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A soup does not need a long, exhaustive list of ingredients to be delicious. Black bean soup is one of the quickest soups I make that only needs a few additions to be an outstanding meal.
The workhorse of this soup is the canned beans. When starting with canned beans, the cook time is substantially shorter. I frequently make my own beans, but for the purposes of a weeknight meal, canned is a great option.
Canned beans are creamy, and with the addition of a few sautéed vegetables and spices, a soup is born. To amp up the creaminess, blending some of the soup before serving gives a smoother finish.
The ingredients that make up this black bean soup
- Onion, celery and carrots may not be traditional in a black bean soup, but they add so much more flavor to the soup. Once softened and then cooked with the beans, the mixture becomes tender and give terrific texture.
- Garlic is an essential underlying flavor. Add the garlic towards the end of the sautéeing of the vegetables so it does not burn or get bitter.
- Jalapeños add some heat but also give a good chili pepper flavor. To reduce the heat, remove the seeds and pith.
- Cumin is the warm, earthy spice that gives the soup the traditional flavor that is prevalent in many black bean soup recipes.
- Black beans are hands-down the star of this recipe. Canned beans are cooked to a perfectly creamy state, soaking in the other flavors of the soup so well. Feel free to use no-salt-added beans to control the sodium.
- Salsa is the secret ingredient that adds a lot of flavor without any effort. I use my home canned salsa, but use what you love. Your favorite salsa will add great flavor!
A good amount of the flavor in this soup comes from the pre-made salsa. You can customize this not only to your favorite brand (or homemade variety) but also to any heat level. The soup does not have a multitude of components, but don’t be fooled! The flavor will speak for itself. The soup is comforting, nourishing, and filling!
More soup recipes
Watch how to make this black bean soup
Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeño diced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 15-oz cans black beans
- 1 pint salsa
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and salt. Cover and cook the vegetables to soften but not brown, 5-6 minutes.1 medium onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 medium carrots, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, 2 tbsp neutral oil
- Once the vegetables are softened, remove the lid and add the garlic, jalapeño, and cumin. Stir until the garlic and cumin are fragrant, 1 minute. Add the black beans and salsa. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.3 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeño, 1 tsp cumin, 3 15-oz cans black beans, 1 pint salsa
- Once the soup has simmered, remove 1 ½ cups and blend until smooth. Add the blended soup back to the Dutch oven with the rest of the soup. Stir and serve with favorite toppings.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Quick easy and delicious!
Easy, so easy and full of flavor. We topped with a few taco chips and sour cream. My first black bean soup to try. This is definitely going into the weekly meal night rotation.
This soup was quick, easy and so delicious!
I rarely leave comments, but had to with this. This soup is, hands down, the best black bean soup I’ve had or made. I made the soup exactly as you state in your video and recipe, except no jalapeño. I can eat it as is with no toppings, but I also sometimes add a dollop of greek yogurt. So good! Thank you for sharing!!!
Wonderful and sooooo easy. I cooked the black beans in the InstantPot. Will definitely make again.
Can this recipe be frozen?
This was delicious and easy. I served it with cornbread on the side.