Black Bean Soup

This black bean soup is a zesty blend of beans and vegetables, simmered together to make a thick and hearty meal. Add your favorite toppings and you’ll have an easy and healthy dinner option that’s sure to get rave reviews!

I love a hot bowl of soup on a cold day. Some of my favorite soup recipes include chicken and rice soup, cabbage soup and this simple yet satisfying black bean soup.

My local Mexican restaurant makes the best black bean soup. I decided to recreate the recipe at home with great success! This soup is thick with plenty of beans and veggies, and I love serving it with a little sour cream, cheese and tortilla strips on top.

How do you make black bean soup?

Start by cooking together onions, garlic, red bell peppers and jalapeno peppers. Once the veggies are tender, add a variety of spices to the pot along with canned black beans and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove half of the soup and puree it in a blender or food processor. Return the puree to the pot; this will help thicken the soup. Next, stir in some lime juice and cilantro for a bright and fresh flavor. Add your favorite toppings, then serve and enjoy.

Tips for the perfect soup

• I use canned beans for this recipe because this way it can be on the table in about 45 minutes. If you’d prefer to use dry beans, use one pound of rinsed and soaked beans and 6 cups broth. Cook for 60 to 90 minutes or until beans are softened.
• This soup stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days which makes it great for meal prep. Black bean soup can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge, then reheat on medium heat on the stove top.
• Use whatever Mexican style toppings you enjoy. Some ideas include tortilla strips, avocado, olives, diced tomatoes or pico de gallo, cilantro, sour cream and shredded cheese.
• I remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno before I add it to the soup, which adds a lot of flavor but doesn’t add much in the way of heat. If you want a spicy soup, include some of the seeds and ribs of the pepper.
• Not a fan of cilantro? Use sliced green onions instead.
• To make this soup vegetarian, simply substitute vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Are black beans healthy?

Black beans are loaded with nutrition and make a great addition to any healthy diet. They contain vitamins and minerals including calcium, zinc, potassium, Vitamin B6 and folate. Black beans also contain a lot of fiber and protein, which helps you feel full.

Black bean soup flavor variations

This soup is fabulous as-is, but you can add other ingredients to the recipe to customize the flavors to your tastes.

• Meat: Feel free to add some meat such as ground beef, Mexican chorizo, shredded chicken or bacon.
• Vegetables: You can add other veggies to the soup such as carrots, celery, corn, zucchini or a can of diced tomatoes.
• Beans: I’ve made this soup with a blend of black beans and pinto beans with great results.

Slow Cooker Black Bean soup

This recipe can easily be adapted to work in a crock pot. Saute the vegetables as directed, then place all the soup ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Remove 1 cup of the soup to puree, then stir the puree back into the soup. Add toppings and serve.

This black bean soup is on our regular dinner rotation; I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does!

More soup recipes to savor

• Pasta e Fagioli
• Italian Wedding Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup
• Vegetable Beef Soup
• Chicken Enchilada Soup

Black Bean Soup Video