Vegetarian Black Bean Soup (30 minutes)

Close up photo of black bean soup in a white bowl with handles

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup (30 minutes)

This easy Black Bean Soup is hearty, smoky, and packed with bold flavor. Made with sautéed vegetables, canned black beans, chipotle peppers, and warm spices, it simmers into a rich, comforting soup that’s naturally vegetarian and ready in about 30 minutes. Purée it smooth or leave it chunky — either way, it’s an easy weeknight meal you’ll come back to again and again.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Black bean soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 334kcal

Author Katie Trant

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion diced
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
2 cups diced Roma tomatoes about 4 tomatoes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
4 14-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed.
4-6 cups vegetable broth* see note

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Add the onion, and sauté until it starts to become translucent—about 3-5 minutes.
1 large yellow onion
Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt, and sauté for 1-2 minutes more.
4 cloves garlic
Add the celery and carrots, and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables start to become a bit soft
1 cup diced celery, 1 cup diced carrot
Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.
2 cups diced Roma tomatoes
Add the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and chipotle peppers. Stir to combine. Let this mixture simmer for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobe sauce
Add the black beans, followed by the vegetable broth.
4 14-ounce cans black beans, 4-6 cups vegetable broth*
Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low, place a lid on the pot, and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the soup from the heat.
Using an immersion blender, or a stand-up blender in small batches, purée at least half of the soup into a smooth purée.**
Taste, adjust seasonings as needed, and serve with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate only.
I prefer my black bean soup to be on the thinner side, like the thickness of a tomato soup. Some black bean soups are really thick, so if you prefer a thicker soup, use less broth. You can always add extra broth to thin it out, but you can’t take it away! My personal preference is 6 cups of broth, but you can start with 4 and see how it goes.
Note that the soup will also thicken as it cools.
Smooth or chunky? Choose your own adventure! I like to purée about ¾ of the soup but leave some whole beans and veggies for texture. You can go fully smooth if you prefer.
If you are blending in a stand-up blender (I use my Vitamix for this for the smoothest blend) be sure to blend in small batches to avoid a hot soup explosion all over your kitchen.

Nutrition