Black Bean Soup
Black bean soup turns a few cans of beans into dinner: the beans simmer with onion, carrot, celery, red pepper, garlic, cumin and smoked paprika, then half the pot is blended so the soup goes thick and creamy without any cream, with plenty of whole beans left in. Lime juice and cilantro go in at the end to brighten the earthy beans. It takes under an hour with canned beans, or you can start from 450 g of dried beans, and it freezes for 3 months.
Published
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Cook Time
- 40 mins
- Total Time
- 55 mins
- Servings
- 6 servings
How do you make Black Bean Soup?
Soften a diced onion, carrots, celery and red pepper in 2 tbsp olive oil for 8-10 minutes, then stir in garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and tomato paste. Add 3 drained cans of black beans and 1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Blend half the soup, then stir in lime juice and cilantro. It takes 55 minutes and freezes for 3 months.
- Total time
- 55 mins
- Calories
- 300 per serving
- Protein
- 15.5 g
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Simmering
Ingredients
To serve
Equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven (5 litre or larger) · Colander or sieve · Wooden spoon · Immersion blender or countertop blender · Ladle
Quick Directions
Soften the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Toast the garlic and spices
Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Simmer
Add the black beans, broth, bay leaves, the rest of the salt and the pepper, and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Blend half the soup
Remove the bay leaves.
Finish and serve
Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Every step for making black bean soup, written out in full.
Soften the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, red pepper and jalapeño, if using, with a pinch of the salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent and the carrots are starting to soften.
Toast the garlic and spices
Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Simmer
Add the black beans, broth, bay leaves, the rest of the salt and the pepper, and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the carrots are completely tender.
Blend half the soup
Remove the bay leaves. Blend about half of the soup: either pulse an immersion blender in the pot a few times, leaving plenty of whole beans, or ladle about 1 litre (4 cups) into a countertop blender, in batches if needed. If you use a countertop blender, fill it no more than half full, remove the centre cap from the lid and cover the hole with a folded kitchen towel so steam can escape, and blend until smooth, then stir it back into the pot. This takes 2-3 minutes.
Finish and serve
Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Taste and add more salt or lime if needed, and loosen the soup with a splash of water or broth if it is thicker than you like. Ladle into bowls and top with avocado, pico de gallo, pumpkin seeds and extra cilantro.
Recipe Tips
- To use dried beans: soak 450 g (1 lb, about 2 1/3 cups) dried black beans overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain, cover with fresh water by about 5 cm, bring to a full boil and boil for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for 50-80 minutes more, until creamy all the way through. Drain them; you will have about 6 cups, the same as 3 cans. Cooked dried beans have no added salt, so you will likely need about 1/2 tsp more salt in the soup.
- Rinse canned beans well in a sieve. The canning liquid is starchy and salty and can make the soup taste flat and muddy.
- Blending only half the pot gives a thick, creamy base with whole beans in it. Blend all of it for a smooth soup, or mash some beans against the side of the pot with a potato masher if you do not have a blender.
- Add the lime juice at the end. Heat dulls it, and its acidity is what keeps the beans from tasting heavy.
- The soup thickens as it stands and again in the fridge. Thin leftovers with a little water or broth when you reheat them.
Variations
- Spicier: add 1 chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce with the tomato paste. Check the label if you need it gluten-free.
- Sweet potato: add 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes, with the broth and simmer until tender.
- Greens: stir in 2 handfuls of baby spinach or chopped kale in the last 2 minutes of simmering.
- Toppings: dollop with plain dairy-free yogurt, crumble over corn tortilla chips, or add quick-pickled red onion.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 300 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15.5 g |
| Carbs | 49.5 g |
| Fat | 5.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.9 g |
| Fibre | 15.8 g |
| Sugar | 6.3 g |
| Sodium | 730 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months, leaving about 2 cm of space at the top of each container. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Reheat in a pot over medium heat, stirring and adding a splash of water or broth, or in the microwave, until steaming hot and 74°C (165°F) in the centre.
Black Bean Soup FAQs
Can I make black bean soup with dried beans?
Yes. 450 g (1 lb) dried black beans gives about 6 cups cooked, the same as three 540 ml (19 oz) cans. Soak them overnight, drain, cover with fresh water, boil for 10 minutes, then simmer for 50-80 minutes more until creamy inside. Drain and use them in place of the canned beans, adding about 1/2 tsp more salt to taste.
Do I have to blend black bean soup?
No, but blending about half of it gives a thick, creamy soup that still has whole beans. You can blend all of it for a smooth soup, or skip the blender and mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a potato masher.
How do I thicken black bean soup?
Blend more of the soup, mash some beans against the side of the pot, or simmer it uncovered for another 10-15 minutes so some of the liquid cooks off. It also thickens noticeably as it cools.
Is black bean soup vegan and gluten-free?
This recipe is both. Beans, vegetables, spices and olive oil are naturally vegan and gluten-free, but check that your vegetable broth is labelled gluten-free, since some contain wheat. To keep it vegan, top it with avocado, pico de gallo or pumpkin seeds rather than sour cream or cheese.
Can you freeze black bean soup?
Yes. Cool it, portion it into airtight containers with about 2 cm of space at the top and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove until steaming hot, 74°C (165°F), adding water or broth since it thickens in the freezer.
How much protein and fibre is in black bean soup?
Each of 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups, has roughly 300 calories, 15.5 g protein and 16 g fibre, almost all of it from the beans, before any toppings.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
