Rich Creamy Black Bean Soup (Printable)

A rich, creamy black bean soup with warming spices, ready in 55 minutes for a comforting meal.

# 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, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 - Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

→ Garnishes

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, coriander, salt, pepper, and cayenne if using. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
04 - Add black beans, diced tomatoes with juices, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
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 for a creamy texture, leaving some beans and vegetables whole. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, sour cream, avocado, lime, or red onion as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is perfectly balanced between creamy and chunky, giving you that satisfying mouthfeel without hours of cooking.
  • You can customize the heat level to suit anyone at your table, making it a reliable crowd-pleaser even for mixed spice preferences.
02 -
  • Overly aggressive blending can turn this delightful soup into a gummy paste, so pulse carefully and leave more chunks than you think you should.
  • The flavor deepens dramatically overnight in the refrigerator, making this an ideal make-ahead dish that tastes even better the next day.
03 -
  • When reheating frozen soup, thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture preservation instead of thawing in the microwave.
  • For dinner parties, prepare the soup base a day ahead and do the final blending just before serving, adding a fresh squeeze of lime to wake up all the flavors.
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