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Bowl of Vegan Black Bean Soup with a bowl of lime wedges.
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4.95 from 19 votes

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!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 197kcal

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.

Video

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