White Bean Soup Instant Pot
Instant pot white bean soup is the perfect comfort food. This vegan tsucan white bean soup is packed with flavor and is so easy to make! Everything gets made in the instant pot in about 30 minutes. There is also an option to use dried beans (no soaking required).
Why you will love this recipe
- Full of flavor, simple ingredients – this healthy instant pot white bean soup is so easy to make and packed with flavor. You can find all the ingredients in your normal grocery store and the prep for this dish is minimal.
- Pantry ingredients – this recipe is great when you haven’t had time to go to the store and just have a few pantry ingredients on hand. Beans, canned tomatoes, and whatever veggies you have on hand.
- Great for leftovers – this thick, creamy white bean soup made in the instant pot is even better the next day. Perfect for meal prep on the weekends, it’s also freezer friendly!
- Mostly hands off cooking – the recipe calls for sauteing the veggies before adding the rest of the ingredients, and that only takes a few minutes of time. You can allow this to naturally release or manually release the pressure depending on how quickly you have to get dinner on the table. Great recipe for busy nights when you need to walk away and let the instant pot do it’s thing.
Ingredients
- Veggies: Carrots, celery, onion, garlic – these aromatic veggies add so much flavor to the recipe and are almost always in the fridge/pantry. I recommend taking a few minutes to saute at least the onion and garlic to help mellow out their flavors before adding the rest of the ingredients. Check out my tips below on how to quickly chop all these veggies.
- Tomato paste – tomato paste helps add a layer of depth and flavor to the soup.
- Balsamic vinegar – balsamic vinegar helps to cut through that canned tomato taste and helps to mellow out the acidity from the tomatoes.
- Vegetable broth – use whatever your favorite vegetable broth (or chicken stock for non-vegan/vegetarian). Broth helps to add a ton of flavor without spending hours on the stove.
- Spices – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt – these all help to add flavor and enhance the other veggies. You could also use herbs de provence in place of the Italian seasoning.
- Canned white bean (or dried white beans + water) – to make this as approachable as possible, I wrote this recipe using both canned beans and dried white beans. I know cooking dried beans can be intimidating and a bit more time consuming, so I wrote the recipe with canned beans since I always have those in the pantry.
- Diced tomatoes (canned) – diced tomatoes help to add texture to soup while also adding some extra liquid to the broth. Be sure to add the tomatoes last and do not stir the soup once you add them to help avoid the burn notice.
- Spinach (or kale) – add in fresh or frozen spinach or kale at the end for a pop of color and another veggie.
How to make instant pot white bean soup
Start by chopping your veggies and finely chopping the garlic. A tip on chopping veggies is to use a small food processor and process the veggies together until they are finely chopped but not liquid. This helps cut down on prep time!
Turn the instant pot on saute mode and after 1-2 minutes, spray the insert with avocado oil or olive oil spray and add the veggies. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent.
Cancel the instant pot to turn off saute mode. Add the tomato paste, italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder.
Add ½ cup of the vegetable broth and scrape the bottom of the instant pot insert to ensure there are no stuck on pieces (as they will cause a burn notice when you are trying to bring the soup up to pressure).
Once you are sure there are not stuck on pieces on the bottom, add the rest of the vegetable broth and balsamic vinegar and stir well.
Rinse and drain the beans from the can (or rinse off dried beans) and add the beans to the pot. If you are using dried beans, add 4 cups of water as well.
Pour the diced tomatoes over the top and do not stir. Put the lid on.
Turn on high pressure for 1 minute. If you are using dried beans, you will want to turn on high pressure for 30 minutes.
Once the instant pot has come up to pressure and cooked, allow it to naturally release pressure at least 10 minutes (20 minutes for dried beans) before manually releasing pressure. Typically, I just allow the pressure to naturally release.
Once the pressure has been released, remove the lid. You will want to blend about ½ of the soup to make it thick and creamy. I use an immersion blender but you could also carefully ladle about ½ the soup into a blender (be careful it’s very hot) and blend until smooth. If you are using the blender, be sure to keep the top open but covered with a cloth. This ensures that the steam can escape but the hole is covered so you don’t get soup on the ceiling. Add the soup from the blender back to the instant pot.
Add the spinach or kale and stir well. The spinach/kale will naturally wilt with the heat from the soup.
Serve hot (allow to cool slightly it’s very hot from the instant pot).
