Instant Pot Black Bean Soup

soup instant pot bacon red onion carrot garlic chipotle chile adobo oregano cumin black beans lime juice sour cream chips cilantro lime

Carla Lalli Music

8–10 servings

Source

Ingredients

8 oz. slab or thick-cut bacon, cut into ¼" pieces

1 large red onion

2 medium carrots, scrubbed, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, smashed

2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more

3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, sliced crosswise, liquid reserved, plus 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Sour cream, corn chips, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges (for serving)

An Instant Pot or pressure cooker

Method

Cook bacon in Instant Pot on Sauté setting, stirring occasionally, until browned and most of the fat is released, 6–8 minutes. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook bacon over medium-high heat.)

Meanwhile, cut onion into quarters; set one quarter aside. Coarsely chop remaining onion. Add chopped onion, carrots, and garlic to Instant Pot, season with a big pinch of salt, and cook on Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but haven’t taken on color, 6–8 minutes.

Add chiles along with their liquid, adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin to Instant Pot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans, 2 tsp. salt, and 2 quarts water. Lock lid and cook soup at high pressure 20 minutes. Release pressure manually. Taste soup and season with more salt if needed.

Meanwhile, thinly slice reserved onion and transfer to a small bowl. Add lime juice and remaining ½ tsp. salt. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until ready to use.

Using an immersion blender, purée soup in pot until smooth (or, working in batches, purée with a regular blender).

Divide soup among bowls. Top with sour cream, corn chips, cilantro, and drained pickled onions. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.