Best Vegan Black Bean Soup
on Jan 15, 2024, Updated Aug 02, 2024
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This spicy vegan black bean soup recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
This really is the best vegan black bean soup and it’s sure to become a new family favourite!
For more simple vegetable soup recipes, this Chickpea Vegetable Chowder, Easy Vegan Red Lentil Tomato Soup and Kale and Cauliflower Soup are also easy and delicious.
For more black bean recipes, these Chipotle Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans and Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Sauce are a must!
This easy black bean soup has been a reader-favorite since 2018. It has the most delicious creamy texture, is made with simple pantry ingredients and always a hit with the whole family.
This recipe calls for a few vegetables, hearty black beans, tomato sauce and spices and despite its simple ingredients, has a wonderful depth of flavor.
Whether you’re making this hearty soup for a quick weeknight meal or making it in advance, you can’t go wrong with this popular recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Onion: White or yellow onion is best. Substituted red onions if needed.
- Jalapeno: Remove seeds. Double for more heat. Omit if sensitive to spice.
- Broth: Any store-bought or homemade vegetable stock, bouillon cubes or powder is suitable.
- Bell Pepper: The recipe calls for green bell peppers but red bell pepper also works.
- Tomato Sauce: Use canned or jarred plain tomato sauce or any plain tomato pasta sauce.
- Black Beans: Canned black beans work great but you can use dried black beans cooked from scratch too.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Variations & Additions
- Sweet Potato: Add up to 2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes. You may need to increase the amount of liquid used.
- Corn: Stir in up to 1 cup corn kernels after blending the soup.
- Cabbage: Stir in up to 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage after blending the soup and cook over low heat for a few more minutes to soften.
- Smoky Black Bean Soup: Add 1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo and up to 2 tsp of adobo sauce when you add the spices.
- Pinto Bean Soup: Swap the black beans for pinto beans.
- Topping Ideas: Crushed tortilla chips, hot sauce, diced avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, chives or green onions, corn, salsa, salsa verde or pico de gallo.
- Greens: If you’d like to add spinach or kale, stir in a few handfuls at the end until wilted.
- Grains: Add up to 1 cup cook grains such as brown rice, farro or quinoa at the end.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, jalapeno and bell pepper to a large pot with a splash of the vegetable broth and cook for 6-7 minutes until fragrant and softened. You can use olive oil to cook if you prefer.
Step 2. Stir in the cumin, oregano and chili powder and cook for a few more minutes.
Step 3. Add the broth, tomato sauce and black beans and bring to a simmer.
Simmer lightly until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
Step 4. Scoop a portion of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot and stir to combine. For a creamier soup, you can blend all of it.
Finally, stir in the cilantro and lime and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Add any toppings you enjoy or serve with more lime wedges and cilantro on the side.
Recipe FAQs
You can store black bean soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat leftovers on the stovetop in a pot until heated through or in individual servings in the microwave.
Yes. To freeze, let cool then store in a freezer-safe airtight container in 1 batch or individual portions for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat as needed on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes. You can substitute a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes for the tomato sauce. Crushed tomatoes are also suitable.
Expert Tips
- Omit the jalapeno if you’re sensitive to spice.
- For spicer soup, add up to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or red chili flakes or additional jalapeno.
- Vegetable amounts don’t have to be exact so don’t worry if you’re a little short or over here and there! You can use a bit more carrot and less celery, for example.
Slow Cooker
- Add everything except the cilantro and lime to a slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Scoop out about half of the soup and blend until smooth. Pour back into the pot and stir to combine.
- Stir in the cilantro and lime and serve.
Instant Pot
- Add 2-3 tbsp of broth to the Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Add the celery, onion, jalapeno, carrot and bell pepper and use the Saute function to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the spices and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add everything except for the cilantro and lime. Seal the lid with the valve set to Seal.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release the pressure and carefully open the lid.
- Blend half of the soup then combine with the unblended portion.
- Stir in the cilantro and lime and serve.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Vegan Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup diced onion, 160 g, approx. 1 small or 1/2 a large
- 1 heaping cup peeled and diced carrot, 160 g, approx. 2 medium
- 1 green bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
- 1 cup chopped celery, 150 g, approx. 3 ribs
- 1 small jalapeno, de-seeded and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 3-4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup 250 mL tomato sauce
- 1 19 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (330 g, about 2.5 cups)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper, to taste
- squeeze of fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Add the onion, carrot, bell pepper, celery, jalapeno and garlic to a large soup pot with 2 tbsp of vegetable broth and saute over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Stir in the cumin, dried oregano and chili powder and cook for 2-3 more minutes. If the pan is starting to dry out, add another splash of broth to loosen any bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the broth, tomato sauce and black beans and bring the soup to a light simmer. Simmer lightly, uncovered, until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Carefully scoop a few cups of the soup or about half into a blender and blend until smooth. Be sure to allow steam to escape from the blender when blending. Alternatively, use an immersion blender and pulse the soup 5-6 times right in the pot to create texture. If you used a blender, pour the blended portion back into the pot with the remaining soup.
- Stir in the cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve right away with toppings like avocado, grated dairy-free cheese or sour cream and crushed tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 18, 2018.
Is the tomato sauce like a jar of marinara pasta sauce or like crushed tomatoes? Looks good, I want to make it!
Hi – a tomato sauce like a plain pasta sauce, yep, marinara sauce would be fine. I find crushed tomatoes too thick but you could also substitute canned diced tomatoes.
Yummy soup and so easy to make . Thank you Daryn for yet another fabulous recipe.😊
You’re so welcome!
This was really good. Even omni hubby liked it. 3 cups of water was plenty for me. Buzzed with immersion blender but left it chunky.
So glad to hear that!
Absolutely delicious!