Top tips
- Use a food processor to quickly chop veggies – I have found the easiest way to chop veggies quickly is to cut them into small chunks and toss them in my small food processor attachment that came with the immersion blender. Process just until finely chopped but not liquified.
- Be sure to scrape the bottom of the instant pot to avoid burn notice. Often onions/garlic can stick to the bottom of the instant pot when sauteing. It’s best to use about ½ cup of the broth plus a wooden spoon to help release any stuck-on veggies. Veggies stuck to the bottom of the pot will create a burn notice and they are much harder to get unstuck when there are other ingredients in the pot.
- Add tomatoes last and do not stir to avoid burn notice. Sometimes tomatoes can get stuck to the bottom of the pot and cause a burn notice. If you add them carefully at the end without stirring, this can help avoid that burn notice.
- Use an immersion blender to blend your soup in the bowl to avoid messes with blending hot liquids.
- If using a blender, be sure to practice safe methods when blending hot liquids. This means leaving the top open to allow steam to escape while also covering the hole with a cloth (breathable) so you don’t get soup all over your kitchen.
- If you are using dried beans, be sure to rinse them before adding them to the pot. Also you will want to add 4 cups of water as well + 1 tsp salt (extra) to help cook the beans/flavor the soup.
What to serve with Tuscan white bean soup
- Almond flour corn bread or your favorite crusty bread
- Almond flax crackers or pumpkin seed crackers
- Lentil flatbread
- Salad with creamy Italian dressing
- Serve this soup over jasmine rice or quinoa to make it even more filling
Common questions
Short on time tips
- Use the food processor or buy store bought chopped veggies. Many stores sell tubs of chopped onions, carrots and celery. You can also chop the veggies ahead of time.
- Don’t bother sauteing the veggies. The soup will still turn out delicious, I just like to cook the onions/garlic a few minutes to help mellow out the flavors from these veggies. You could also omit the onions and garlic and use 2 tbsp onion flakes + 1 tsp. garlic flakes.
- Use canned beans. Be sure to rinse and drain them from their canning liquid.
- Manually release pressure right after cooking (be sure to cover the steam valve with a towel and keep your hands away from it – use a spoon to trigger the release – as liquid and spurt out when manually releasing right away).
Getting a burn notice?
There are 2 reasons you may be getting a burn notice when making this soup
- You sauteed the veggies but didn’t scrape down the bottom with broth before adding the rest of the veggies. Anytime you saute in the instant pot, be sure to scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon + liquid to get off any stuck pieces. They will cause a burn notice when cooking under pressure.
- You stirred in the tomatoes and they got stuck on the bottom causing a burn notice.
How to use dried beans to make white bean soup
Follow the same instructions above except when you go to add the beans, rinse the dry beans and add them to the pot along with 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. The extra salt is needed because the beans absorb so much liquid/flavor when cooking.
Turn the instant pot on high pressure for 30 minutes, and allow the instant pot to naturally release pressure at least 20 minutes before manually releasing pressure (if needed).
What are the best beans to use
Any white bean will work in this recipe: cannellini, great northern white beans or navy beans.
For dry soaked beans, I have had great success with navy beans but you could also cannellini or great northern white beans as well.
What if you don’t have a blender?
If you don’t have a blender or an immersion blender on hand, you can reserve about 1/2-1 cup of beans and mash them with a fork in a bowl. Add the mashed beans to the instant pot and follow the directions as stated. They will help thicken the soup as it cooks.
Storing leftovers in fridge and freezer
- Fridge: You can store leftover instant pot white bean soup in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container. Allow soup to cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container. The best way to freeze this soup is to use Soupercubes – which are silicone freezer containers that range from ½ cup to 2 cups. I like to freeze soup in the 1 cup or 2 cup containers. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag and be sure to indicate the name of recipe, date and use by date.
- Reheating the soup: reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warm. If frozen, allow to defrost in the fridge or reheat from frozen using the microwave and a stove (with a lid).
Substitutions
- Veggies – you can omit any of the veggies you don’t have on hand. If you don’t have onion, you could try leeks or green onion. For garlic you can add more garlic powder (1 tsp).
- Tomato paste – tomato paste helps to add umami and rich flavor to the soup. You could add 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos in place of the tomato paste if you don’t have any.
