Spicy Black Bean Soup

Name: Spicy Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 large white onions, chopped; 4 large jalapeños, minced; 1 large red bell pepper, deseeded and diced; 1 large green onion, minced; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 3 1/2 tablespoons cumin; 2 tablespoons chili powder; 1/2 teaspoons black pepper; 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano; 6 (14.5 oz) cans low sodium black beans (4 cans drained & rinsed, 2 cans with liquid); Juice of 1 lime; 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth; Sour cream; Crumbled Cotija Cheese (Or Queso Fresco); Fresh Cilantro; Green Onions; Crushed Tortilla Chips

by: Jessica

published: Jun 7, 2022

4.5 (4 Reviews)

You Have to Try This Spicy Vegetarian Soup!

It’s official: consider your next Meatless Monday meal sorted! Allow me to introduce: Cozy, creamy, hearty and (insert synonym for a bowlful of delicious) vegetarian black bean soup.

This is an easy soup to make using everyday ingredients. Canned black beans and a couple nice sized onions here, a red pepper and some pantry spices there. You can pull this recipe together in under an hour for a hearty dinner, and save or freeze the leftovers for lunch! Your stove does most of the work and the flavors are next level yum.

This recipe makes it easy to adapt the spiciness of the soup to suit any family’s taste. Looking for less zing? Omit the jalapenos or chili powder. Craving something that will have smoke coming out of your ears? Full speed ahead with alllll the heat. How you season it is totally up to you. Either way, this spicy vegetarian soup recipe never disappoints!

Is Black Bean Soup Good for You?

Yes! Black beans are one of my favorite affordable ingredients as they’re super heart healthy, high in fiber, vitamins, potassium, and phytonutrients. They’re also low in cholesterol, making black bean soup an easy, healthy dinner idea I frequently crack out during the week.

This cozy soup recipe is naturally meat-free, gluten-free, and vegan. Of course, it’s always a good idea to double-check the labels on ingredients like beans, broth, and spices just to be 100% certain.

What You’ll Need

This soup recipe is just a masterclass of good and simple, Cuban-inspired flavors. There’s a good chance you have all the ingredients in your pantry as we speak! Here’s everything you need to make an incredible homemade black bean soup:

Olive Oil: To saute the veggies. Avocado oil will also work.
Onions: You’ll need two good-sized white onions, or a similar mild onion like shallot, as well as a large green onion.
Jalapeños: I mince four large jalapeños to use in my recipe. You can use less if you prefer a milder soup.
Red Bell Pepper: Another sweet pepper, like yellow or orange pepper, can also be subbed in for red bell pepper.
Herbs and Spices: Fresh minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, and black pepper. I always recommend tasting the soup as you go so you can adjust to your preference!
Black Beans: I use six cans of low sodium black beans. I like to drain most of the beans and leave about 2 cans or so with the liquid intact, for extra flavor. Alternatively, you may use dried black beans, just don’t forget to soak them overnight (each 14.5oz can of beans can be substituted with a heaping ½ cup of dried beans).
Lime Juice: Lime brings a little kick to this easy bean soup and enhances the flavors and spice. I highly recommend squeezing your lime juice fresh!
Broth: Use vegetable broth if you’re making this soup 100% vegetarian, or chicken broth.
Toppings: Optional but recommended! We love topping our soup bowls with extras like sour cream, fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips. I’ve included more topping inspiration further down in this post.

Onions, jalapenos, red peppers, and green onions in a large skillet.

How to Make Black Bean Soup

This recipe makes a large batch of soup, making it perfect for feeding a crowd, or for having plenty of leftovers for freezing! See the section later on for more tips on how to store and freeze. In the meantime, let’s get started on this easy black bean soup:

Veggies and herbs sautéing in a large skillet.

Spices are added into a skillet with sautéed vegetables.

Saute: Cook your aromatics and veggies in olive oil over medium heat, until fragrant and the onions are translucent. Toss in your spices and give it a mix while continuing to cook.

Black beans and broth are added into a pot with veggies.

Combine & Cook: Combine the seasoned veggies with the black beans, lime juice and broth in a large stock pot, and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Leave the soup to simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes or until it’s thickened a bit.

An immersion blender is used to thicken black bean soup inside a large pot.

Blend: Get out your immersion blender and blend about half the soup into a creamy consistency, leaving some beans whole. This is a wonderful way to wind up with a thick, hearty, and extra flavorful soup! You can also use a regular blender or food processor, and blend one cup of bean soup at a time to transfer back into the pot.

Serve: Have your toppings at the ready (see below) and dish up!

Black bean soup dished up into two bowls, next to a tray of toppings.

Tips for Success

Adjust the Heat: As mentioned, this soup is soup-er customizable when it comes to heat. This is especially handy when it comes to little ones, who dislike or can’t tolerate spice! There are a few tricks you can use if you’d prefer a milder soup, like deseeding the jalapeños or omitting them altogether, or using less chili powder. On the flip side, the same goes for the spice lovers: if you can’t get enough, feel free to up the ante or add in spices like crushed red peppers for extra fire.
If You Don’t Have a Blender: Still hoping for a thicker soup? Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon against the side of the pot to mash the beans and thicken the soup. However, an immersion blender makes soups like this so much easier!
Use Up Your Veggies: If you have some leftover vegetables kicking around the fridge, this vegetarian soup is the perfect excuse to use them! Carrots, zucchini, celery, and tomatoes are all great options to cook up with your onions and include in the soup.

Two bowls of black bean soup garnished with cilantro and sour cream, next to a tray of toppings.

Topping Ideas

This black bean soup is a bit like chili, in the sense that you can go all out with toppings, or serve it as is without disappointment! Some of our favorite toppings include:

Cream: Sour cream or Mexican crema are both great. Plain Greek yogurt is also a good low-fat option!
Fresh Cilantro
Green Onions: or you can also use chives.
Crushed Tortilla Chips: or tortilla strips
Salsa: Homemade Pico de Gallo or some amazing Tomatillo Avocado Salsa
Avocado: or Guacamole
Lime Wedges
Cheese: crumbled cotija cheese, queso freso or shredded mozzarella cheese

A spoonful is lifted from a bowl of black bean soup.

Serving Suggestions

There are a ton of options to serve with this Spicy Black Bean Soup! Here are a few ideas:

When I’m making black bean soup as an easy weeknight dinner, I love to serve it with a no-fuss side of Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread or Easy Jalapeño Cheddar Bread. It’s also spectacular with a piece of Buttery Beer Bread!
This spicy soup is also delicious alongside Spanish-style dishes like Chicken Taquitos, Mexican Street Corn (Elote), Homemade Tamales, and Cheese Enchiladas! Oh, and don’t forget some Maduros (Sweet Plantains)!
If you’re keeping your meal meat-free, black bean soup makes a wonderful pair with a fresh green salad and creamy ranch dressing! Or try my Air Fryer Chicken Fajita Salad, soup and salad are always the perfect pari.

Black bean soup served in bowls topped with sour cream, cilantro, green onions and tortilla chips.

Storage and Reheating

I love making a huge batch of soup to save the leftovers for week-long lunches. The soup can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days! Store the soup in an airtight container, and reheat portions either in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Does This Freeze Well?

This black bean soup freezes extremely well! Once the soup is completely cool, place your leftovers in resealable freezer bags to keep frozen until you’re ready to thaw and reheat.

Close up of black bean soup in a bowl with a spoon, topped with sour cream and cilantro.

More Cozy Soup Recipes

Looking for more easy and hearty soup recipes? Here are a few more of my favorites:

Yield: 4-6 servings