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Black bean soup in a white ceramic bowl on marble

Black Bean Soup

A smoky, hearty plant-based black bean soup with spice-bloomed aromatics and a half-blended texture that is thick, creamy, and ready in 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cans (15 oz each) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lime juice fresh
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  2. Add diced tomatoes with juice and stir to deglaze the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until tomatoes darken slightly.
  3. Add drained black beans and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
  4. Partially blend the soup using an immersion blender, pulsing 6 to 8 times until about half the beans are smooth. The texture should remain chunky and hearty.
  5. Stir in lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust spicing before serving.

Notes

Bloom the spices in oil for at least 60 seconds before adding liquid. This is the single most important step for deep flavor. Blend only half the soup to keep the texture interesting with whole beans. Always add lime juice off the heat.