Vegan Black Bean Soup
This popular, spicy vegan black bean soup recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes with just a handful of everyday ingredients. This really is the best black bean soup and it’s sure to become a new family favourite!
Highlights
- quick and easy to make in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients
- budget-friendly and great for a family meal
- nutrition features: low-fat, high-protein, high-fiber
- dietary features: vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free
- hearty, filling and so delicious, you will love this 5-star rated recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- onion – yellow or white is best here
- jalapeno – use more or less according to your spice preference
- broth – any store-bought or homemade broth or bouillon cubes or powder works
- green bell pepper – recipe calls for green pepper but red pepper is fine if that’s what you have on hand
- 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 cooked from scratch too
Complete list of ingredients with amounts and instructions is located in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step with Photos
Step 1. Saute the Veggies. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, jalapeno and bell pepper to a large soup pot with a splash of the vegetable broth and cook for 6-7 minutes until fragrant and softened.
Step 2. Add the Herbs & Spices. Stir in the cumin, oregano and chili powder and cook for a few more minutes.
Step 3. Cook the Soup. 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. Blend Half the Soup. Scoop half of the soup into a blender and puree until very smooth.
Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender in the pot but I like the creaminess achieved by transferring it to the blender. Pour back into the pot and stir together.
Finally, stir in the cilantro and lime and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Add any toppings and enjoy!
Toppings
Black bean soup is all about the toppings! Here are some yummy ideas for enjoying your soup, choose any or all:
- lime juice or zest
- crushed tortilla chips or serve with soft corn tortillas for dunking
- diced avocado
- sour cream or chipotle sauce
- grated cheese
- jalapeno slices
- chopped cilantro, chives or green onion
- corn
- salsa, pico de gallo, salsa verde or tomatillo sauce
Notes
- 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.
Storing Instructions
- Fridge: Keeps well for up to 5 days in a sealed container.
- Freezer: Let cool then store in a freezer-safe container in 1 batch or individual portions for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat as needed.
- Reheating: Reheat as needed on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated to your preference.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.
PrintVegan Black Bean Soup
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This amazing, spicy vegan black bean soup is easy to make in under 30 minutes for a healthy and delicious meal that’s perfect any night of the week.
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 pepper, de-seeded and diced
- 1 cup chopped celery (150 g, approx. 3 ribs)
- 1/2 a jalapeno, de-seeded and minced (or a whole one for extra heat)
- 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 (any plain tomato pasta sauce works)
- 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 half of the soup 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.
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Stir in the cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
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Serve right away with toppings like avocado, grated dairy-free cheese or sour cream and crushed tortilla chips.
Notes
Sub 2-3 chili peppers in adobo sauce for the jalapeno for more of a chipotle flavour or increase the jalapeno to 1-2 if you want more spice.
Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add a bit more if it seems too thick, it just depends on the exact amount of veggies you use and how thick you want your soup.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat as needed in the microwave or stovetop until heated to your preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe (350 g)
- Calories: 157
- Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 7 g
Keywords: black bean soup, vegan black bean soup, spicy black bean soup
Originally published January 18, 2018.
I made this today. This is the best black bean soup! Just delicious and so flavorful. Do yourself a favor and make this soup.
Absolute Holy Grail of black bean soup, right here. oh my goodness! such goodness!! I subbed one third pinto for black beans as I tripled the recipe and thats what I had. left out the cilantro but followed the rest. thanks for this one Deryn!!
★★★★★
You are so very welcome! I’m so glad you loved it.
I’m making this soup today. The can of beans I have is 15 oz. It’s the standard size can. Have others used this? I thought two cans might be too much.
A 15 oz can is 1.5 cups beans, so you’d need to open two cans anyways to make the 2.5 cups. You can just them all though, it’s fine. If it’s too thick after blending, just stir in a little extra broth to adjust the thickness to your liking. Thanks.
This soup was really fun and easy to make. It truly is an all around deliciously flavored recipe with perfect balance of spice and freshness.
★★★★★
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for dinner … delicious!
★★★★★
You’re welcome!
This was delicious! I omitted the jalapeños simply because I didn’t have any on hand but I want to try it with the jalapeño next time! I topped with whole grain tortilla chips! The kids and hubby enjoyed it as well!
I love this creamy soup high in protein and nutrients very versatile mixing with alternatives like jalapeños, pepper, tomato dried and lemon on the top also. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Now the cooler days are arriving in New Zealand, I decided it was a good time to try this recipe. I will be definitely be making this again. Thanks Deryn.
★★★★★
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed them. Getting warmer here now, yay! But honestly, this soup is perfect year round!
Delicious! I’ve tried a couple of vegan black bean soup recipes that just didn’t hit the flavor profile right, but this one is great!
★★★★★
Excellente soup! Thank you!
★★★★★
Absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review.
Very good. used my immersion blender briefly. Topped with vegan cheddar, vegan sour cream, and fritos. yummy!
★★★★★
Great! Sounds delicious. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This soup is so good! We made it for meal prep last night and I bet it will be even more delicious the next day. I didn’t even have all the ingredients (subbed in two red bell peppers for the green pepper and jalapeño), but still delish. We served ours with a couple of home-made tortillas baked in strips. Yum! Highly recommend.
★★★★★
Perfect! So glad it was enjoyed. Thanks for the review!
This was so easy to prepare since I had all ingredients on hand. I prefer a chunky soup so I only blended a small amount. I topped with fresh made cashew creme~ delicious! Thank you for creating this recipe.
★★★★★
Sounds fantastic with cashew creme! So glad you enjoyed the soup, thanks for letting me know!
Just made it, delicious!!
★★★★★
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it. Thanks, Adriana!
I just made this, and it’s absolutely delicious!! Thanks for another awesome recipe.
★★★★★
You’re welcome! Thanks for trying it!
I asked my husband for an immersion blender for Christmas so I could make this more! Lol. One of my favorite soups! I always forget to double the recipe and it goes wayyy to quickly.
★★★★★
I just made this tonight and it was delicious! I didn’t blend the soup, (because I’m too lazy), and the hubs and I poured it over some jasmine rice. It was SO stinkin’ good, and we’ll definitely make it again. We like things a little on the spicier side, so I think I’ll use the whole jalapeno next time.
Thank you!
I just “found” you recently, so I’ll be pouring over your website in the next couple of weeks. I look forward to learning more about you and your yummy food! (Any favorite “go to” curries I should try?)
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for giving it a try and leaving your review! Definitely try the panang curry and coconut red lentil dahl…they are both favourites. Enjoy!
I would rename this Burrito Soup.
The first time I made it, I did a double batch. It was so, SO good I ate the whole thing in 3 days. By myself 🙂
★★★★★
Haha, I like the sounds of burrito soup! So glad you enjoyed it…3 days sounds reasonable to me!!
Excellent! I made this tonight and it was easy and tasty. Added vegan cashew queso dip and some guac. We’ll definitely make this again. Thanks!
★★★★★
That sounds delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for adding your feedback!