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Black bean soup in a bowl with bowls of toppings and spoons on the side.

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Thick and creamy, this black bean soup starts with dried black beans for an ultra-flavorful result; with onion, jalapeño, and savory spices, it's hearty and satisfying (not to mention naturally vegetarian and gluten-free!)
Yield: 4 main servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Overnight Soak: 12 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup / 200 g dried black beans
  • 10 cups / 2.4 liters filtered or spring water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped (1 ½ cups chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 14 oz / 397 g 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, and fresh chopped cilantro, for topping, as desired

Instructions

  • Place black beans in a quart-sized container; cover with water by at least 2-3 inches. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • The next day, drain and rinse the beans. Add to a large stock pot or Dutch oven along with 10 cups of filtered water. Add salt and bay leaf and bring to a full rolling boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low; you want to keep the beans bubbling at a bare simmer rather than vigorously boiling. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 60 to 90 minutes (older beans may take longer, as will beans that haven't soaked as long) or until beans are soft and tender throughout.
  • Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of cooked beans and 4 cups of cooking liquid.
  • Wipe out Dutch oven. Return to medium heat and add oil until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste, chipotle and cumin and stir until coated and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add canned tomatoes and all their juices, along with black beans and 3 cups of reserved bean liquid. Bring to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender (you can also use an immersion blender) and puree until smooth. Add more liquid as desired to reach a thick, soup-like consistency.
  • Return to saucepan and add lime juice. Taste, and season as desired (we did not need any additional salt, but you may want to).
  • Ladle into serving bowls and add toppings as desired. Serve warm. Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for a few days, or even frozen for up 1 month.