Black Bean Soup - The Secret Easy Recipe! (2024)

Healthy Meal Ideas

by Chocolate Covered Katie

5 from 26 votes

A super thick and alluringly creamy black bean soup recipe, in under 10 minutes from start to finish!

Black Bean Soup - The Secret Easy Recipe! (2)

Healthy Black Bean Soup

Quick

EASY

One Pot

Vegan

Oil Free

Gluten Free

Don’t know what to make for dinner tonight? You should definitely make this soup, because it is absolutely delicious and so simple to throw together!

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Black Bean Soup - The Secret Easy Recipe! (4)

The Best Black Bean Soup Recipe

What makes this one the best black bean soup?

It’s not just the thick texture and bold flavor, although those two things certainly help!

It’s also that this is quite possibly the absolute easiest black bean soup recipe you will ever try.

No chopping vegetables

No obscure spices

No half-used container of vegetable broth left after making the recipe.

Leftover Black Beans? Make This Veggie Burger Recipe!

Black Bean Soup - The Secret Easy Recipe! (6)

So what’s the secret?

The secret ingredient is… jarred salsa!

Since salsa already contains many of the same ingredients found in traditional Mexican black bean soup recipes – including onions, garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, and vinegar – it enables you to skip a bunch of steps.

And the best part is that there’s NO need to chop any onions (yay!!!).

It also lets you to make mild, medium, or spicy soup. Just be sure to use a brand of salsa that you like!

Also Try This Lentil Soup Recipe– Reader Favorite

What Do You Eat With The Soup?

Crushed Tortilla Chips

Toast or Applesauce Muffins(shown above)

Roasted Vegetables

Half Calorie Rice

Corn Muffins or Vegan Cornbread

Or top the vegan black bean soup with croutons, cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, lime (for Cuban black bean soup), chopped peppers, or diced avocado.

While some traditional recipes will include ham, pork, or bacon to add texture and flavor, you can keep the soup vegetarian and Weight Watchers friendly by using diced tofu or roasted sweet potatoes (here’s how to cook sweet potatoes). Leftovers freeze well, so the recipe is great for meal prep.

And For Dessert? Black Bean Brownies!

Above – watch the video how to make black bean soup!

Feel free to use either soaked and cooked dried beans or canned beans for this soup.

Because the recipe only takes five minutes to make from scratch, there’s no need for an instant pot or crock pot slow cooker version of the recipe – it’s already almost too easy on its own!

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Black Bean Soup - The Secret Easy Recipe! (10)

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Black Bean Soup Recipe

This thick vegan black bean soup recipe can be made in under ten minutes!

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Yield 2 1/2 cups

5 from 26 votes

Ingredients

1 can black beans, or 1 1/2 cups cooked
1 cup salsa of choice
1/2 cup water
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
optional 1 tbsp mayo, sour cream, or cashew cream, for added richness
optional garnishes, including diced avocado, cilantro, parsley, crushed tortilla chips, etc.

Instructions

Combine all ingredients. I like to pulverize (leaving some texture) with a hand blender, but it's not required. Heat on the stove, or the soup can be eaten cold if you prefer. The recipe is easily customizable – feel free to add diced roasted sweet potato, corn, etc. Leftovers can be frozen.

Notes

Be sure to check out the recipe video posted above. And if you try this soup, don’t forget to rate the recipe or leave a review below!

If you’re still craving soup, try this Panera inspiredCauliflower Soup Recipe.

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram

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Published on March 19, 2020

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Oatmeal Muffins

Meet Katie

Chocolate Covered Katie is one of the top 25 food websites in America, and Katie has been  featured on The  Today Show, CNN,  Fox, The  Huffington Post, and  ABC's 5 O’Clock News. Her favorite food is chocolate, and she believes in eating dessert every single day.