- Balsamic vinegar – I love balsamic vinegar paired with tomato based sauces. You could also use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in place of the balsamic.
- Vegetable broth – you can use vegetable broth, vegetable stock, chicken broth or chicken stock. I prefer no added sodium stock so that I can control the salt. If you don’ have a low sodium stock, you may want to wait to add salt until after the soup is done cooking. In a pinch you can use water but the end result will not be as flavorful.
- Canned or dry white beans – you could also use lentils, black beans or kidney beans in place of the white beans.
- Spinach or kale (fresh or frozen) – this is 100% optional and if you don’t have it or don’t love adding green veggies to your soup you can omit this step.
If you love soup, you should try
- Spicy White Bean Stew
- Butter Bean Stew
- Vegan Minestrone Soup
- Pasta Fagioli Soup
- Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Vegan Rice Soup
- Frozen Vegetable Soup
- Mushroom Soup
- Mediterranean Vegetable Soup
- Vegan Gnocchi Soup
Vegan Tuscan White Bean Soup (Instant Pot)
$6.73 Recipe/$1.68 ServingIngredients
- 1 medium yellow onion - $0.33
- 3 medium carrots - $0.22
- 4 medium celery stalks - $0.50
- 2 cloves garlic, minced - $0.25
- 2 cups vegetable broth (no added salt) - $1.00
- 1 tbsp tomato paste - $0.08
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar - $0.31
- 2 tsp italian seasoning - $0.20
- 1 tsp sea salt - $0.05
- 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
- 2 cans white beans (15 oz. cans) - $1.10
- 28 oz diced tomatoes - $1.59
- 2 cups baby spinach (or kale) - $1.00
Instructions
- Chop the onions, carrots and celery (you can use a food processor to make this quick) and finely mince the garlic.
- Turn the instant pot on saute mode. After 1-2 minutes, spray it with avocado oil or olive oil and add the chopped veggies. Cook 4-5 minutes until onions are starting to soften.
- Add the tomato paste, italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder to the veggies and stir well.
- Add 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth and scrape the bottom of the instant pot, ensuring nothing is stuck (use a wooden spoon).
- Add the rest of the broth and balsamic vinegar, stir well.
- Rinse and drain the white beans from the can (or rinse dry white beans) and add them to the instant pot. If adding dry white beans, add 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt as well.
- Add the diced tomatoes to the top and do not stir.
- Put on the lid and set to high pressure, 1 minute cook time for canned beans. If using dried beans, set to high pressure for 30 minutes.
- After the instant pot has come up to pressure and cooked, allow it to naturally release at least 10 minutes (20 minutes for dried beans).
- Once the pressure has been released, take off the lid. Blend 1/2 of the soup with an immersion blender or transfer 1/2 the soup to a blender and blend on high.
- Add the spinach (or kale) to the soup and stir well.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Notes
- Use the food processor or buy store bought chopped veggies. Many stores sell tubs of chopped onions, carrots and celery. You can also chop the veggies ahead of time.
- Don’t bother sauteing the veggies. The soup will still turn out delicious, I just like to cook the onions/garlic a few minutes to help mellow out the flavors from these veggies. You could also omit the onions and garlic and use 2 tbsp onion flakes + 1 tsp. garlic flakes.
- Use canned beans. Be sure to rinse and drain them from their canning liquid.
- Manually release pressure right after cooking (be sure to cover the steam valve with a towel and keep your hands away from it – use a spoon to trigger the release – as liquid and spurt out when manually releasing right away).
- You sauteed the veggies but didn’t scrape down the bottom with broth before adding the rest of the veggies. Anytime you saute in the instant pot, be sure to scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon + liquid to get off any stuck pieces. They will cause a burn notice when cooking under pressure.
- You stirred in the tomatoes and they got stuck on the bottom causing a burn notice.
- Fridge: You can store leftover instant pot white bean soup in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container. Allow soup to cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container. The best way to freeze this soup is to use Soupercubes – which are silicone freezer containers that range from ½ cup to 2 cups. I like to freeze soup in the 1 cup or 2 cup containers. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag and be sure to indicate the name of recipe, date and use by date.
- Reheating the soup: reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warm. If frozen, allow to defrost in the fridge or reheat from frozen using the microwave and a stove (with a lid).
Delish as my husband likes thick soups
This soup is hearty and delicious.