Meet my favorite black bean soup! It takes advantage of canned black beans and comes together quickly. Yet the soup tastes remarkably fresh thanks to the carrots, celery and garlic.
Cumin and a little bit of sherry vinegar (or lime juice) add a Cuban flair that takes it over the top. This lightly creamy black bean soup is packed with flavor.
This homemade soup is a million times better than the store-bought variety. Read the comments if you don’t believe me just yet!
How to Make The Best Black Bean Soup
A few notes and tips before you get started:
You don’t need a long list of ingredients for complex flavor. Basic, fresh aromatics like onion, carrots and celery make all the difference. Just cook them until they’re nice and tender.
Briefly sauté the cumin, garlic and red pepper flakes to enhance their flavor. Then, add the remaining ingredients and gently simmer until the beans are tender and the flavors have melded.
To achieve the perfect soup texture, purée a portion of the soup in the blender until it’s super creamy. Then stir it back into the pot. Ta da! Now you have black bean soup with tender beans and a lightly creamy consistency, no cream required.
Black Bean Soup Storage Tips
I should mention that this recipe makes quite a lot of soup. Leftovers will keep well for four to five days, so it’s perfect for weekday lunches.
You can also freeze this soup. I always freeze my soup in pint-sized mason jars, leaving room for expansion at the top and waiting to screw on the lids until the soup has fully frozen. Then I just defrost it later.
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Rumor has it that this black bean soup turns out well in a slow cooker (Erin said she “basically just put it all in the crock at the same time and slow cooked it for about 6 hours”). If you give that a try, will you please let me know how it turns out?
Please let me know how this soup turns out for you in the comments! I’m always so eager for your feedback and hope my recipes turn out wonderfully for you.
Craving more hearty vegetarian soups? Don’t miss the following soup recipes on Cookie and Kate:
- Vegetarian Chili
- Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili
- Pinto Posole
- Mexican Quinoa Stew
- Best Lentil Soup
- Plus my cookbook has eight of my favorite soup recipes!
Watch How to Make Black Bean Soup
Spicy Black Bean Soup
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
This healthy black bean soup recipe is easy to make with canned beans. Thanks to some basic aromatics and Cuban spices, it’s incredibly flavorful and delicious. This soup is naturally vegan, vegetarian and gluten free. The recipe yields quite a bit of soup (6 to 8 servings)—it is easily halved, or you can freeze the leftovers.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 4 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (use ¼ teaspoon if you’re sensitive to spice)
- 4 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, to taste, or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnishes: diced avocado, extra cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, tortilla chips…
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, celery and carrot and a light sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetable are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the broth is flavorful and the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes.
- Transfer about 4 cups of the soup to a stand blender, securely fasten the lid, and blend until smooth (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line, and beware the steam that escapes from the top of the blender, it’s very hot). Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.
- Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in the cilantro, vinegar/lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.
Suggested sides: Chunky avocado salsa, a little green salad, quesadillas or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Emilia
I made this for a group of 5 college students, and it yielded a good amount of soup but it was very thick. Next time I think I’m going add more broth. Otherwise, everyone loved it!
Kate
I’m glad you liked it! You can always blend more to your desired consistency.
Ray
This was the best. I added corn when I added the black beans and made this into a dip, served with your sweet potato burrito recipe.
Kate
What a great use of this recipe! I love it, Ray. Thanks for the review.
Emma
I have recently been diagnosed with gallstones and was looking for food I can actually eat. This soup is beautiful and very simple to make and full of fibre.
Thank you for the recipe
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that, but glad this recipe works for you Emma!
Annette
Made a variety of the version above. I wanted to get more out of the soup so I added more broth (homemade chicken broth), double, in fact. Still pureed about 5-6 cups of the mixture. Halved the cumin. Threw in some frozen corn and made plain white rice on the side to mix in when serving. Of course, the best part, garnished with fresh, diced avocados. I can’t help but miss some type of meat in my soup, I may add shredded chicken when I’m ‘starving,’ otherwise, this is a delicious recipe and I had all the ingredients at home. I will even add a dollop of sour cream at times, tastes like a burrito-style soup. Love the spicy kick to it. Can’t say that I enjoyed the aroma while cooking with all these black beans but the taste made up for it! Thanks for sharing, Kate!