Learn more about Katie

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Reader Interactions

25 Comments

Leave a comment or reviewLeave a rating

Molly says
19th March 2020 at 10:38 am
See Also
Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Lentil Chili Recipe
I received the recipe email at 8:49AM, and by 9:15, I already had the soup made! Although I am saving it for lunch, my taste was delicious! I made some tortilla chips to go with it. Last night, I made a batch of poblano salsa and needed something to do with it. This recipe was perfect! My soup came out green because of the salsa and it is gorgeous! I will be adding some lime and avocado when I finally get to eat it. I am especially thankful now for your simple recipes I can make while I am at my apartment. Since I have been making your recipes for years, my pantry is always stocked with the essentials I need for most of your recipes! Thanks Katie! You are one of the true helpers during this time 🙂
Reply
- Molly says
  19th March 2020 at 10:39 am
  Oops, forgot to rate! Easy 5/5!
  Reply
- Chocolate Covered Katie says
  19th March 2020 at 10:41 am
  I think this is the fastest anyone has ever made ANY of my recipes. Thank you so much for trying it!
  Reply
Jeannie Hilton says
19th March 2020 at 11:47 am
You are so cute! This is the perfect recipe. Thank you. Pinned and bookmarked.
Reply
Rachel M says
19th March 2020 at 12:31 pm
Thanks for this easy and delicious recipe. Between all of the meetings I’m attending (remotely!!) I was looking for something quick and super happy I clicked on your email. I didn’t have a jar of salsa, but I did have a can of mild rotel so I used a cup of that. De-lish!
Reply
- Jason Sanford says
  19th March 2020 at 4:26 pm
  That sounds like a fantastic substitution idea!
  Reply
sue says
19th March 2020 at 6:19 pm
Read your recipe this morning and this was supper. Fantastic. Delicious. I gave it a small dusting of vegan cheese and have deep dish cookie pie for dessert. Great supper. Thank you! *****
Reply
Sandra says
20th March 2020 at 12:25 am
I’ve been making this for years, but I use 1/2 cup salsa and 1 cup of broth. It’s good with cornbread. More recently, I’ve been using fresh fire-roasted salsa from Whole Foods, in refrigerated section, better than the jars on the shelves.
Reply
Mary says
21st March 2020 at 2:09 pm
This looks great and, most importantly, easy! I’ll have to try it.
I’m curious as to why you removed the Vitacost logo, but not the Whole Foods ones, though.
Reply
- Jason Sanford says
  21st March 2020 at 4:40 pm
  Hi, no reason other than aesthetic – so it wasn’t the first thing the eye went to in the photo. We are big fans of vitacost and order from them often 🙂
  Jason (media relations)
  Reply
Linda Sims says
21st March 2020 at 3:19 pm
Katie:
Just made your Black Bean Soup for lunch. My husband and I loved it. I am forwarding your web site address and recipe onto my son and daughters and friends. I am sure that they will love it as well. Thanks
Linda
Reply
Despo Baltoumas says
23rd March 2020 at 12:42 pm
katie, I wanted to make a quick meal for myself after my retail job last night. I love love love this black bean soup. My heart doctor wants me to have a lot of beans will this is great. I did four cans and timesed everything by 4 and added a can of corn. It was so amazing. The flavors were so good. It came out so delicious and I will have it again tonight. i did not puree it I like the texture. This is a marvelous recipe for anyone. You cheered me up during these hard times. Thank you and God Bless.
Reply
SuperWittySmitty says
5th May 2020 at 12:30 pm
If I’m using a can of black beans, should I rinse them? I assume so; most recipes say drained and rinsed.
Reply
- Jason Sanford says
  5th May 2020 at 12:48 pm
  Yes 🙂
  Reply
Jenny says
24th May 2020 at 9:35 pm
I just made this for dinner. I used vegan mayo, and the dish was delightful! Thank you for another fantastic recipe.
Reply
Sophia says
26th June 2020 at 4:52 pm
Sautéed onions and garlic in the pot before adding the other ingredients, and added 3/4 tsp chili powder. Delicious!
Reply
Summer Yule says
12th September 2020 at 7:02 pm
Absolutely loved this easy meal idea! I’m definitely making more next week! I doubled it so there was enough for the whole family 🙂
Reply
Gretchen says
2nd March 2022 at 4:16 pm

I made as stated but I had leftover farro and added it to the mixture. It came out so thick that I was able to wrap it in a tortilla and topped it with sour cream, cilantro, and chopped avocado. It was wonderful! Thank you for all your great recipes.
Reply
- CCK Media Team says
  2nd March 2022 at 4:17 pm
  Your version sounds even better!
  Reply
Brandy says
31st March 2022 at 5:42 pm
Do you drain the beans or not? Can’t wait to try.
Reply
- CCK Media Team says
  31st March 2022 at 6:11 pm
  Yes drain and rinse 🙂
  Reply
Jennifer Schandlen says
8th January 2023 at 12:04 pm

Delicious and sooo easy with pantry staples!
Reply
Thomas E. Brown says
8th May 2023 at 4:14 pm
If these are so healthy include nutritional information.
Reply
Sarah says
16th October 2023 at 5:01 pm

