Vegan bean soup that is filling and comforting! Made in the Instant Pot, it is loaded with fresh vegetables and jam-packed with herbs & spices. This is a perfect meatless soup!
We are knee-deep into January. Puffy coats, hats, and scarves, oh my! After a long work day, there is nothing more relaxing than flopping on the couch with a delicious bowl of warm, comforting bean soup. And trust me, you’re going to want to make this soup!
This recipe is perfect for chilly day soup coziness. Packed to the brim with veggies, it is also a healthy source of vegetarian & vegan protein. With a quick-ish cooking time, this is one of those one-pot meals you will want to make again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Soup
One-pot soup: The Instant Pot is the holy grail of one-pot cooking. Sautee the ingredients and then put on the instant pot lid to pressure cook. One pot and done!
Filled with healthy ingredients: Loaded with fresh veggies, so you know this hearty soup is good for you! It is also super flexible, so you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Inexpensive: Dried beans are cheap! They also last longer than canned beans so they’re perfect pantry staples.
Meatless meal: Beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein. They are also filled with fiber to help keep you fuller for longer. Using a vegetable or mushroom broth makes this recipe a great vegetarian and vegan soup.
No Soaking Required: Pressure cooking is the best way to cook dried beans because you don’t have to soak them beforehand. Using a pressure cooker allows beans to be cooked in a fraction of the time it takes on the stovetop.
The soup gets better the longer it sits! Soup is one of the only foods that actually gets better the older it is. After a soup has chilled, the flavors marry together, creating a harmonious flavor.
Ingredients
This soup comes together with easy, everyday staples. Feel free to mix and match with whatever you have on hand.
OLIVE OIL: To help thicken the soup & add depth of flavor.
ONION: I like to use white onion for this recipe.
GARLIC: No soup is complete without garlic! Fresh garlic is best, but if you don’t have any on hand, feel free to use garlic powder instead.
TOMATO: I like to use canned tomatoes with Italian seasoning to give an extra depth of flavor. Feel free to try fire-roasted tomatoes for a subtle kick.
CELERY: Celery is a great filler vegetable to add to soups.
CARROTS: Carrots are a hearty, sturdy vegetable. They cook well in the pressure cooker without becoming too soft.
TURNIP: Turnips have a similar texture to a potato, but have less starch. I love to add this lighter vegetable to soups.
TOMATO PASTE: To help thicken the soup and add flavor.
PAPRIKA: Paprika adds a slightly smokey flavor. If you don’t have paprika, you can substitute it with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or chili powder.
SALT & BLACK PEPPER: Two necessary ingredients for all recipes! Beans can take a lot of salt, but make sure not to over-salt. If you think it needs more, check after it has finished cooking. Then taste and reassess.
CANNELLINI BEANS: White beans are creamy and cook like a dream in the instant pot. If you don’t have this on hand, you could substitute it with black beans, navy beans, or great northern beans. All these beans have the same cook time in the Instant Pot. Be sure to wash dry beans before adding them to the soup to remove any dust & debris.
VEGETABLE BROTH: Vegetable stock or broth allows this recipe to be vegetarian & vegan.
SPINACH: Add spinach at the end for an extra helping of vegetables.
PESTO: This is an optional garnish, but adding a small dollop of pesto at the end is delicious! Be sure to buy one that is vegan and vegetarian friendly.
How To Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Bean Soup
Thanks to the Instant Pot, the hardest part of making this soup is chopping the ingredients! This delicious soup comes together in just over an hour so it is a perfect weeknight dinner. If you are not using dried beans, canned beans get this soup on your table even quicker.
First, turn the Instant Pot on to the SAUTE function. Add olive oil and let it heat up. Then add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until the onions have softened and become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Next, add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the tomatoes are thick. Add paprika, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the spinach and pesto. Add an additional 1-2 cups of water to help thin out the soup.
Cancel the current setting. Switch the Instant Pot setting to PRESSURE COOK and put it on high pressure for 25 minutes. Be sure to change the pressure release valve to sealing.
It will take the Instant Pot a long time to build pressure, about 10 minutes. Then it will start to cook and count down on the timer. Once the timer goes off, use the natural pressure release before venting out the steam. This is a great way to make sure the beans are fully cooked through.
Once done, add in the spinach & stir until wilted. Ladle individually into bowls and garnish with a dollop of pesto. If you don’t have pesto, a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice and fresh parsley to help brighten up the flavors. Serve with crusty bread.
If you want a smoother texture, you can use an immersion blender and roughly mix the soup. This will result in a thicker soup.
If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for 5 days. This soup also freezes well. I would use freezer-safe containers that are individually portioned. This makes it super easy to enjoy leftovers.
How To Cook On The Stovetop
If you do not have an Instant Pot, you can easily make this recipe on the stovetop instead. I recommend using canned beans or presoaking and cooking your beans separately when cooking on the stovetop.
First, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Next, add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 7 minutes until the tomatoes are boiling and the liquid has reduced.
Add the carrots, celery, and turnips, cooking for 10 minutes until softened. Then add the spices and cook for 1 minute.
Add the beans and broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cook until the beans are soft and the vegetables are tender. Add in the spinach and stir until wilted.
Other Soup Recipes
Are you a soup fanatic? You’ve come to the right place! Here are a few other quick and easy soup recipes that are perfect to enjoy all year long.
Ten Vegetable Soup (Easy Panera Copycat Recipe)
Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque Soup (Delicious and Easy!)
Vitamix Spinach Soup Recipe (Creamy and Fast!)
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment below! I would love to know your thoughts! You can also follow me on social media.
FAQ
Yes, you can use canned beans if you prefer. I would reduce the pressure cooking time to 8-10 minutes.
If your beans are not fully cooked through, pressure cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Certainly! I used cannellini beans in this recipe, but navy, black, or great northern beans would all work well. They have the same pressure cook time so they are a great substitution. If you are using a heartier bean, like chickpeas, cook for 35-40 minutes.
Presoaking is totally up to you. Beans do not need to be presoaked when using the Instant Pot. I find that the beans are just as creamy and delicious without soaking beforehand. If you do want to presoak, soak for 6-8 hours.
Yes! I recommend either using canned beans or presoaking and cooking your beans separately.
Yes, this soup can be made in the Instant Pot using the slow cooker function. Follow the same steps and slow cook for 7-9 hours.
Easy Instant Pot Vegan Bean Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can chopped tomatoes Italian seasoning flavored
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup carrots diced (3 medium)
- 1 cup turnip diced (1 large)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup cannellini beans dried
- 4 cups vegetable broth + 1 cup water
- spinach large handful
- pesto for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to the SAUTE function. Add olive oil and let it heat up. Then add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until the onions have softened and become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Next, add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the tomatoes are thick. Add paprika, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add in the remaining ingredients except for the spinach and pesto. Add an additional 1-2 cups of water to help thin out the soup.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and change the setting to PRESSURE COOK. Set it to high pressure for 25 minutes. Be sure to change the pressure release valve to sealing.
- It will take the Instant Pot about 10- 15 minutes to build pressure. Then it will start to cook. Once the timer goes off, use the natural pressure release before venting out the steam. This is a great way to make sure the beans are fully cooked through.
- Add in the spinach & stir until wilted. Ladle individually into bowls and garnish with a dollop of pesto. If you don't have pesto, a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice and fresh parsley to help brighten up the flavors. Serve with crusty bread.