Kate
Love hearing how you made it your own, Annette! I appreciate the review.
Michael
Try some sliced chorizo! It’s delicious in this, and lentil soup too.
Leslie
This is by far one if they best soups I’ve ever had! Amazing! A big hit with the whole family!
Kate
Great to hear, Leslie! I appreciate the comment.
Nash Darr
The soup was so refreshing and easy to put together. My sister loved the spicy kick. Thank you for always providing flavorful dishes.
Kate
You’re welcome, Nash! I’m happy your sister enjoyed it. Thanks for the review!
Sue Mc
Great recipe as usual Kate. Being English had not made this before but as I am currently on a yacht in Florida time to give it a try! Glad I took your advice to rinse the beans as I only had regular salt stock and the extra salt from bean juice would have killed it. Avocado on soup, love it ☺
Kate
Thanks, Sue for sharing! I appreciate your star review.
Megan
Amazing black bean soup recipe. It’s both easy and tasty. I’ve made this many times over the past two years. Would highly recommend!
Thanks for sharing this :)
Kate
I love to hear that, Megan! Thanks so much for your review.
Lizzie
Great recipe! I’ve made it several times now, and its hit. I add an extra can of beans to make it go a little further.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Lizzie! I appreciate the review.
Kelli
I did this in the slow cooker as your friend suggested. Just threw it all in and cooked for 6 hours. Used an immersion blender for a few seconds at the end instead of putting in a blender. It was a big hit at our little dinner party last night.
Kate
I’m glad it worked out well! Thanks for the star review, Kelli.
Laura
For the slow cooker method, did you cook it for 6 hours on Low heat or High heat? Thanks!
Sid
Tried it yesterday and it’s awesome! So simple but so delicious. I felt that it tasted better the next day. Will definitely be saving this one for the winter.
Kate
Love that, Sid! Thanks for your comment and review.
Kelly
This looks so yummy! I have an immersion blender … how long would I use that for to get that nice thick texture of your soup?
Kate
Hi Kelly! Great question. I would still remove the recommended amount into a liquid measuring cup and use your immersion blender there. It will allow you to get the needed amount. Or, if you don’t want to remove any of the soup, do a little at a time, then stir and continue until your desired consistency.
Roni Silverberg
I liked this recipe a lot. I can’t eat tomatoes/tomato sauce (too acidic) so this fit the bill. It does make a lot but I enjoyed grabbing portions I froze out of the freezer, eating my “stock” father than expected! Suggestion: the consistency is more like a chili rather than soup, which is fine with me. However, I think the flavor would be enhanced by adding some chili powder, which I am going to try next time.
Kate
Thanks for sharing! Feel free to adjust to your specific liking. Chili powder does sound interesting! Let me know how that turns out.
Helen
What quantity of dried beans would you use?
HL
I think it’s 1/2 cup dried = 1 15 oz can. So I’m going to try 2 cups dried for this recipe. Hope it works!
Brittany
I’m a busy student and I love cooking so I always make time for it in my week. This recipe comes up every time the cans of black beans pile up in the pantry, but I’ve always been worried that the flavors would be boring. I was wrong! So good, really intense flavor, super filling, and pretty easy to put together.
Kate
I’m glad you were surprised! Thanks for sharing your experience, Brittany.
Destiny
Love it! Perfect for fall and winter!
Kate
That it is, Destiny!
Sharon
This is the most delicious bean soup I have ever tasted! I am so thrilled to have come across this recipe. It’s so creamy, and satisfying yet so healthy. I halved the amount of oil as I’m dieting and doubled the Chili flakes because I like spicy and it was perfect !
Kate
I’m happy to hear you love this soup, Sharon! Thanks for the review.
Tina L.
I can’t find sherry vinegar. Does anyone know if I could substitute a tsp. of the cooking sherry that they sell by the vinegar, plus a tsp. of regular vinegar?
