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    Home » Recipes » Soups, Stews, and Chilis

    Vegan Black Bean Soup

    Published: Dec 2, 2020 by Jenn Sebestyen

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    Spoonful of black bean soup being lifted from a bowl with text overlay.

    Packed with hearty plant based protein, vegetables and spices, this quick and easy Vegan Black Bean Soup is perfect for a cozy weeknight meal. Kid and husband approved. Ready in just 30 minutes!

    Bowl of Vegan Black Bean Soup with a bowl of lime wedges.

    If you’re anything like me, you are busy with little time to think about what’s for dinner, let alone time to actually make it!

    But, that doesn’t mean you need to head to the drive-thru!

    I have a whole collection of 30 minutes (or less!) recipes that are sure to satisfy.

    This delicious hearty soup makes a great weeknight meal paired with a salad or some crusty bread. It’s made all in one pot with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.

    Try this easy Vegan Black Bean Soup tonight and get dinner on the table in just 30 minutes!

    Table of Contents hide
    1 Ingredients you need
    2 How to make the recipe
    3 Pro tips and tricks
    4 FAQs
    5 More easy vegan soup recipes
    6 Vegan Black Bean Soup

    Ingredients you need

    Recipe ingredients arrayed in individual bowls.
    Ingredients: cooked black beans, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, low sodium vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, spices (cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt)

    Ingredient notes and substitutions

    Black beans ~ Canned black beans are always in my pantry. They’re inexpensive and convenient. Be sure to drain them and rinse them well before adding to the soup.

    Learn more about black beans and get even more black bean recipes here.

    Vegetables ~ Besides the aromatics, onion and garlic, the only other vegetable I use is a red bell pepper. This recipe is meant to be kept simple. You can certainly bulk up the nutrient content by adding a few more veggies if you like. Corn, diced sweet potato, zucchini, or even leafy greens, like kale or spinach, would all be great options.

    Diced tomatoes ~ Canned diced tomatoes are a pantry staple and so convenient in this soup. I like the chunky texture of the diced tomatoes, but crushed tomatoes or tomato purée would also work.

    Vegetable broth ~ I almost always opt for low-sodium vegetable broth. This allows more control over the salt content of the dish.

    Spices ~ Cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano are always my go-to spices for anything southwest flavored. Chili powder, bay leaves, thyme, or coriander would all be good choices as well.

    Extras ~ I like to keep the soup fairly simple and set out several garnishes so everyone can customize their own bowl to their tastes. You can, however, add some of these to the soup itself.

    If you like it spicy, try adding a can of diced green chiles, a diced jalapeño pepper, or several shakes of hot sauce.

    Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the pot after simmering.

    Add cooked rice or noodles to the finished soup. I usually serve this soup to my kids over a bowl of macaroni noodles and they love it!

    How to make the recipe

    Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.

    4 photo collage: sautéing onions, veggies and spices in a pot.

    There’s just a few simple steps to make this Vegan Black Bean Soup. It’s all done in one pot in just 30 minutes!

    Sauté the onions and garlic in a little water (you can use oil if you like, or vegetable broth) until soft and translucent (1). Add the bell pepper and sauté until starting to soften (2).

    Add the spices (3) and mix well (4). Continue to sauté for a minute or two until the spices are fragrant.

    3 photo collage: adding beans and tomatoes to pot, simmering, and blending.

    Add the black beans, tomatoes, and broth and stir to combine (4). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes (5).

    I like to purée about half of this soup to make it thick and creamy (6), but if you prefer it more broth-y, you don’t need to do this.

    Close up of soup in a white bowl with toppings of lime and green onion.

    Use toppings to customize individual bowls: avocado slices, sliced green onion, chopped tomato, a few dashes of hot sauce, vegan sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, squeeze of lime juice, etc. Anything your heart desires. Make it your own and enjoy!

    Pro tips and tricks

    ~ Drain and rinse the canned beans well to reduce sodium content and gas-producing components.

