Description
This easy Black Bean Soup is a flavorful and hearty meal perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. Featuring fire-roasted tomatoes, smoky spices, and a touch of lime juice, it combines creamy textures with a slight chunkiness for satisfying comfort food. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a versatile recipe that can be customized with optional toppings like cilantro, sour cream, or avocado.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 (14 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 3 (14 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies (with juices)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings
- Chopped cilantro (recommended)
- Sour cream
- Tortilla strips
- Avocado slices
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and lightly browned to develop flavor.
- Add Garlic and Ingredients: Stir in the minced garlic, then add the broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices, rinsed black beans, diced green chilies with juices, chopped red bell pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer Soup: Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Blend the Soup: Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend most of the soup until mostly smooth but leaving some chunks for texture. If using a regular blender, let the soup cool slightly before blending in batches to avoid splattering.
- Season and Finish: Stir in the lime juice, then season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed, since the soup can require a fair amount of salt.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the soup hot, topped with optional garnishes like chopped cilantro, sour cream, tortilla strips, or avocado slices according to your preference.
Notes
- You can use vegetable broth to make this soup vegetarian or chicken broth for extra richness.
- For a spicier soup, add some cayenne pepper or extra diced green chilies.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freeze nicely for up to 3 months.
- If you prefer a smoother soup, blend all of the soup instead of leaving it chunky.
- To make this soup vegan, ensure using vegetable broth and skip sour cream or use a vegan alternative.
