Black beans are simmered with warm, smoky spices and veggies in this Black Bean Soup recipe for an easy vegetarian dinner that’s ready in under 45 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings and tortilla chips on the side.
This black bean soup has been a huge hit with the entire family lately. It reminds me a bit of taco soup, minus the meat, with all the warm and smoky spices and the fact that each bowl is piled with toppings. The texture isn’t perfectly smooth and creamy; there’s some texture remaining from the beans and veggies, which I personally love.
It’s become one of my family’s favorite vegetarian soup recipes, right there with Hungarian mushroom soup and roasted carrot soup. I love it because it’s so quick and easy to prepare and everyone else just loves how good it is.
Why This Black Bean Soup Recipe Is So Good
- Quick & easy. From start to finish, it takes less than 45 minutes to get this black bean soup on the table. It’s so easy to just saute the veggies, let everything simmer, and use an immersion blender to get the slightly creamy texture.
- Warm, smoky flavor. This recipe begins with sauteed veggies, including jalapeno, which adds a bit of heat to the soup. Then spices like cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper add even more flavor. It does have a bit of a kick to it, though it can be made milder by skipping the cayenne pepper.
- The toppings! My favorite thing about this black bean soup is that the soup itself is a base that everyone can customize with their favorite toppings. We tend to lean toward taco toppings, with diced avocado, sour cream, etc and the kids love to use tortilla chips to scoop it up, instead of a spoon.
Key Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the veggies, spices, and other ingredients needed to make this soup. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Olive oil – For sauteing the veggies.
- Veggies – Yellow onion, carrot, celery, and jalapeno add flavor to the soup. Everything should be diced into small pieces, with the seeds removed from the jalapeno.
- Spices & aromatics – Minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper add warm, savory flavor to the soup.
- Black beans – I highly recommend low-sodium beans to prevent this soup from being too salty. Be sure to drain and rinse before adding to the soup. You can also soak and cook dried black beans.
- Vegetable broth – While I used vegetable broth to keep this soup vegetarian, chicken broth also works.
- Lime juice – A splash of fresh lime juice helps brighten the flavor of the soup.
- Toppings – Feel free to add as many or as few as you’d like. Some of our favorites are tortilla chips, cilantro, diced red onion, avocado slices, shredded cheese, sour cream, and additional lime wedges.
How To Make Black Bean Soup
Let’s take a look at just how quick and easy this vegetarian soup is to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the veggies. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot, celery, and jalapeno for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
- Add the spices. Stir in the garlic and spices. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Simmer. Add the black beans and broth. Bring the soup to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Blend the soup. Pulse the soup with an immersion blender, leaving some chunks behind. You can also transfer 2 cups of soup to a blender then return it ot the pot.
- Enjoy. Stir in the lime juice. Taste test and adjust the seasonings as needed. Then ladle into bowls with your desired toppings.
Tips for the Best Soup
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this black bean soup, including ways to customize it.
- Adjust the heat. Customize the heat level by adding more or less jalapeño and cayenne pepper. For a non-spicy soup, omit the cayenne and jalapeño.
- Leave some texture. This soup isn’t meant to be completely smooth and pureed. I like to leave some texture of the beans and veggies, so it really only takes a few quick pulses.
- Adjust the consistency. If you prefer a thicker consistency, reduce the broth by 1/2 cup or blend more of the soup. For a thinner consistency, increase the vegetable broth by 1 cup.
- Add more flavor. For extra flavor, add a splash of hot sauce, a pinch of chili powder, or a handful of corn kernels.
Serving Suggestions
One of my favorite things about this soup is that it’s so fun to load up with toppings. We usually make a meal out of it by topping each bowl with some cilantro, diced red onion, avocado slices, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream. I always have extra lime wedges to squeeze on top and tortilla chips to add some crunch.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover black bean soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: This soup freezes well. Let it cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave in 1-minute intervals.
Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 45 ounces black beans low-sodium 3 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Optional Toppings:
- Tortilla chips
- Fresh cilantro chopped
- Diced red onion
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and jalapeño. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the black beans and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine and bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup a few times, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, scoop out about 2 cups of the soup, blend it in a standard blender until smooth, and return it to the pot.
- Stir in the lime juice and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve hot with your choice of toppings, such as tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, diced red onion, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, and lime wedges. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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