Instant Pot Cranberry Bean Soup

YKGrub · Jul 2026 · Serves 2-4 · Instant Pot · For pre-soaked beans

Base Ingredients

Cranberry beans (borlotti), pre-soaked
Broth or water, enough to cover beans by 1–2"
Oil, diced onion/carrot/celery, garlic (optional flavor base)
Bay leaf, thyme, or a Parmesan rind (optional aromatics)
Salt, to taste

Method

1. Build a flavor base (optional)

Sauté mode: oil, diced onion, carrot, celery, garlic — a few minutes until softened.

2. Add beans and liquid

Add soaked beans, broth/water to cover by 1–2", and any aromatics (bay leaf, thyme, parm rind).

3. Pressure cook

HIGH pressure, 7–9 minutes. Since the beans are already soaked, this is fast — err toward 7 min if you want beans to hold their shape in the soup, 9 min if you want them soft and starting to break down for a thicker broth.

4. Release

Natural release 10–15 min, then quick-release any remaining pressure.

5. Finish

Taste and season with salt now — salting before cooking can toughen the skins slightly. Simmer uncovered a few minutes on Sauté to adjust consistency.

Soaked beans are in the fast lane — no need to treat them like a tough unsoaked grain/legume. This is a base method: add greens, sausage, tomato, or a soffritto to turn it into a full soup depending on what's on hand.