Black Bean Soup

Name: Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cups chopped yellow onion ((about 1 large onion)); 1½ cups chopped carrot ((about 4 medium carrots)); 2 celery ribs (finely chopped); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; Ground black pepper (to taste); 3 (15.25-ounce/432g) cans black beans (drained and rinsed); 4 cups vegetable broth ((960ml)); ¼ cup fresh lime juice ((80ml)); Sour cream; Fresh chopped cilantro; Sliced avocado

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Black Bean Soup with carrots, cumin, and savory vegetable broth is a great recipe for busy weeknights or cold days. Made with ingredients you probably have in your pantry, the soup comes together in one pot in about 45 minutes. This easy black bean soup is a filling meal on its own, and I love that it is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly soup I can make for guests.

There are endless options for toppings and variations, too! Use toppings you have on hand like sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, or pico, or customize the soup by adding shredded chicken, diced green chili, or hot sauce. It’s also perfect for dipping tortilla chips or sourdough bread into! For more soup recipes, try my turkey chili, taco soup, or chicken tortilla soup.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Onions, Carrots, and Celery – also known as mirepoix, chop all of these ingredients into similarly sized pieces before cooking in olive oil until tender. For a more Cuban black bean soup, add diced bell peppers and a bay leaf.

Spices – cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper are all you need! The spices will cook with the softened vegetables to help release their flavors. For extra dimension, add a few shakes of chili powder or cayenne pepper to taste.

Black Beans – canned black beans are perfect for hearty soup because they are easy to keep on hand, cost-effective, and delicious. Drain and rinse the cans of black beans before using.

Vegetable Broth – use your favorite vegetable broth to add savoriness to this recipe. A lower-sodium broth will give you more control over the flavor of the soup. You can substitute chicken broth or stock if you prefer.

Lime Juice – fresh lime juice enhances the flavors of the soup and adds a light citrus flavor. For the best flavor, use fresh lime juice.

How to Make Black Bean Soup

Set of two photos showing onions, carrots, and spices added to a pot.

1. In a medium Dutch oven or large pot, add the oil and warm over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, red pepper, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Set of two photos showing black beans and broth added to a pot.

3. Add the black beans to the Dutch oven.

4. Add the broth and lime juice. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Set of two photos showing some of the soup being blended and added back to the pot.

5. For a thicker soup, blend 2 cups of the soup in a regular blender or with a stick or immersion blender.

6. Stir the blended soup back into the pot. Cook, uncovered, until the soup has thickened and reached the desired consistency, about 10 to 20 minutes more. Cook the full 20 minutes if you prefer a thicker soup. Serve topped with avocado, sour cream, and cilantro or as desired.

A bowl of black bean soup with a spoonful lifted up.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Stir constantly when adding the spices. Cooking the spices with the oil and vegetables will help them to bloom and release valuable flavor. Stir constantly during this step so that the spices don’t burn or stick to the pot.
Rinsing the black beans is optional. Canned black beans are packed in additional liquid that is starchy and can thicken soups and stews. If you like a thicker soup, don’t drain them! If you prefer a more brothy soup, use a wire mesh strainer to quickly and easily drain the beans, then rinse them with cool water.
Increase or decrease the lime juice to taste. Reduce the lime juice to 2 tablespoons for a less tangy soup, or serve the soup with additional lime wedges if you love the flavor of limes.
Thicken the soup by blending a portion of it. Pureeing some of the beans thickens the soup and creates a hearty, luscious texture. This is totally optional, though! If you use a regular, countertop blender, use caution with handling the hot soup. Be sure to remove the centerpiece of the lid, and cover the top of the blender with a towel to prevent splashing.
Thin the soup with additional broth. If the soup is too thick after blending a portion of it or when reheated, stir in some additional vegetable broth to achieve your desired consistency.
Chicken black bean soup variation. If you don’t need this recipe to be vegetarian, then you can add additional protein by stirring in cooked shredded chicken before serving. Use leftover roasted chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

A bowl of black bean soup with some tortilla chips, sliced avocado, sour cream, and cilantro on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cool the soup at room temperature before storing it. You can also freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to a month. Defrost frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat the soup in a soup pot on the stovetop at medium heat.

What do I serve with this?

Keep things simple with some cilantro or offer other topping options like sour cream, freshly grated cheddar cheese, or sliced jalapenos. Pico de gallo, salsa, or guacamole are also tasty toppings. Either way, I love serving this with warm cornbread muffins, and it also pairs well with garlic bread or dinner rolls.

Can I make this spicy?

For a spicy black bean soup option, add diced jalapeno peppers to the onion mixture when sauteing. Then add ¼ – ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper along with the cumin. Adjust the heat by serving with additional jalapenos or hot sauce.

Can you make this with dried beans?

I prefer to make this soup with canned beans to keep it super simple, but you can make this recipe with dried beans if you prefer. To use dried beans, I recommend using my no-soak Instant Pot black beans recipe to save time, just omit the spices since you’ll be adding those to the soup. Or cook the dried beans according to the package directions before using.

Do you need to soak black beans before making soup?

Not when using canned beans! When making soup with dried black beans, refer to the package instructions on the beans to see if you need to soak the black beans and for how long to soak them before cooking. Soaking the beans will reduce the cooking time because the beans are able to begin rehydrating while soaking.