Kate
Hi Tina! Do you have apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar could be ok too.
Kaylee
While I enjoy the simplicity of this dish I did not experience as much flavor as I would have liked. I followed the recipe closely except added a bit more red pepper, jalepenos, and salt. I just made this last night soI am hoping as it sits the flavor continues to develops. Still very tasty, don’t get me wrong! I love all Cookie and Kate’s recipes! :)
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Kaylee!
Alanna
I made this in the slow cooker, but it was missing *something*
TBH it’s the only recipe of yours I’ve ever not loved, so I’m not sure if I did something wrong or it’s just not a good slow cooker recipe.
Can’t win them all, I’m gonna stick with your other soups, which I have loooooved.
Kate
I’m sorry you weren’t happy! I didn’t do this as a slow cooker recipe so that could be it. Very interesting!
Kath
Hi Kate! I just wanted to thank you for another quality recipe. I make this black bean soup on a regular basis, I keep beans in the cupboard and vegetable broth available so that when I’m in the in a pinch I can throw down an amazing meal in an hour. AND it is so inexpensive to make! I just made this for some friends last night, and I can hardly ever get past the browning of the vegetables and adding the cumin before everybody’s in the kitchen drooling! Even my carnivore-ultra-critical-amazing-in-the-kitchen-himself-husband, has had his eyes pop out and he’s given me a “10” on my execution of several of your recipes .. I was shocked, seriously! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!
Kate
Thank you, Kath for taking the time to comment! :) :) Way to win your husband over!
Amanda F.
There are already so many comments, I don’t know if anyone will see this, but here goes for the slow cooker/Instant Pot/dried bean crowd. I soaked dry black beans overnight (then drained and rinsed). I did the first part of the recipe on the saute mode in my IP. When I added the beans and broth I set the IP to slow cook on Low for 7 hours. I stirred occasionally since I was home. When I checked at 6.5 hours the beans were still a bit harder than I would want at that point (they had probably been in my pantry a bit too long), so I did three minutes of pressure cooking on high followed by natural release. Then I used the immersion blender option to thicken the soup up (leaving some beans and carrots chunky). The final product was fantastic (although I’m all about spice, so I added more). I also toasted some corn tortillas for healthy chips to serve with the soup.
Kate
Thank you, Amanda for sharing!
V
Thanks for the recipe. This soup was delicious–and even better the next day when it thickened up more. I made this in my pressure cooker, and I used less cumin–it was plenty spicy for me. Thanks for the tip about pureeing some of the soup in the blender as it gave it a great consistency. I made vegan chili yesterday, and did the same thing to it.
Kate
It’s a great soup for leftovers,I agree! Thank you for sharing and for your review, V!
Anna
I love the taste of the soup before freezing. But once I froze it it seemed to have a gritty texture almost like I had incorporated some kind of a grain. Yes that would make it again but I would not freeze it. By the way this was The black bean soup.
Kate
Thanks for sharing your experience when freezing it, Anna! That is interesting since there isn’t any dairy. I appreciate the review!
Harp
I make this for my vegetarian wife in the Instant Pot (along with many other of your soups). It’s delicious!
Kate
Great to hear, Harp!
Alfred
Hi Kate,
I will be making your black bean soup today. I do have a question on the vegetable broth. What brand do you use? Thanks for all your great
recipes.
Kate
Hi Alfred! I don’t have a go-to brand. However, I try to buy organic when possible. Thanks!
Susan A
Amazing! The lime juice adds so much. I served it with cilantro, avocado and a dollop of sour cream. This is seriously delicious.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Jennifer DaQuila-Mazzey
Excellent recipe
Kate
Thank you!
Jennifer DaQuila-Mazzey
This soup is delicious for the soul. So light and airy too. I truly enjoyed this very delicious soup
Kate
I’m happy to hear that!
Samantha
This recipe is amazing. I used dried black beans instead of canned, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It was a huge hit at my house and I will definitely make it again!
