Name: Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 12 h
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 15 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound smoked chorizo link sausage, diced; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1 large carrot, diced; 2 stalks celery, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 8 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 pound dried black beans; 1 – 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 1 dried bay leaf; 1/2 tablespoon cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; juice of 1 lime; 1 tablespoon hot sauce; 8-10 cups low sodium chicken stock; greek yogurt or sour cream; sliced avocado; shredded white sharp cheddar cheese; chopped cilantro; finely diced red onion

This delicious Black Bean Soup is packed with veggies, protein, and plenty of flavorful spices! It’s a hearty comfort food recipe that I know you will absolutely love.

The Best Black Bean Soup

My love for this hearty and delicious black bean soup runs DEEP! Last year, my husband and I were reminded of the importance eating enough dietary fiber and we realized that beans were a great (and cheap!) source of fiber, protein, and nutrients.

Since then, I’ve been experimenting with new ways to incorporate beans into our diet on a more regular basis and one of the results of my experiments is this black bean soup. It’s packed with veggies, protein, and it’s made with dried black beans which are incredibly budget friendly.

I love to make a version of this soup that includes chorizo, but you could easily make a vegetarian version if you prefer. It’s hearty, fiber filled, and has such a delicious deep flavor that I know you will love.

More Delicious Ways to Use Black Beans

Black Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients

Chorizo: for this recipe you’ll need the smoked version of chorizo that comes in the form of a link. You’ll dice it before using it in the soup.

Veggies: this soup is packed with veggies like celery, carrot, bell pepper, and tomatoes.

Garlic: you’ll need plenty of fresh garlic to add extra flavor to this soup.

Black Beans: the base of this soup is dried black beans which are packed with fiber and protein, and they’re inexpensive!

Spices: dried herbs and spices like cumin, dried bay leaves, oregano, and chili powder help to build some serious flavor in this soup.

Hot Sauce: you’ll need just a few dashes of your favorite brand.

Chicken Broth: look for low-sodium chicken broth so that you can control the amount of salt in the soup.

Lime Juice: last, but certainly not least, you’ll need a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Ingredient Substitutions

Chorizo – the chorizo adds some delicious flavor to this soup, but if you prefer you can swap it for another protein or leave it out altogether for a vegetarian version of this soup. If you do want to swap the chorizo, I would recommend using another smoked linked sausage or ground turkey or beef.
Black Beans – I’ve tested this recipe with both dried black beans and canned and there is just something special about using dried beans. The starch from the beans thickens the soup as it cooks which gives it the best texture. If you do want to use canned beans, I’ve included some notes, below.
Chicken Stock – swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth if you prefer!

How to Make Black Bean Soup

Step One: Pour the dried beans into a colander. Remove any stones, debris, or damaged beans and then rinse. Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl or pot and cover generously with water. Let the beans soak 8-12 hours or up to overnight. Drain the soaking liquid and rinse before using.

Step Two: Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Step Three: Once the pot is hot, add the olive oil and then diced chorizo. Saute chorizo for 3-4 minutes until it begins to brown.

Step Four: Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, diced peppers to the pot and sauté 5-6 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.

Step Five: Next add smashed garlic cloves and sauté for another minute until fragrant.

Step Six: Add the black beans, tomatoes, bay leaf, spices, salt, pepper, and hot sauce to the pot and stir until well combined and then pour in the chicken broth and lime juice.

Step Seven: Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer. Cover and simmer the beans for 2-3 hours or until the beans are tender. Stir the beans every 30 minutes or so to ensure they are not sticking and add more broth or water as needed.

Step Eight: Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve with toppings and enjoy!

How Long Does it Take for Beans to Cook?

The black beans should be tender after simmering for around 2-3 hours. However, the age of dried beans can really impact the cooking time.

The older the beans are, the longer they may need to cook. When you’re purchasing your beans, check the expiration date and grab fresh beans. Also, you can check the tenderness of the beans after they have cooked for 1 hour. Continue to let them simmer until completely tender, and don’t forget to add a bit more broth or water if necessary.

Can I Use Canned Beans Instead of Dried?

Yes! Like I mentioned earlier, I highly recommend using dried beans in this recipe for the best result. Not only are they cheaper, they give the soup the best texture.

However, if you are going to use canned beans here are some tips:

You’ll need 4 – 15.5 oz cans of black beans for this recipe. If you want the soup extra hearty you can add an additional can.
Look for low-sodium or no salt added canned black beans so that you can better control the amount of salt in this soup.
Don’t rinse or drain the beans before adding them to the soup. The liquid in the canned beans contains some starch which will help thicken the soup.
If you’re short on time, you can let the soup simmer for just 1 hour or let it continue to simmer on low for 2 hours.
If you want the soup to be a bit thicker, you can let it simmer uncovered. Alternatively, you can add a slurry of 1-2 teaspoons of arrowroot starch and water to help the soup thicken a bit.

How to Store

Store the the soup in an air-tight container or pot in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat the soup right on the stove or in the microwave.

Topping Ideas

One of the best parts about this hearty soup is topping it with all your favorite toppings. The soup already packs so much flavor but adding a few things on top never hurts.

Here are few topping suggestions:

greek yogurt or sour cream
sliced avocado
shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
chopped cilantro
finely diced red onion
lime wedges

Black Bean Soup

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Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 15 hours
Yield: 8 1x
Category: dinner
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 15 hours
Yield: 8 1x
Category: dinner
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound smoked chorizo link sausage, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
8 cloves garlic, smashed
1 pound dried black beans
1 – 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon hot sauce
8–10 cups low sodium chicken stock

For Topping

greek yogurt or sour cream
sliced avocado
shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
chopped cilantro
finely diced red onion

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Method

Prep the Beans: Pour the dried beans into a colander. Remove any stones, debris, or damaged beans and then rinse. Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl or pot and cover generously with water. Let the beans soak 8-12 hours or up to overnight. Drain the soaking liquid and rinse before using.
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Once the pot is hot, add the olive oil and then diced chorizo. Saute chorizo for 3-4 minutes until it begins to brown.
Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, diced peppers to the pot and sauté 5-6 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
Next add smashed garlic cloves and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
Add the black beans, tomatoes, bay leaf, spices, salt, pepper, and hot sauce to the pot and stir until well combined and then pour in the chicken broth and lime juice.
Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer. Cover and simmer the beans for 2-3 hours or until the beans are tender. Stir the beans every 30 minutes or so to ensure they are not sticking and add more broth or water as needed. *The age of the beans can determine cooking time. The older the beans, the longer they may need to cook. Look for fresh beans and check after 1 hour, however, continue to let them simmer until tender, adding a bit more liquid if necessary.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, top with toppings and enjoy!