Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup

Our Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup with dry beans (no soak) recipe with ham hocks cooks up this one pot meal fast! Similar to our Instant Pot chili with dry beans, just as healthy and delicious made in 45 minutes flat.

I’ve made this in the slow cooker before and it’s so hard to get them to cook evenly at that slow of a pace! You can use sliced kielbasa sausage, it’s a great leftover ham recipe or ham hock recipe too. Leaving it vegetarian is also an option but I love adding meat for us.

Ninja Foodi 15 Bean Soup

I was amazed too the very first time that I made this soup because every bean literally had it’s own flavor, texture, and taste. You can make it in a Crockpot Express pot or as an easy Ninja foodi recipe like we do (with the lid that is not attached).

Using your Instant Pot really cooks those beans fast and gives them a great texture that is enjoyable without having them be mushy.

Ingredient Notes

If you’re worried about the time it’s going to take to cook up your dry beans, don’t worry it will be done in under an hour. You could use canned as well which would cut it down to 10 if you’d rather but if you haven’t been cooking dry beans in Instant Pot yet it is WAY easier than you’d think.

If you use ham hocks you won’t need to add any other seasonings. Smoked versions have a TON of flavor in them already, and sodium so that is all you need. I just dice up the meat and discard the bones right before enjoying this dish and it works fantastic.

I like to use chicken broth or Instant Pot bone broth or water could be used, but it won’t have as much flavor.

My favorite brand of beans to use is Hurst Beans as they just do really really well when they’re cooked up in the Instant Pot. (and if you add in a dash or two of lemon juice, it really adds a fun zest to this soup recipe as well)

Seasonings like thyme, salt and pepper etc.. should be used sparingly at the beginning. I don’t add a lot of this if I’m adding ham since that has enough natural salts in it

Can you add vegetables?

Yes, just choose firmer varieties like carrots and celery so they don’t disintegrate under the high heat. I like to use baby carrots or thick dials. You can throw them in at the beginning, at the top, so they steam with everything else.

Variations and Substitutions

You can add diced or sliced onions, raw will add more texture. Shredded Cheese, sharp cheddar is probably our favorite for this. Chives can be diced up. Fresh Cilantro is always better than dried, and prettier. Chopped roasted Jalapeños can add some real heat to the dish. Add in when cooking or at the end as a topping. Hot Sauce like Tobasco or Sriracha can make this spicy vs. mild.

Do you have to soak 15 beans?

Not if you use your pressure cooker! You can rinse, throw them right in with some water or broth and let them soften in about an hour. With a natural release you can then make a whole meal with them or serve as a side dish.

How Long to Cook 15 Bean Soup in Instant Pot – NO Soak

As you can see on our Instant Pot beans cook time sheet you will need 40 minutes to cook this with a natural release at the end. Do not touch the steam valve until the metal piece drops down on it’s own. This step is necessary to achieve the ideal texture to your legumes.

Soaked Method

If you did soak overnight in water you can decrease the cook time to 20 minutes with a 15 minute natural release to become tender. If you like them more on the bit al dente side then cook for 15 minutes initially instead.

Tips

If you’re worried about cooking your beans in the Instant Pot, don’t be. We have made this “plain” or with meat and a richer sauce like our Instant Pot chicken chili. there are tons of ways to tweak it once you understand the basics.

When combining ingredients like this and our Instant Pot red beans and rice it is vital to follow all instructions as the tips and tricks are key to their success. I have tested out different cook times for the meat and beans to become tender at the same time and 40 minutes is perfect.

Pay close attention to when to remove the lid and also when to do the quick release. As the Instant Pot releases pressure, you don’t want to rush the process. If you do this might affect the outcome of the texture of the beans. 

How to save leftovers

You should cool, store in sealed containers in the fridge and reheat within 3 days. Then, when you’re craving any of our Instant Pot soup recipes again, just unthaw and enjoy! There is a chance that the beans might be a bit mushy at this point but it doesn’t affect the flavor at all!

How long can you keep leftover soup? 

One last tip; If you find out that you have too much of this delicious soup to eat within a couple of days. Go ahead and toss it in the freezer for later. Just add a freezer-proof container with a lid. Mark down the date that you’re freezing it so that you know when you need to consume it. 

Other Instant Pot Soups with Dry Beans you’ll Love

Here are a few more pressure cooking recipes that take no time at all compared to the stovetop. Or Ninja Foodi soup recipes you’ll enjoy because all the brands basically work the same way;

1. The one above is our pressure cooker sausage soup. With some softened kale and Great northern beans, it’s full of awesome flavors.
2. It only takes 17 minutes to make homemade Instant Pot split pea soup. From dry to creamy and smooth for dinner, it’s great with homemade rolls.

Looking for other ideas to make this week while it is chilly outside? We have tons on our site like Instant Pot black bean soup too!  Whoever said that soup was just a side dish was and is crazy. We serve it as a hearty dinner all the time I tell you. This soup recipe is one that is perfect any time of the year. It can be the real MVP during those cold, winter days!