If anyone else uses dried beans, you really either have to drain them after cooking them or use less broth. My soup was a little thin.
Kate
Making your own works well too! Thanks for sharing, Samantha. I really appreciate it.
Cory Brown
Apologies if I missed it, but what is the serving size?
Kate
Hi Cory! I would say roughly 1.5 cups.
Jody
I’m a bit late coming upon this, but I did have a question — why do you let the soup freeze in the mason jar before you put the lid on? Does it prevent ice crystals (my nemesis)? Thanks for the great recipe!
Kate
Hi Jody! That’s because the liquid expands as it freezes, so you don’t want to add any pressure to the jar as it expands. Hope that makes sense!
Jody
Yep; makes sense. I’ve always just stop filling an inch or two below the lid, but this seems far more efficient. Thanks for the tip — and thanks for this wonderful, fast, delicious, and infinitely adaptable recipe!
Sharon
I made this for a Mexican-themed staff lunch. It was the best black bean soup I’ve ever had, which was no surprise. It’s a Cookie+Kate recipe, after all!
Kate
Well, thank you Sharon! I’m glad you loved it. :)
Trish
Will be making this in the crock pot for our Christmas buffet, a new tradition! Will let you know how it goes!!
Kate
Please do, Trish!
Ingrid
Another great one from Cookie and Kate! This recipe was incredibly easy and delicious, I’m sure I’ll make it again soon. I used one jalapeño instead of the red pepper and added oregano, paprika, and a little chili powder to boost the flavoring.
Kate
Glad you loved it, Ingrid! Thanks so much for sharing.
Amanda
I gotta tell ya, I’ve never left a comment before, but this soup blew my mind (or well, I guess my tastebuds). I’m kind of new to cooking, so I like trying new things. I stuck with the full teaspoon of red pepper flakes and used and immersion blender, and it’s fantastic. I’m happy I found your recipe Kate. I will definitely be checking out other recipes of yours.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it! Thanks, Amanda.
Wendy Weiss Simon
I made this today in the crock pot. I browned the onions, celery, carrots in a skillet, added the spices and when I was ready to add the broth I moved it all to the crock pot and now that’s it’s done I just blended briefly with a wand and it’s waiting for dinner. Wonderful! Full of flavor. It’s a keeper!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Wendy!
Nicaela
Love this recipe! I made this today as a “let’s get our eating back on track from the holidays” meal. Super easy, super quick, and super delicious! Thanks for constantly delivering awesome recipes, Kate! You have inspired my love for being in the kitchen.
Kate
You’re welcome! I need some “get back on salads” myself!
Sandy
Best Black Bean Soup recipe I’ve ever had- by far!!! I made it according to the directions & it was approved by the whole family! Delicious!
Kate
Thank you, Sandy!
Sue
I have made several Black bean soup recipes, and this one is the absolute BEST!! As I made this I wondered if it would taste ok with all that cumin, YES it did… the 4 cans of beans gave the soup the creamiest texture!! Thank you so much for my new go to, make for company black bean soup recipe!!
BTW i added couple jalapeños, yes i like it hot….
Kate
I’m excited you think it’s the best, Sue! Thanks for sharing.
Keesha
Love this recipe! Made it twice already. Does anyone know the calorie count for a serving?
Kate
The nutrient information is below the notes. You just need to click to expand. :)
Jennifer H.
I was skeptical since it didn’t have a million different spices. Yet fear not: the soup was delicious! I think the long veg sauté in the beginning really added a layer of flavor. I added some vegetarian Worcestershire sauce for some umami. And it was just perfect. Will be making again!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it!
Jim
I made this soup last night for my wife and son and it was terrific! I followed the recipe for the most part – I had chicken stock on hand plus I squeezed a fresh lime instead of the sherry vinegar. Everything I needed was already in my pantry or refrigerator, which makes this extra easy. My son put cheese in his and I always add a little bit of Frank’s Red Hot to most everything. Everyone agreed that this recipe will be part of our regular dinner rotation. It was so easy and really hit the spot. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Kate
Thank for sharing, Jim!