    ~ Use spices that are still fresh. Spices that have been sitting in your pantry for over 6 months aren’t going to be as flavorful. If they’re getting old, replace them!

    ~ Sauté the spices for a minute or two until fragrant before adding the broth, tomatoes and beans. This will allow the oils from the spices to release and they’ll be more flavorful.

    ~ Purée half of the soup to make it thick and creamy while still leaving lots of texture.

    ~ Garnish the soup to customize your bowl – try diced avocado, diced red onion, diced green onions, splash of hot sauce, or sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips.

    ~ This black bean soup recipe is so versatile, too. Add rice or quinoa for a hearty stick-to-your-ribs meal, purée the whole thing and use it a dip for tortilla chips, as a topping for a baked potato, or add some macaroni noodles and eat it like a chili mac (<- this is my kids favorite way to eat it).

    FAQs

    Should I drain black beans for soup?

    Technically, you don’t have to drain the beans, but I always recommend it. Draining and rinsing the beans reduces the amount of sodium and may also remove some of the components that cause gas.

    Is Black Bean Soup good for you?

    This vegan black bean soup is dairy free, gluten free and oil free. It is also packed with protein, fiber, folate, B vitamins, vitamin C and iron. That’s a lot of nutrition in a 30 minute meal!

    How do you make vegan black bean soup from scratch?

    I really love the convenience of using canned black beans, but if you prefer to make yours from scratch, see this post All About Black Beans for methods, soaking and cook times.

    How do you thicken black bean soup?

    I like to purée about half of the soup with an immersion blender to thicken it up. Alternately, you can carefully transfer half of the soup to a blender, purée, and then transfer back to the soup pot and mix well. Using a potato masher to mash up some of the beans will also work.

    Spoonful of black bean soup being lifted from a bowl.

    More easy vegan soup recipes

    • Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup
    • Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
    • Instant Pot Vegan Split Pea Soup
    • Lentil Quinoa Soup
    • Vegan Mushroom Soup
    • Vegan Potato Soup

    I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.

    Be sure to sign up for my FREE Newsletter to be the first to get my NEW recipes! You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.


    For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!

    Bowl of Vegan Black Bean Soup with a bowl of lime wedges.

    Vegan Black Bean Soup

    Packed with hearty plant based protein, vegetables and spices, this quick and easy Vegan Black Bean Soup is perfect for a cozy weeknight meal. Kid and husband approved. Ready in just 30 minutes!
    4.91 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 197kcal
    Author: Jenn Sebestyen

    Recommended Equipment

    • Soup Pot
    • Immersion blender

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
    • 3 cans (15-ounces each) black beans rinsed and drained (or about 4 cups cooked black beans)
    • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
    • 3-4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

    Toppings (optional), use what you like:

    • Diced avocado
    • Sliced green onion
    • Chopped tomato
    • Fresh lime juice
    • Hot sauce
    • Crushed tortilla chips
    • Vegan sour cream

    Instructions

    • In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in ¼ cup water until soft and translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
    • Add the red bell pepper and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until starting to soften.
    • Add the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and salt and sauté another minute or two until the spices are fragrant.
    • Add the black beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. (Start with 3 cups of broth, you can add more later if you like a thinner soup). Increase heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
    • Using an immersion blender, purée as much as the soup as you like (I do about ½). Alternately, you can carefully transfer ½ of the soup to a blender, purée, and add back to the pot. Add the other cup of broth if you like a thinner soup.
    • Serve hot with the toppings of your choice.

