On a cold winter’s day, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup. This Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup is the perfect no-soak recipe that you can make efficiently and easily. This recipe is naturally vegetarian and gluten-free.

white bowl filled with cooked instant pot 15 bean soup ready to be enjoyed.

When winter hits hard, there’s no better time than now to cook that bag of 15 bean soup mix you’ve stashed in your pantry.

A bag of 15 Bean Soup is a common American staple food, although you can also find 14 and 16 bean blends too.

Phew, that’s a lot of beans! But they all come together with great flavor and texture in this yummy soup.

Why You Need This Recipe

  • If you were to cook a 15 bean soup on the stovetop, it would take several hours. This delicious soup recipe comes together in just over an hour using the electric pressure cooker.
  • You can adapt this recipe to your dietary needs. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, keep it basic with just the beans. If you want more flavor and aren’t on a vegan or vegetarian diet, feel free to add some chopped cooked sausage or bacon when serving.
  • This bean soup recipe also freezes really well which makes it perfect for freezer meals or meal prepping.

Key Ingredients

photo with labeled ingredients for 15 bean soup.
  • Of course you’ll need a dry bean blend to get started as the base of the soup. You can use a 15-bean blend or any type of bean mix blend you can find at the grocery store. I like a bean blend because it includes different bean varieties which adds more interest.
  • Olive oil helps prevent the beans from foaming while they cook.
  • Chopped vegetables like carrots, celery and onion add texture and nutrition to the soup.
  • Crushed or chopped canned tomatoes help make a flavorful broth.
  • Water or vegetable broth also adds the necessary liquid to bring the pot to pressure. Feel free to use chicken broth if you aren’t vegan or vegetarian. See my articles on a substitute for beef broth or chicken base substitute.
  • Skip the seasoning package and use basic seasonings including chili powder, black pepper, and salt.

See the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

process photos with descriptions for instant pot 15 bean soup.

Step One

Rinse and drain your beans and place them in your Instant Pot with the water and oil. The oil will help reduce any foaming that can occur when the beans cook.

Cook the beans for 35 minutes cooking time on high pressure.

New to IP cooking? See my detailed post with Instant Pot directions.

Step Two

Remove the lid and stir in your veggies, crushed tomatoes, and chili powder. Cook the soup for another 3 minutes cook time at high pressure.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes using the natural pressure release, then use the quick release to get rid of any remaining pressure.

Then, remove the lid.

Step Four

Stir in the salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and serve your soup hot.

If you aren’t vegan/vegetarian and want to add extra flavor and protein, you can always feel free to stir in some cooked ham or sausage.

Serve your hearty soup with a salad or crusty bread for a full meal.

I hope you love this instant pot recipe as much as I do. Pressure cooking makes cooking beans from scratch so easy!

two bowls of cooked instant pot 15 bean soup.

Recipe Tips

  • Some bean mixtures come with a seasoning pack. For this recipe, don’t use the seasoning pack. Feel free to add seasonings you like including smoked paprika or cajun seasoning, in addition to the ones I recommend in the recipe.
  • If you aren’t vegan, you can feel free to stir in some chopped cooked ham or sausage at the end to add extra protein and flavor. Or, for my non-vegan friends, you can also cook the beans with ham hocks or a leftover holiday ham bone to add flavor.
  • Store any leftover soup in a covered airtight freezer-safe container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or, freeze up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.

Recipe FAQs 

Do I have to soak dried beans before cooking them in a pressure cooker?

This is a no-soak recipe for cooking the beans. So, you do not need to soak them.

Can I use the seasoning packet that comes with the beans?

You can, but you can also use the seasonings I recommend to avoid too much sodium.

Can I cook dry beans in a slow cooker?

Yes you can! Here is a guide.

What types of beans are in a 15 bean soup blend?

A typical 15 bean soup blend includes a mixture of northern beans, pinto beans, large lima beans, blackeye peas, garbanzo beans, baby lima beans, green split peas, kidney beans, cranberry beans, small white beans, pink beans, small red beans, yellow split peas, lentils, navy beans, white kidney beans, black beans, and yellow eye beans.

bowl of cooked bean soup with a spoon in it.

More Healthy Instant Pot Recipes You Might Like

Or, check out my round-up of the best Instant Pot Soups, Chilis, & Stews!

What to Serve with 15 Bean Soup

Instant Pot Spanish Rice (4-Ingredients)

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cornbread Recipe

Buckwheat Bread Without Yeast (Gluten-Free)

Is Pita Bread Healthy (From A Nutritionist)?

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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bowl of bean soup with a spoon

Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup (Vegan & Vegetarian)

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5 from 1 review

Print Recipe

On a cold winter’s day, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of soup. This Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup is the perfect no-soak recipe that you can make in a fraction of the time in the pressure cooker compared to the stovetop. Vegan, gluten-free, and so delicious.

  • Total Time: 75 minutes
  • Yield: 8

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 20–ounce package 15 dry bean mixture
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 cups filtered water
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 15–ounce can crushed tomatoes, with the juices
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain the beans in a fine-mesh colander. Pick through them to remove any debris.
  2. Pour the beans into a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot.
  3. Add the olive oil and water.
  4. Lock on the lid and set the time to 35 minutes at high pressure. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes. Use the quick-release to get rid of any remaining pressure, and then carefully remove the lid.
  5. Stir in the chopped onion, carrots, celery, crushed tomatoes, and chili powder.
  6. Lock on the lid and set the time to 3 minutes at high pressure.
  7. When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes. Use the quick-release to get rid of any remaining pressure, and then carefully remove the lid.
  8. Stir in the sea salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.
  9. Serve hot.

Notes

  1. Some bean mixtures come with a seasoning pack. For this recipe, do not use the seasoning pack.
  2. If you aren’t vegan, you can feel free to stir in some chopped cooked ham or sausage at the end to add extra protein and flavor.
  3. Store any leftover soup in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or, freeze up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
  • Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: Healthy
  • Diet: Vegan

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
  • Calories: 295
  • Sugar: 5.5 g
  • Sodium: 440.4 mg
  • Fat: 2.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 52.1 g
  • Fiber: 13.1 g
  • Protein: 16.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.