Nan
I’ve been cooking for over 40 years and I would think that the canned beans would be too mushy if cooked in a crock pot for 6 hrs! Typically one uses the dry beans for slow cooking in crockpot for this reason.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Nan!
Larry
I’m very happy with this soup. I followed the recipe as closely as possible. I’ll happily bookmark this one.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Larry!
Jennifer A Terris
This soup was awesome! I made a big batch and brought to work for lunch during the week. Don’t skip adding the sherry vinegar. It really makes it special
Kate
Thank you, Jennifer!
Max
Looks great! How long will this keep in the fridge?
Kate
It should keep well, covered, for 3-4 days.
Beckie
Excellent. Followed the recipe just as you have it. Truly enjoyed everything about it.
Kate
Wonderful, Beckie! Thank you for your comment and review.
Judy
I followed recipe exactly except used 1lb dry beans. I was disappointed — didn’t seem spicy at all. Only thing that saved it was sliced avocado and a dollop of plain whole yogurt in each bowl when served.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! You can always increase the level of spice if you like.
Michael Kelly
Your recipe is definitely delicious, I especially like the addition of the sherry vinegar. I would like to impart a few thoughts though. I cook my own black beans, I know it takes a bit longer, but I know exactly what I’m getting. Plus, they’re less expensive and 4 less cans for the landfill. I also like to add a diced red bell pepper, more carrots, and a tsp. of turmeric (very beneficial for digestion). As I’m sure most people do, I use a recipe as a starting point. Then add or subtract ingredients to suit my tastes. Thanks for your great (starting) recipes!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Michael!
Michael
Try some sliced chorizo! It’s delicious in this, and lentil soup too.
Kate
Thanks for your review, Michael!
Betsy Hiel
Hi Kate, I made this dish in Luxor, Egypt and it was so delicious. I added a little more broth and a teaspoon of ancho chili powder and it was wonderful. Thank you
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing, Betsy.
Kris
I made this soup earlier in the week and it perfect for a cold evening. I did not make it spicy since my little ones don’t dig spicy yet. I also used the cooking sherry while I was sauteing the veggies and added lime juice in at the end. We all loved it and my 12 month old has portions set aside in the freezer for him to enjoy later.
Cass
how many calories is in one serving?
Kate
Hi Cass! The nutritional information is below the notes section of the recipe. Make sure you allow pop-ups as it’s a plug-in on my blog.
Lata
I made this soup today. I used a packet of dried black beans, pressure cooked it and then followed your recipe. Thanks a lot for this excellent recipe
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Lata!
Kristy
What do you consider to be 1-serving? 1 cup?
Kate
1 to 1.5 cups roughly for this soup.
Julie
So good! Made it in my new dutch oven that I got at Christmas, and it was delicious! Super easy with an immersion blender.
Kate
Thank you, Julie!
Mark
Great for a cold night here in snowy Finland. I enjoy a dollop of sour cream on top, but otherwise perfect.
Kate
Sounds perfect, Mark!
Becca
Oh dear. My crockpot experiment did not turn out. I tried this with dried black beans since that’s what I can get my hands on where I live. The beans cooked fine (I do this quite often) but I guess my liquid ratio was off because I ended up with a massive amount of what’s essentially refried black beans…which are lovely and I’m enjoying a nice little bean and avocado taco at the moment, but I was really hoping for the soup!
I’ll share my steps for anyone else who is thinking about doing dried beans in the crockpot (so you can avoid my mistakes)
Based on my experience making black beans in the crockpot I calculated that 151g of dried beans = 1 can of cooked. So I used 755g of dried beans thinking it would be the equivalent of 5 cans (since some people commented that they added a fifth can to make it stretch a bit further). I used 6 cups of veg broth. There was still some liquid left when I used the immersion blender, but added at least another cup while pureeing, and it still ended up very thick.
Next time I’d reduce the amount of dried beans and add more broth during the puree stage.
Thanks for the recipe though. I’ll be equally happy eating the refried beans :)
Kate
Oh no! Thank you for sharing your experience, Becca.
