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black bean soup with cilantro and cashew cream topping in an orange bowl with lime green napkin

Instant Pot Black Bean Soup with Smoky Cashew Cream

Sam Cooks Kindness
Creamy Black Bean Soup, full of veggies, lime and topped with the most delicious Smoky Cashew Cream Sauce.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Soaking Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cloves garlic minced fine
  • ½ medium sweet onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots chopped
  • 2 ribs celery chopped
  • 2 bell peppers (red is best) deseeded & chopped
  • 1-2 jalapeno, diced deseeded or omitted for less/no spice
  • ½ tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 lb dried black beans soaked overnight, minimum 8 hrs
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • salt & pepper to taste

Topping Ideas

  • Smoky Cashew Cream* recipe below!
  • fresh pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes
  • thinly sliced jalapenos
  • fresh cilantro
  • fresh lime juice

Smoky Cashew Cream

  • ¾ cup raw cashews soaked 8 hrs or boiled 10 minutes till soft
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions
 

Black Bean Soup

  • Soak dry black beans overnight or a minimum of 8 hrs
  • Set Instant Pot to sauté. Add in prepared garlic, onion, celery and carrot. Sauté for about 6-8 minutes until onions begin to look translucent, stirring occasionally. (Add small splashes of water if veggies begin to stick)
  • To instant pot add peppers, jalapenos, spices, soaked and drained black beans and tomato paste and mix to combine. Stir in water and make sure all tomato paste is fully incorporated before pressure cooking.
  • Pressure cook for 8 minutes and allow natural release.
  • When pressure release valve has gone down, use immersion blended to blend soup to desired texture. I prefer mostly smooth with just a little chunkiness left behind. (Can alternatively allow soup to cool a bit more and then carefully blend ¾ of soup in a stand blender)
  • Stir in lime juice, and salt & pepper to taste. Stir in cashew cream (recipe below) or alternatively top each bowl with a dollop individually. Serve with any or all of the optional toppings listed!

Smoky Cashew Cream*

  • Blend all ingredients in a bullet style blender!
    Use as a topping for the soup as you serve, or mix it all directly into the soup before serving.

Notes

*Cashew Substitution- If you have a nut allergy but still prefer a creamy soup, you could stir in 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk as an alternative.
Storage- Soup will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days