Black Bean Soup

You’ll love this black bean soup recipe because of its rich and hearty taste, spicy and smokey notes, and creamy texture.

Also, did we mention is ridiculously easy to prepare? After making a quick flavor base with onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and adding some cumin, broth, black beans, and tomatoes, the soup will take care of itself.

Let it simmer for about 25 minutes, and you’ll be rewarded with an incredible combination of flavors and aromas.

The black beans shine in this dish. They add a bold, earthy, and almost meaty flavor, and they pack the recipe with protein, fiber, and antioxidants that will make you feel nourished and healthy.

One ingredient that we list as optional is chipotle powder (which is our new obsession), but If you like spicy and smokey food, you’ve got to try it here; your taste buds will eternally thank you!

Chipotle powder is chili powder made from smoked and dried jalapeño peppers. It has a smoky, sweet, barbeque-y, and spicy flavor that adds incredible depth and heat to this black bean soup.

Chipotle or not, this soup is a winning recipe, and we are thrilled for you to try it. Let us know what you think in the comments below 🙂

Flavor base

You’ll need olive oil, carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. Finely chopped or blitzed up in a food processor and gently cooked in olive oil, these veggies will give your black bean soup a full, round flavor.

Herbs and spices

We recommend bay leaves and ground cumin; they are meant to go with black beans.

Optionally, add some chipotle powder for a mouthwatering smokey, and spicy flavor.

We list this as optional because you might not have it in your pantry; however, chipotle powder is the way to go if you want to make the best black bean soup.

Alternatively, you can use Chipotle in adobo sauce. They come in a can, and one Chipotle is enough.

You can substitute a combination of smoked paprika and chili powder to get a somewhat similar smokey and spicy flavor.

Black beans

We use canned black beans to make the recipe as a weeknight dinner.

If you want to use dry black beans, add more broth and let the soup simmer for about one to one and a half hours.

Dry black beans don’t require overnight soaking; let them simmer with the other ingredients until tender.

Broth

We use low-sodium vegetable broth to keep the recipe vegetarian and vegan. However, other broth, including chicken broth, works well in this recipe.

Tomatoes

We recommend canned diced tomatoes. However, you can also use other canned tomatoes, including whole canned peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, and fire-roasted tomatoes.

Salt and Pepper

Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Lime

Freshly squeezed lime juice is a must in this recipe because it adds a splash of acidity and freshness, allowing the other flavors to come out.

We like to add the lime juice at the very end once the soup is in the bowl. This way, the fragrant lime aroma won’t be cooked away.

Optional Toppings

• Cilantro or fresh coriander, flat-leaf parsley, or oregano (strongly recommended).
• Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole (strongly recommended).
• Pico de Gallo or salsa.
• Tortilla chips.
• Sour cream or vegan sour cream.
• Jalapeños or hot sauce.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm up the olive oil, add coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot, and fry them gently for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add pressed or grated garlic, cumin, chipotle powder, and fry for one more minute or until you smell their fragrant aroma.

Add vegetable broth, drained and rinsed black beans, canned tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper, stir, cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then crack the top open and simmer on medium heat for about 25 minutes.

To make the soup extra creamy, blend 1 to 2 cups with an immersion blender.

Give it a final stir, taste, and adjust for salt and spices.

Serve in bowls, topped with fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime juice.

Note: the lime juice is essential to have the best flavor.

Serve this soup as a main dish with a variety of toppings, such as:

• Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole.
• Cashew sour cream, regular sour cream, or plain yogurt.
• Jalapeños or a splash of hot sauce.
• Tortilla chips or toasted tortilla.
• A dollop of salsa or pico de Gallo.

You can pair it with a side of fresh bread:

• Homemade flatbread
• Rosemary focaccia
• Tomato Bruschetta
• Garlic and oil naan bread
• homemade pita bread

Make ahead: our black bean soup recipe is excellent to make ahead and for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge for days, and its flavor improves on the second day. So go ahead and make a big batch so you have it ready for the week.

Refrigerator: let it cool down, transfer it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for four days. Reheat only the portions you’ll eat in a microwave for 3 minutes or in a pot on the stove.

Freezer: let the soup cool down, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator or the microwave.

More black bean recipes

Check out our easy, healthy, and delicious black bean recipes:

• Black bean salad (roasted sweet potatoes, bell pepper, avocado, corn, red onion, etc.)
• Breakfast burritos (tofu, black beans, turmeric, onion, garlic, bell pepper, etc.)
• Sweet potato hash (black beans, onion, garlic, cumin, scallions, sweet potatoes, etc.)
• Microwave sweet potato (sweet potato, corn, black beans, sour cream, cilantro, etc.)

Want more easy, healthy, and tasty soups? Here are some of our favorites:

• Lentil vegetable soup (lentils, carrot, onion, garlic, turmeric, spinach, canned tomatoes, etc.)
• Vegetable soup (white beans, cauliflower, potato, cauliflower, green beans, onion, garlic, etc.)
• Kale soup (dinosaur kale, white beans, canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, etc.)
• Tuscan bean soup (celery, carrot, leek, tomato paste, chard, cabbage, white beans, etc.)
• Chickpea soup (potato, onion, celery, carrot, chickpeas, rosemary, leek, etc.)

For more curries, stews, and soups, check out our soups category page.