Diego dos Santos
Hi Kate! Unrelated to this recipe, but since you regularly recommend some of the products you use, what’s your go to hot sauce? I’d like to try something different than Huy Fong’s sriracha; not necessarily spicier, just deeper.. Thanks!
Commercial Kitchen Equipment in Ludhiana
Thank your for sharing Spicy Black Bean Soup recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome!
Blakie
Wow such perfect wonderful timing to receive this recipe this morning with my kids being home for a snow day from school and wondering what to make us all to eat! This looks amazing and healthy for this cold day thank you Kate!
Kate
Let me know what you think, Blakie!
Brenda Holtkamp
I love your recipes. I would love it if you could give details for not using canned beans, tomatoes etc. Dried beans are so great and healthier for us and the planet. Please give recipes with dried beans.
Sue
Brenda,
I always use dried beans. I cook a bunch up at a time and freeze them in 3-cup (equivalent to 2 cans) servings in zip-lock bags. Then they are always in the freezer ready to go and you can just substitute them for the canned.
Kate, I found this recipe resulted in more of a stew than a soup; is that how you intended it to be? I ended up adding more broth at the end. Always love your recipes!
Lori
Can I make this spicy black bean soup in the slow cooker ?
Lori
Kate
I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have and have shared their experiences in the comments.
Julie Peterson
Is it necessary to rinse the beans? I prefer a more brothy black bean soup so I was thinking of not rinsing. Do you think this would be good without blending some of the bean mixture?
Kate
Hi Julie! Rinsing the beans helps to remove the excess salt and starch and improve flavor. The blending really helps with overall texture and helps the flavors really sing.
Gretchen
This recipe comes at the perfect time! My husband does NOT cook, and I am 26 days from a bilateral mastectomy. Not being able to cook will make me insane! This will be an easy recipe for hubby to make, unless you want to drive down the turnpike a couple hours and make it for me? ;-)
Anne
Found this recipe in the fall and have been making it all winter long! It’s been the best when I add enough salt and lime juice to make the flavors sing. Amazing with diced avocado and crumbled cotija on top…and some cornbread on the side :)
Cheryl S
This has been my favorite black bean soup and was my introduction to Cookie+Kate years ago! I used to enjoy a great black bean soup at a favorite Mexican restaurant and just knew I could find a way to make a great one at home also. After scrutinizing many others, this soup was the winner — for me AND for the dozen+ people I have served it to. I make it regularly…and if you are lucky my enough to have leftovers, they taste amazing the next day also! Thanks Cookie+Kate for always making me look like a hero! Keep them coming!
bonnie warner
This soup sounds delicious. I do not have access to black beans or celery. Do you think it would work using small white beans or pinto beans, and can I substitute celery root for the celery stalks? Thanks
Lisa Clark
Can this be made with dry beans in an Instant Pot? Thanks. Looking forward to making. Fondly,
Lisa
Kate
I haven’t tried it, sorry!
Krystin Combs
Kate you are my favorite food blogger! I make soooo many of your recipes. I make a very similar Black Bean Soup in the Crockpot! I use a whole bag of black beans (16 ounces) and use 2 red onions, a red a green bell pepper all sauted with cumin and garlic. Throw into the crockpot with the black beans and 1 T. of chopped canned chipotle chiles and 7 cups of water or chicken broth add lime juice too.
The immersion blender works great in crockpot! A dollop of plain greek yogurt is great on top for those that partake in a small amount of dairy.
I’m trying your version next!!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Krystin! I appreciate the review.
Mo
Once again .. a fabulous soup. I love these recipes that come together quickly from pretty much kitchen staples. Kate, you are the queen of soups! I cut back on the cumin a little (not a big cumin fan), increased the red pepper flakes and added a little crushed chipotle chile pepper. It was delicious!!! I think my husband was dubious at first (he is of anything without meat), but after he tasted it he was a convert: “I LIKE this, it has a little kick to it!”.
Thank you Kate for another great recipe! Five yums!
