This ultimate black bean soup recipe is incredibly comforting and takes only 30 minutes to make with simple pantry ingredients, including canned black beans. It's naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
There is something deeply satisfying and comforting about a warm and delicious batch of homemade black bean soup. It's made with simple pantry ingredients, including canned black beans the crushed tomatoes.
This recipe makes a big batch and is easy to make ahead and lasts in the fridge for 4 days, making it the perfect weekday lunch. It happens to be vegan but tastes great topped with crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro, and scooped up with some tortilla chips or No Knead Dutch Oven Bread.
How to make black bean soup
Detailed ingredient measurements, instructions, and notes can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Here is a summary:
1. Cook onions and garlic: In a deep pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute or two until it becomes fragrant.
2. Add bell pepper and spices: Add the bell pepper and stir in the oregano, cumin, pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Saute for 1 minute or until the spices become fragrant.
4. Add remaining ingredients and cook: Add the tomatoes, black beans, vegetable broth, and cilantro. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Puree a portion of the soup: Use an immersion blender to puree a portion of the soup until the desired consistency is reached. Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender to puree. Stir back into the pot and add cilantro and lime juice. Heat the soup uncovered for another 5 minutes.
6. Garnish and serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top with additional toppings and serve.
Storing and reheating
To store: If stored in a glass airtight container in the fridge, the black bean soup will last up to 4 days. Cool completely before storing it in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw and reheat.
To reheat: Reheat in the microwave or stovetop when ready to serve.
Substitutions and variations
This black bean soup is easy to customize based on what you have on hand. The following are a few variations:
- Onion: While the recipe calls for yellow onion, you can also use red onion. If you don't have any onions available, substitute with 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
- Red bell pepper: You can also use green, yellow, or orange bell pepper. If using green, the flavor will alter but will still taste great.
- Tomatoes: The recipe calls for crushed tomatoes, but diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and fresh tomatoes all work. If using fresh tomatoes, add 2 cups of diced tomatoes. Alternatively, use 1 cup of salsa to add a deeper flavor.
- Pepper flakes: Use ¼ teaspoon if you prefer a less spicy flavor or omit completely. Alternatively, use a fresh jalapeno pepper that's been seeded and finely diced.
- Vegetable broth: Any other kind of broth can be used or if you don't have any available, water is fine. However, you may need to adjust the amount of salt.
Other easy Mexican recipes
More easy soup recipes
- Coconut Chickpea Curry
- Red Lentil Curry
- Sweet Potato and Kale Soup
- Vegan Cauliflower Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup
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Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published on April 1, 2020. Since then, it’s been freshened up with new pictures and more details to help you make the recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil, I use avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, adjust if needed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce
- 3 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup cilantry, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
Optional Toppings
- diced avocado
- chopped cilantro
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- queso fresco
Instructions
- Cook onions and garlic: In a deep pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute or two until it becomes fragrant.
- Add bell pepper and spices: Add the bell pepper and stir in the oregano, cumin, pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Saute for 1 minute or until the spices become fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add the tomatoes, black beans, vegetable broth, and cilantro. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Puree a portion of the soup: Use an immersion blender to puree a portion of the soup until the desired consistency is reached. Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender to puree. Stir back into the pot and add cilantro and lime juice. Heat the soup uncovered for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top with additional toppings and serve.
Kaila says
This was delicious. I added habanero salsa and it was exactly what I was craving. I appreciate recipes that serve as a solid base for the kind of dish you want to make but also lend themselves to variation based on whats on hand or what you're craving. It feels like a staple recipe one would learn from a grandma or auntie, and I'm glad to have it in my cooking arsenal now 🙂
Thank you!
Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says
Hi Kaila! I'm so happy to hear. Thank you for sharing!
Andrea Duloc says
Made this with a little variation based on what I had. Fantastic. A solid base recipe for a black bean soup.
Sapana Chandra, MS, CHC says
Thank you, Andrea! I'm glad to hear that you were successful with the tweaks that you made. 🙂