Hearty 15 bean soup loaded with tender beans, aromatics, and optional smoky ham hock- perfect for meal prep and cozy weeknights. Make it in the Instant Pot, then finish with tomatoes and seasoning for rich, savory flavor.
Gather This
Most versions include onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Any of these can be omitted based on what you have left are far as fresh produce. This is really a soup you can’t mess up if you tried. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Dry bean mix – the backbone of your soup. Each bag varies slightly, which makes each batch unique.
- Protein – Protein is optional, but encouraged for texture and flavor. Cubed ham, ham hocks, bacon, sausage and shredded chicken are my top picks. Just make sure the meat is cooked and drained before adding.
- Butter or olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic cloves
- Chicken broth
- Dried bay leaves
- Diced tomatoes
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dried oregano
- Celery salt
- Ground black pepper
- Liquid smoke
- Sour cream
- Parmesan cheese
Bean Soup Seasoning
Bean Soup Seasoning sometimes comes in a little packet inside the bean bag and is mainly salt. If you opt to use it, that is fine, BUT it will not have the same smoky flavor as this version.
Homemade allows you to modify the salt as well. I would highly recommend using some salt, as it helps to soften the beans and enhance natural flavors, so don’t omit it altogether. Cajun seasoning can also be used for great flavor in this 15 bean soup, about 2 teaspoons.
Perfect Pairings
I like to serve my soup with a piece of crusty bread. If you are using your pantry staples, my Cheddar Beer Bread or 2-Ingredient Bread are perfect choices.
A nice green salad is also a good choice. I also like to top mine with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
Instant Pot soup can be served alone, but it pairs wonderfully with a side salad or crusty bread to mop up the savory soup base after the larger bits are done. It can be served as an entree or appetizer to nearly any meal.
This hearty soup is so tasty, it doesn’t need toppings, but if you insist, we like using sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese or any other shredded cheese is also a great touch. Something green like scallions or chives is welcome for fresh crunch and flavor.
And of course crackers- dill oyster crackers or saltines are traditional. I also just like a crusty piece of bread for dipping and sopping up the sides of the bowl when I am through.
FAQs
The different types of beans depend on what brand you are buying, there are many bean varieties, but they all generally contain pinto beans and navy beans. The standard bag major grocery stores carry generally contains: Northern, Pinto, Large lima beans, Yelloweye beans, Garbanzo beans, Baby lima, Green split pea, White kidney beans, Cranberry beans, Small white beans, Pink beans, Small red beans, Yellow split peas, Lentils, Navy, White kidney and Black beans. The bag is 20 ounces or 2 ½ cups. You can use any blend of dried beans and lentils you like.
Since you are cooking the raw, dry beans in the instant pot, they do not need to be soaked before adding.
The best way to thicken any bean soup is to spoon out a few tablespoons of beans and mash them, adding them back to the pot and stirring. This mixture will add flavor and also thicken.
Alternatively, you can also add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot blended with 1/4 cup water or butter beads mixed with flour until it reaches the desired consistency.
This is a loaded question and one that truly depends on your definition of “healthy”. Overall, beans are high in protein and fiber and bean soup is generally pretty low in calories and fat.
Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Bean Soup:
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion , chopped
- ½ cup carrots , chopped
- ½ cup celery , chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves , minced
- 20 ounces dry bean mix
- 7 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes , drained
- 1 cup cooked meat* , optional
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Bean Soup Seasoning**:
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 dashes Liquid Smoke
Topping:
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function and heat the 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil. Add the chopped 1 small yellow onion, ½ cup carrots, ½ cup celery and 2-3 garlic cloves. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until they start to soften.
- Add the 20 ounces dry bean mix, 7 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth , 2 dried bay leaves1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon celery salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 dashes Liquid Smoke and stir so the beans don't stick together.
- Put on the lid and seal the vent. Set to manual pressure HIGH for 45 minutes.
- Do a quick release and then add the drained 14 ounces diced tomatoes1 cup cooked meat*, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegarr. Return the lid and turn to “keep warm” for 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately with Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt or Parmesan cheese.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I forgot to add the 5 stars!
I agree with others that the ACV and liquid smoke really sets it apart. I saw no reason to drain the tomatoes and actually added more water as well It made good use of some leftover sausage! I’m saving this one to do again!
Aw, thank you! I’m actually making this next week. Such a good recipe!
This was west and yummy. I used beef broth yummy and flexible I used beef broth and mushroom powder instead of liquid smoke.
Have you made this in a regular crock pot? If so, what changes need to be made?
I have not, but I assume you could with no issues, I’d do it on low for 3 hours to start.
Great soup! I love the addition of the liquid smoke and ACV. I only used 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and some of my beans were pretty al dente so next time I will leave it on for another minute or so. I’ve already shared this with my sisters and book club. Thank you!
Wow!!! I just got a pre-owned Instant Pot yesterday. After cleaning it thoroughly I tested it on a few hard boiled eggs, then tried this recipe today with no meat. I loved it, and my meat-and-potatoes husband ate THREE BOWLS for supper. I used a mixture of beans that have been in our pantry for almost five years so I did soak them for 8 hours with a little salt and baking soda. Because I soaked them I cut back about 1.5 cups on the liquid but since I used a pint of home canned tomatoes I didn’t drain them. This was a hearty and delicious meal, five stars from someone who rarely leaves reviews.
Nice! So glad you loved it!
I love this recipe, it is so delicious and so easy to make.
So glad you loved it!
good recipe. I put ham, 1 jalepeno in with seasoning pack. carrots, garlic
Thanks for those suggestions!
This recipe was wonderful! The only change I made to the ingredients was that I didn’t have canned tomatoes, so I added 2 TB of tomato paste instead. Based on other reviews, I also increased the cooking time to 60 minutes and 10 min natural release. The flavor was so savory, very good! Even my kids liked it and asked if they could take the rest to school for lunch the next day!!
Thank so much for the feedback!
What a delicious, hearty and healthy soup! It’s very substantial, even without meat. The balance of flavors is perfect and I was pleasantly surprised what a difference the apple cider vinegar made.
When I stir in the tomatoes (and meat, if using), I also like to stir in 8-10 cups of torn kale (any kind, stems removed).
One note about cook time: the bean mixes I’ve used include whole peas and garbanzos, which are still quite firm after 45 minutes of pressure cooking. Tonight, I pressure cooked for 50 minutes, followed by 10 minutes natural release and they were more tender, but I might try 55-60 minutes next time.
Thank you for this recipe! It’s so easy, yummy, healthy and makes a lot of servings!
Thank you for the feedback, Amy!