Our Best Black Bean Soup
- PREP 10min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 40min
This quick black bean soup is delicious, and easy to make. It’s also vegetarian and vegan when you use vegetable broth. See our article above for an explanation of chipotles in adobo sauce.
You Will Need
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion (1/2 large onion)
3/4 cup diced carrots (1 large carrot)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lime juice
1/2 to 1 pepper from 7-oz. tin chipotle chiles in adobo or use 2 tablespoons hot sauce, see notes
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, try fire roasted tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock, see our homemade veggie broth
4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed or use 6 cups cooked black beans
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
For serving: Avocado, lime wedges, cilantro, sour cream, cheese
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep pot over medium heat, and then add the onions and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until they have softened slightly and smell sweet, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and cook for for 30 seconds. Add the vinegar, chipotle peppers, can of tomatoes, broth, black beans, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, taste, and then season with salt and pepper.
Simmer the soup until the carrots are tender and the broth reduces slightly, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and the juice from half a lime (or substitute the lime with an additional tablespoon of vinegar).
For a brothy soup (like in our photos and video), serve the soup straight away. For a thicker, more velvety soup, transfer 1/4 of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the blended portion back into the soup and serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce: We use 1/2 to 1 whole pepper, which adds a little heat to the soup. For a spicier soup, add more, but be careful, the peppers do pack a punch. Find canned chipotles in adobo sauce in most grocery stores, usually near hot sauces or enchilada sauces.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. The recipe makes about 10 to 12 cups of soup.
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