Just finishing it up now and it is going to become a staple! Beyond 5 stars on it being so fast and cheap! I’m just now getting into meal prep but I am VERY lazy and have an incredibly short attention span lol. This is exactly what I needed in my life right now. I honestly just did the spices to taste.
A few things I added- some lime juice (this sent it to the next level), green onion, and serving it with chips. Already sent this recipe to 5+ people. More recipes like this please!
Reply
- CCK Media Team says
  16th October 2023 at 6:29 pm
  This makes us so happy!
  Reply

Black Bean Soup - The Secret Easy Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

How can I thicken my black bean soup? ›

How do you thicken black bean soup? Pureeing or mashing one can of the black beans in this recipe helps thicken the soup's texture. If you would like your soup even thicker, you can remove some of the soup into a separate bowl and whisk in a little flour or cornstarch.

Read The Full Story ›

Do you need to soak black beans before making soup? ›

In the course of his testing, Yonan found that soaking only cut down cooking time by 25 to 30%, and it also had real drawbacks. "You lose a lot of flavors when you soak them," Yonan says. "I've never had a pot of black beans as good soaking as when I don't soak them.

What happened to Panera black bean soup? ›

As if the loss of Panera's chowder wasn't bad enough, the chain also had to go and nix their beloved Black Bean Soup, according to Restless Chipotle. It was popular enough for people to launch a campaign on Change.org calling for its return, but so far those calls have not led to a return of this vegetarian staple.

Explore More ›

What is black bean soup made of? ›

Black beans, of course! You'll need 2 cans of black beans for this recipe, and you'll use the liquid in the cans as well as the beans themselves. Onion, garlic, carrot, and celery – These aromatic veggies add savory depth of flavor. Canned chipotle peppers and adobo sauce – They give this black bean soup a spicy kick.

Read On ›

What is the best thickener for soup? ›

Whisking beurre manié (butter-flour paste) into simmering soup is the best way to thicken an otherwise too-watery soup. Add bits of the paste gradually and simmer to cook out any raw flour taste. The broth will be velvety smooth, rich, and thick.

Explore More ›

How much cornstarch to thicken bean soup? ›

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

Show Me More ›

Do I drain canned black beans for soup? ›

"It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states. "A 2009 study conducted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, showed that draining beans removes, on average, 36 percent of the sodium in canned beans.

Find Out More ›

What can I season black beans with? ›

Best Black Bean Recipes

Season them with lime juice and zest, chili powder, oregano, and/or cilantro, and serve them as a side dish with Mexican or Latin American-inspired dishes like tacos or taquitos. Paired with some cilantro lime rice, they could also pass as a meal on their own!

How to soften black beans quickly? ›

Quick Soak: This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for at least 1 hour.

Why is my black bean soup bitter? ›

Sometimes black beans can come out tasting bitter. To prevent this, be sure to use an appropriate amount of salt. This recipe calls for a tablespoon, but don't forget to taste for salt when your soup is finished and add more if desired; it will depend on how salty your bacon is, too.

Discover More ›

Does Progresso make black bean soup? ›

Savor every bite of Progresso Southwest-Style Black Bean canned soup with 20g of protein per can. This cozy and delicious protein soup is vegetarian and includes a half cup of vegetables per can. You'll love the taste of black beans, corn, barley and roasted red bell pepper in a tomato-based broth.

Discover More ›

Why does black bean soup give me gas? ›

Beans contain oligosaccharides, a type of complex carbohydrate that humans can't digest on their own. When these carbohydrates reach the large intestine, the bacteria in the gut break them down and produce gas as a byproduct. This is why eating beans can cause flatulence.

Know More ›

Is black beans soup good for you? ›

The antioxidants, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates in black beans make them nutritionally powerful. A diet rich in beans can reduce your risk of several serious medical conditions and help your body to process calories more effectively.

Discover More Details ›

Why is black bean soup good for you? ›

Black beans are naturally gluten-free and vegan, and high in both protein and fiber. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and have been linked to reductions in disease risk, according to a 2022 review in Nutrients.

View Details ›

How do you thicken watery bean soup? ›

In a separate bowl, dissolve a teaspoon or two of cornstarch or all-purpose flour in a small amount of cold water. Add the slurry to the bubbling soup. The soup should thicken up. Add more cornstarch or flour as needed until the soup reaches your desired consistency.