Instant Pot Portuguese bean soup is Hawai’i comfort food at its finest. Hearty, tomato based soup filled with smoked ham hock, Portuguese sausage, kidney beans, and veggies. The perfect soup to feed your family.
Portuguese food has been a large part of Hawaiian style cuisine. Everything from Portuguese sweet bread to malasadas and of course Portuguese bean soup.
Many Portuguese immigrants traveled to Hawai’i in the late 1800s and early 1900s to work on the plantations and along with them they brought their delicious foods.
If you grew up in Hawai’i odds are you have had Portuguese bean soup at some point in your life. Every family has their own take on this classic Hawaiian style dish. And if you’ve never tried it you’re in luck because you’ve come to the right spot to learn how to make it.
What is Portuguese bean soup?
Portuguese bean soup is a popular soup in Hawai’i. Hearty, tomato based soup filled with smoked ham hock, Portuguese sausage, kidney beans, and veggies make up this classic comfort food.
The old school way to make this is low and slow in a large pot on the stove, however you can also make this in the Instant Pot and achieve the same delicious flavor and tenderness.
The Instant Pot has taken household kitchens by storm. It is an electric pressure cooker that helps cut down on cooking time and has been a game changer for many.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Portuguese bean soup
- Smoked ham hocks
- Portuguese sausage
- Ham
- Dark red kidney beans
- Water
- Tomato sauce
- Celery
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Onion
- Macaroni
- Watercress
What size Instant Pot do I need for this recipe?
This Instant Pot Portuguese bean soup will fill a 6 quart Instant Pot. If you have an 8 quart this will easily fit. If you happen to have a 3 quart you can cut the recipe in half.
What goes well with Portuguese Bean soup?
You can’t have a bowl of Portuguese bean soup without a side of sweet bread. You can also enjoy it over some sticky white rice or alongside some soda crackers for dipping.
How long does it take to make this soup?
Traditional bean soup takes a few hours to make, but you can make this in the Instant Pot in under an hour.
How to store Instant Pot Portuguese bean soup?
Once completely cooled, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. This will keep for 3 to 4 days.
How to reheat Portuguese bean soup?
This soup can be easily heated over the stove top or in the microwave. You can also reheat in the Instant Pot for a minute or so. Be sure not to leave it in the Instant Pot for too long when reheating or your potatoes and veggies will become mushy.
Can you freeze Instant Pot Portuguese bean soup?
One of the best things about this recipe is you can easily freeze the leftovers. Make a large pot and freeze whatever else you do not eat right away. Simply place in a zip top, freezer safe bag and store for 3-6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as above.
Tips and Tricks
- If you are finding that the pot is too full once it’s time to add the potatoes and veggies, remove the ham hock and set aside while the veggies cook down. Return the ham hock to the pot after the soup has finished.
- Ham hock is packed with flavor for this soup. There is meat on the ham hock that can be scrapped from the bone once cooking has completed and added to the soup.
- You can replace watercress with cabbage or any other leafy green vegetable that you wish.
- If you like your beans more firm add them with 10 minutes left of cook time.
How to make Instant Pot Portuguese bean soup?
- Set Instant Pot to simmer. Then add water and tomato sauce and stir to combine.
- Next add ham hock, Portuguese sausage, ham, kidney beans.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 35 minutes. Once complete, turn the knob to venting and allow quick release. If the soup begins to sputter out of the vent control release by slowly letting out pressure for a second or two at a time.
- Once the pin has dropped and the pressure has released add celery, potatoes, carrots, onion, macaroni.
- Place the lid back on and set the valve to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once cooking has completed, quick release. As with before controlled release as needed.
- Remove the lid and add in watercress. Stir to combine and enjoy!
Instant Pot Portuguese Bean Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 frozen smoked ham hocks
- 1 5 ounce mild Portuguese sausage
- 1/2 pound ham
- 1 15.5 ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained
- 6 cups water
- 4 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 small potatoes diced
- 3 diced carrots
- 1/2 round onion diced
- 1 cup uncooked macaroni
- 1 cup chopped watercress
- 6 quart Instant Pot or larger
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute. Then add water and tomato sauce and stir to combine.
- Next add ham hock, Portuguese sausage, ham, kidney beans.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 35 minutes. Once complete, turn the knob to venting and allow quick release. If the soup begins to sputter out of the vent control release by slowly letting out pressure for a second or two at a time.
- Once the pin has dropped and the pressure has released add celery, potatoes, carrots, onion, macaroni.
- Place the lid back on and set the valve to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Once cooking has completed, quick release. As with before controlled release as needed.
- Remove the lid and add in watercress. Stir to combine and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
© Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!
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My family and I doubled the recipe so we could have leftovers. The flavor is on point! So easy and fast to make, it made the soup even better! Highly recommend!
Thank you for helping me tweak the cooking instructions for crock pot use! It came out sooo yummy, gona make it again soon(:
Thanks for this recipe! It tastes just like I was cooking for hours but it’s so easy with the instant pot!!! Now I can make Portuguese bean soup more often.
This was so easy to make and my family loved it. The only thing is that i need a bigger instant pot.. lol
So great to hear. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Mahalo for sharing.
Aloha,
I’ve never made this recipe, but would love to try. Would I be able to make this in a crock pot?
Mahalo nui loa for these amazing recipes. I’ve made a few so far, and hands down, delicious!!
Aloha Kapua. I’ve never made it in the CrockPot, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. If you give it a try let me know. Have a great day.
Aloha!
Step 3 in recipe says 35 minutes but video shows 15 minutes. Just checking before I start the recipe.
Mahalo in advance!
Aloha Amber. I apologize for the error. It should be 35min if you want the meat to fall off the bone on the hamhock. If you just want to flavor the broth then you can do the 15min. Mahalo.