Kate
I don’t know about queen, but I appreciate the compliment! Thanks so much for commenting, Mo.
Sunil Dogra
Hi
Your recipe looks very creative and healthy. The combination of carrot and black beans is too good. I like the way you give the finishing touch with vegan concept. Thanks for sharing this dish with us….
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for the review.
Nancy W
Thanks for another stellar recipe! I made this tonight and there aren’t a lot of leftovers, we both had seconds. The lime juice was an excellent touch.
Kate
You’re welcome, Nancy! Thanks for the review.
Beth
I automatically double every recipe of yours to feed my family. That usually leads to a long prep time for me. But, even when doubling this soup recipe, it was a breeze to make; so swift and easy! Very filling and satisfying! Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad it was still a breeze, Beth!
Susie Gerdes
The soup receives definitely ***** and an A+…a senior living alone..I can’t wait to share with vegetarian family members when they visit!
Kate
Thank you!
Rachel
I threw all the ingredients into the slow cooker at once, set it for 6 hours, and it turned out super delicious! I halved the red pepper flakes because I’m a spice wuss, left out the oil, and added 8oz fresh mushrooms because I love the meaty texture of shrooms in soup. Great recipe, Kate! Thank you!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Rachel!
Ashlyn @ F5 Method
This black bean soup looks beautiful and like the perfect cozy recipe for a cold winter day!
Kate
Thank you, Ashlyn!
Roseanna
This looks delicious and I’m making it now…how much salt do you recommend adding?
Kate
Hi! It really depends on your preference. Less than 1/4 tsp.
Maddie
I can’t believe how delicious this soup is, considering how simple it is to make! The only changes I made were that I used 2 carrots instead of 1, and I used vegetable stock instead of broth. I seasoned it well with salt, which I think any bean soup needs. WOW, it is SO GOOD. Thank you!
Kate
I’m really glad you loved it, Maddie!
Patricia Turton
This was amazing!! Loved it!
Kate
Happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing, Patricia.
LaVerne
My husband and I made this recipe and thoroughly enjoyed it topped with avocado, sour cream and a few nacho chips. Easy and delicious.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, LaVerne!
Lisa
Ok, I made this tonight for myself and my vegan son and it is INSANELY good…I can’t stop sneaking another quick spoonful! So simple and such a rich and comforting flavor. Just used my immersion blender and poof, done. Perfect consistency. Topped it with some scallions, avocado, tofutti sour cream…thanks so much for the recipe, your site never fails!
Kate
Thanks, Lisa! I’m glad you love the recipes from the blog.
Kathy
Kate, I mistakenly bought dried red beans, and living too far from any market I decided to use them instead, cooking the beans first in my instant pot, draining them, then adding all of the rest of the recipe’s ingredients, putting back into insta pot for 12 min on bean setting, then puréed 1/2 and it was very tasty!!
Kate
I’m glad this still worked for you, Kathy! Thanks for the review.
Kayla Murphy
Made this this weekend and it was amazing!! Ate it plain mostly, but also added pepperjack cheese, tortilla chips, avocado…ate it with jalapeno cheddar bread, but corn bread would be great, too! Planning on making it in the crock pot next week. So quick and easy!
Also, I just used my nutribullet to blend. :)
Kate
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like a great combination, Kayla.
Nicole
Love it! Even my super picky kids liked it. Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Nicole!
Alankar Patel
I thought my wife and kid’s would hate this since it’s black bean soup (some sort of trigger for them). They loved it. Multiple helpings. I got one spoon full. Wonderful recipe.
Kate
Great to hear, Alankar! Thanks so much for the review.
Liz
I am following a whole food plant based diet and relatively new at doing so. I was looking for soup recipes and this one jumped out at me.
I decided to make half the recipe in case it didn’t turn out so well. That was a mistake! I served it for dinner last night and my husband and I LOVED it! It was so flavorful and perfect for a cold night! I took two cups out to puree and should have only taken one as I halved the recipe. That made the soup much thicker and we finished it with only one serving each. Hopefully, the next time I will follow the directions for a full batch and we will have plenty left over. I added a bit more broth last night to thin the soup a bit.