    Notes

    ~ Drain and rinse the canned beans well to reduce sodium content and gas-producing components.
    ~ Use spices that are still fresh. Spices that have been sitting in your pantry for over 6 months aren’t going to be as flavorful. If they’re getting old, replace them!
    ~ Sauté the spices for a minute or two until fragrant before adding the broth, tomatoes and beans. This will allow the oils from the spices to release and they’ll be more flavorful.
    ~ Purée half of the soup to make it thick and creamy while still leaving lots of texture.
    ~ Garnish the soup to customize your bowl – try diced avocado, diced red onion, diced green onions, splash of hot sauce, or sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips.
    ~ This black bean soup recipe is so versatile, too. Add rice or quinoa for a hearty stick-to-your-ribs meal, purée the whole thing and use it a dip for tortilla chips, as a topping for a baked potato, or add some macaroni noodles and eat it like a chili mac (<- this is my kids favorite way to eat it).
    ~ I really love the convenience of using canned black beans, but if you prefer to make yours from scratch, see this post All About Black Beans for methods, soaking and cook times.
    ~ Nutrition facts calculated without toppings.
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 747mg | Potassium: 702mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1400IU | Vitamin C: 54.5mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2.5mg

    Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.

    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Veggie_Inspired or tag #VeggieInspired!

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    Comments

    1. Bethany says

      January 08, 2023 at 4:02 pm

      Just made this and love it!5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        January 08, 2023 at 6:48 pm

        Thank you, Bethany! I’m so glad you loved it!

        Reply
    2. Bill says

      November 28, 2022 at 1:19 pm

      I wish, in the area you describe how to make this, you put a note to scroll down for ingredient amounts, I winged it and winged it too spicy. Saying jump to recipe is not enough4 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        November 28, 2022 at 6:40 pm

        Sorry for the confusion, Bill. There is a recipe card in every post with the full ingredients and instructions concisely laid out. The text in the post is for extra detail. I will try to add a note going forward in the How to Make the Recipe section that clearly states to scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions. Thank you for your feedback.

        Reply
    3. Anne says

      May 19, 2022 at 10:39 am

      Great, easy recipe that my whole family enjoys, picky eaters included. I found this blog thanks to picking up a copy of your cookbook. I made two recipes from it the first week I had the book, and got so many compliments from my family. Was so happy to find this blog with more tasty recipes that my kids (and husband) will happily eat without complaints. Thank you from a vegan mom in a omnivorous household.5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        May 20, 2022 at 8:42 pm

        Thank you for this wonderful feedback, Anne! I’m thrilled that you and your family are loving the recipes.

        Reply
    4. Carly says

      September 22, 2021 at 9:36 pm

      This was so good & easy to make! I subbed a half tub of fresh salsa for the diced tomatoes- yum!! I didn’t have paprika, but I did add cayenne. It was spicy and perfect. I will definitely make this again.5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        September 23, 2021 at 7:40 pm

        I love the idea of adding salsa instead of diced tomatoes! YUM! So glad you liked it, Carly. Thanks!

        Reply
    5. Samantha says

      September 09, 2020 at 7:14 am

      Could I use an ingredient instead of tomatoes, ( an allergy) any thoughts? Thanks 😀

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        September 09, 2020 at 10:30 am

        Hi, Samantha. You can leave the tomatoes out. Add a little more broth, if needed, and a squeeze of lime juice for acidity. If you want, you can add a finely diced carrot for extra veg if you want. Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Heidi says

      April 20, 2020 at 6:57 pm

      Just made this (eating as I type!) and it is *delicious*. The consistency is perfect with only 3 cups of broth, great call. It’s yummy and super easy to make. Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        April 20, 2020 at 8:23 pm

        Wonderful! I’m so happy you love it, Heidi! Thank you!

        Reply
    7. Matt says

      October 24, 2019 at 2:28 pm

      I’m eating this soup right now and I love it. It’s so simple but the flavor is really complex. This is definitely going in my list of soups I make regularly.

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        October 24, 2019 at 4:08 pm

        Wonderful! I’m so happy you love it, Matt!

        Reply
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    Jenn Sebestyen of Veggie Inspired

    Hi, I'm Jenn! This is where I share delicious plant based recipes for the whole family. I love to cook; I can read cookbooks like novels; and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen by making standard American favorites healthier.

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