This easy black beans and turkey kielbasa recipe has become a staple in our home year round – it is so incredibly flavorful, works great as a meal or a side dish, and reheats beautifully. But, is it a soup or is it a chili? What’s great is you get to choose! If you’re like me, you’ll go with the best of both worlds. I like to serve it as a soup the first day and then remove some of the liquid and have a hearty chili for leftovers.

I make this in my Instant Pot and it is so incredibly easy to prepare. Luckily, there is no need to soak the dried black beans, and once you brown and remove the kielbasa, just add the rest of the ingredients to the pressure cooker and let it work its magic. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can substitute the dried beans with 5 or 6 cans of drained and rinsed black beans and cook (along with the kielbasa) in a large pot on the stovetop for a couple of hours to let the flavors meld.

Ingredients (Makes approximately 8 servings)

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (13 oz.) package turkey kielbasa, cut into a small dice
• 1 pound dry black beans, rinsed and picked over
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced small
• 1 medium red bell pepper with membranes and seeds removed, diced small
• 1 large jalapeño pepper, diced small
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock or water, or a combination of both
• 1 (16 oz.) jar salsa verde
• 1 (15 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ medium lime, juiced
• Green tabasco sauce, to taste
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Garnish with your choice of diced avocado, fresh cilantro, red onions, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, etc.

Preparation (these instructions are specifically for the Instant Pot – settings for other brands of pressure cookers may differ slightly)

Using the sauté feature on your pressure cooker, heat the olive oil, add the kielbasa, and cook until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the kielbasa from the pot.

Add black beans, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, garlic, stock, salsa verde, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, lime juice, green tabasco sauce, and salt and pepper to your pressure cooker, stirring to combine. Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”.

Press “Manual” and then “Pressure” until the light on “High Pressure” lights up, then set the time to 38 minutes and cook.

Allow the cooker to naturally release and, after 20 minutes, carefully turn the vent to “Venting” and wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped (follow the instructions for your particular pressure cooker for this step).  Remove the lid, add the kielbasa, and give the beans a good stir.

Taste and season with extra salt and pepper as needed. Add water (if needed) for a “soupy” texture, or remove some of the liquid for a heartier chili.

This goes great with tortilla chips and my homemade guacamole, as a side to my cheesy chicken enchiladas, or as a side to my cheesy chicken enchiladas.

Enjoy!

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!