Creamy Black Bean Soup (Print Version)

Rich, creamy soup with warming spices and tender black beans—ideal for cozy nights.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans & Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
08 - 4 cups vegetable broth

→ Spices & Seasoning

09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 - Pinch of cayenne pepper

→ Garnishes

17 - Chopped fresh cilantro
18 - Sour cream or vegan yogurt
19 - Sliced avocado
20 - Lime wedges
21 - Diced red onion

# How To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, coriander, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute to activate flavors.
04 - Add black beans, diced tomatoes with juices, and vegetable broth. Stir thoroughly to combine all components.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some beans and vegetables intact for texture. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, or red onion as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The soup thickens beautifully overnight in the fridge, making your second-day lunch even more luxurious than dinner was.
  • Its perfect for those evenings when your wallet is thin but your hunger isnt, delivering restaurant-quality flavor for mere pennies per serving.
02 -
  • Never add acid like tomatoes until your beans are fully cooked or softened from the can, or youll end up with beans that refuse to soften no matter how long you cook them.
  • The soup will continue to thicken as it cools, so if youre planning leftovers, you might want to reserve some additional broth to thin it when reheating.
03 -
  • If using dried beans instead of canned, soak them overnight with a pinch of baking soda which helps them cook more evenly and become incredibly tender.
  • The soup base makes an incredible sauce for enchiladas if reduced a bit further, something I discovered by happy accident when I left the pot simmering too long.
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