Black Bean Soup

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This fast, easy black bean soup is my pantry-staple dinner: canned black beans, colorful veggies, and warm spices simmered and blended until creamy. My family loves it, and I love the fiber, the protein, and, best of all, the toppings!

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time33

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American/Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 399kcal

Author: Suzy Karadsheh

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
Kosher salt
Black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained (about 6 cups)
4 to 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 to 2 limes, plus more to serve
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Toppings (optional)

1 to 2 avocados, sliced
Greek yogurt or sour cream
Fresh cilantro leaves
1 to 2 green onions trimmed and sliced (both white and green parts)

Instructions

Sauté the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and both bell peppers. Season with a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Bloom the aromatics. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and cayenne and cook, stirring,until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Simmer. Add the black beans, 4 cups broth, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Blend. Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to purée part of the soup, leaving plenty of whole beans. (Or blend 2 cups in a blender and stir it back in.) If it's too thick, add up to 1 more cup of broth.
Finish and serve. Stir in juice of 1 lime and the cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and pepper or add more lime juice if needed. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with the toppings of your choice.

Notes

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
To use dried beans: Boil, then simmer black beans in salted water until tender and creamy, about 30 to 45 minutes. Use about 6 cups of cooked black beans to replace the canned beans. You can also use some of their cooking liquid in place of the vegetable broth, if you like.

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