Thank you for an excellent recipe and a really nice addition to my new way of eating.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Liz!
Ute Hammes
Hello from Switzerland! I am so happy to have found your website. I love your recipes! We had the spicy black bean soup last week and it was a great success with my family! Your recipes are very inspirational and the photos are really nice and appetizing…
We also have a dog. Her name is Lola and she is always very patiently waiting to get some chopped veggies when we prepare your delicious recipes. Carrots are her favorite!! Lots of Love from the French-speaking part of Switzerland at the shores of Lake Geneva, Ute
Kate
I’m happy you found it too! Thanks for commenting, Ute! I appreciate the review.
Tina
This soup is so satisfyingly delicious on a cold winter day and it is very easy to make. The perfect recipe!
Kate
I agree! Great soup to warm-up. Thanks for your review, Tina!
Anita
I made Black Bean Soup today according to your recipe. Because I love spicy, I added a little more crushed red pepper flakes and served it over Quinoa…DELISH!
Kate
Thanks for letting me know you loved it, Anita!
William S. Kling
Excellent soup fo a chilly New England day! The changes I made were:rendered about 4 oz. of salt pork and skipped the oil and salt to cook the veg, skipped the cumin and cilantro, used 1/2 & 1/2 veg and mushroom stock, used the lime juice rather than sherry vinegar. Did it in the slow-cooker, then stick-blended about 4 cups (in a formerly pickle jar, which is great at containing splashes. Couldn’t have been any easier. I will definitely make it again before winter is over.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, William!
Becky
Hey!
I loved this recipe. I made it today and it is a keeper! So flavorful and easy! ❤️
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Becky! I appreciate the review.
Christina
So I don’t often eat soups. But this one? Was amazing! Just made it and ate a bowl now in fact! Its perfect. Tastes great, and quick to make. I am gonna save a bit for a bowl for tomorrow and freeze the rest! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Kate
I’m happy you tried it! Thanks for your review.
Lindsey
Just made this on Sunday and my husband and I loved it! We added a dollop of sour cream to the final product and alternated between eating with a spoon and scooping with tortilla chips. Hearty and flavorful. It’s also been delish as a leftover for lunch. Thanks again for another great tasting, budget-friendly recipe!
Kate
That sounds like a great way to eat this soup. Thanks for the review, Lindsey!
mymomisagoodcooker
The soup was delicious. I blended about a can and a half of the black beans in the broth before adding with the other ingredients to the sauteed vegetables. It was easier than blending when the soup was hot. I also added a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies just ‘cuz I really like tomatoes. Finally, I chopped about half of a red bell pepper to add to the vegetable because I had one.
Kate
Thank you for your comment! I appreciate the review.
Kayla Rose Murphy
Followed the instructions exactly (minus celery and cilantro) and it came out AMAZING! I made it a few weeks later by throwing it all in the crock pot on high for 6 hours and it was still delicious, just much, much thinner. I think if I were to make it in the crock pot again, I’d leave out some of the vegetable stock to maintain that thicker quality.
Kate
I’m glad you liked it, Kayla! Thanks for the feedback.
Pamela
We had this for dinner last night and it’s absolutely delicious. I added 1/2 green pepper and 1/2 red pepper with the other sauted vegetables. Also I added Chirizo sausage for some extra spice. Instead of blending up some of the soup I used a hand potato masher for the consistency I wanted. This made it thick enough without over doing it. The lime juice made such a great difference in taste. Thank you for this great recipe Kate and scruffles to Cookie!
Taylor Cowell
So tasty and full of whole foods! I accidentally blended the soup a little too much but just served it over some brown rice to thicken it up and it is delicious!
Thanks for another winner, Kate!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Taylor! I’m glad you were still able to enjoy it.
Nanci j. Hvasta
Hello & Thanks for the recipe, I’m cooking it a slow cooker & I KNOW it will turn out GREAT!!!!! 5 star rating. I’ll let Y’all know how it turns out njhvasta
Kate
You’re welcome!