein from your soup.

Using multiple bean types also gives the soup a more intense taste and flavor.

 

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How Do You Cook the 15 Bean Soup?

The first thing that comes into mind when cooking together multiple types of beans is how to handle the different cooking times. This is why I decided to cook my vegetarian 15 bean soup in the Instant Pot.

You simply set the cooking time needed for the most stubborn beans. The idea behind the multiple bean soup is that some of them cook more rapidly and break down, making the soup thick and adding creaminess, while the stubborn ones give it texture.

 

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1. Start by sautéing the vegetables

I used carrot and celeriac, red bell pepper, yellow onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. You can also use celery instead of celeriac. Use the Sauté function of your Instant Pot and cook the onion first, using avocado oil or simply by adding a bit of water. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds to release its flavor, then add the rest of the vegetables and cook for three minutes more, stirring frequently.

2. Add the beans and spices

The beans should be rinsed in cold water and drained before adding to the pressure cooker. Add them together with the spices and bay leaf, and mix to combine. Pour the vegetable soup, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes, mix well.

3. Lock the lid in place, then set the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 35 minutes

When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, remove the lid, mix to combine, and season with salt. It’s better to add salt at the end of cooking; otherwise, it will prolong the cooking process.

 

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15 Bean Soup Health Benefits

Adding beans to your diet is a great way to get energy from carbohydrates while keeping the cholesterol and blood sugar within check, fueling your cells with minerals, and upping the protein intake. 

The resistant starch in beans doesn’t get broken down and converted into simple sugars, so it doesn’t trigger an abrupt increase in insulin. This resistant starch is finally broken down by the bacteria in the large intestine into short-chain fatty acids that fuel the cells in our large intestine wall. 

The soluble fiber binds with the cholesterol and eliminates it with metabolized toxins and excess hormones, while their insoluble fiber prevents constipation. 

The minerals contribute to the detoxification processes (molybdenum), reduces the risk of heart attack (folate), improves the flow of nutrients and oxygen through the cells, and balances hormone production (magnesium).

 

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Recipe FAQ

How many pounds of beans can you cook in an Instant Pot?

It depends on your Instant Pot capacity. If you own a 6 quart Instant Pot, you can cook up to 1 pound (2 cups) of beans at once.

What is the ratio of beans to water in Instant Pot?

The ratio of beans to water is 1:8 (1 pound beans to 8 cups water). In other words, 2 cups of dry beans beans to 8 cups of water. The amount of water needed depends on the size of the pot. If you want to cook a large batch of beans you need to use a larger pot. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t fill the pot over half full your because it can boil over.

Should I add salt when soaking beans?

If you decide to soak your first, salting the soaking water might speed the cooking process and make the beans tenderer. My bean soup recipe doesn’t require any soaking, so for the best results we recommend adding salt at the end of the cooking process.

How do you thicken the 15 bean soup?

There are 3 ways to thicken it:

1. Use an immersion blender – right after the cooking process finished, pulse the blender a couple of times just to mash some of the overcooked beans. Make sure you don’t over process, to avoid getting a cream soup instead.
2. Mash with a fork – simply use a fork to mash a few beans and release their starch to thicken the soup. Mix to distribute the starch and thicken the whole liquid.
3. Add starch – mix one tablespoon starch with some of the soup liquid into a separate bowl, then add to the soup and mix to combine. Cornstarch, tapioca starch or flour will work just fine. Remember that starch increases blood sugar levels, so I would strongly recommend using the first two options instead of adding empty calories to this healthy soup.

How long do you pressure cook beans in instant pot?

Each bean has its own pressure cooking time, and this is why I love using a 15 bean mix for my soups – some beans will get overcooked and give creaminess, while other will give the soup texture. Most beans get tender in 25-35 minutes, with black beans cooking easiest (20 minutes) and cannellini beans being more stubborn (35-40 minutes). When cooking beans I like to let the pot release the pressure naturally rather than quick release, leaving the beans more time to cook.

What happens if you don’t soak beans before cooking?

If you make the soup in your Instant Pot, you don’t need to soak the beans before cooking. If you don’t own one, I strongly recommend soaking them overnight.

Is 15 bean soup good for diabetics?

Beans are a great food for diabetics. Despite their carbohydrate content, they have a low glycemic index and are packed with fiber. This soup is also made with non-starchy veggies and spices that boost metabolism (ginger), so if you are on a diabetes diet, you can strongly consider it.

Where can I find beans to make the soup?

The best place to find beans and pulses is at a local grocery store. You can put together your own bean mix and it doesn’t need to count 15 types. However, if you want to try the packaged 15 bean mix, there are various types which you can order online from Amazon.

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Looking for other ways to incorporate beans into your diet? Try this Lupin Beans Recipe for Weight Loss, this Sprouts Salad with Mung Beans for a Gentle Detox or this Vegan Black Bean Soup.

If you are an Instant Pot fan, check out how you can cook a perfect Broccoli in Instant Pot.

If you make any of these recipes don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @theawesomegreen so I can see them and share with the community!