This healthy and savory black bean soup recipe with dry beans is easy to prepare, freezer-friendly, and perfect for those cold winter days.

Black Bean Soup

I look forward to making homemade soups and stews when the weather gets cold. This black bean soup is hearty, super high in fiber, and inexpensive to make. It’s also vegan and vegetarian. Try it topped with avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt and fresh chopped herbs, like cilantro or chives. You might also like this Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Soup, Vegetarian Black Bean Chili, or these Quick Cuban Black Beans.

Black Bean Soup Ingredients

I pack in extra flavor in this black bean soup by adding the veggies twice. Whole vegetables simmer with the beans, and chopped ones get sauteed separately before going in the pot.

• Beans: Simmer the dry black beans with red bell pepper, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in water.
• Sautéed Vegetables: Onion, red bell pepper, carrots, parsley, and garlic cook together and then go in the soup.
• Vinegar: If you don’t have red wine vinegar, apple cider or white wine vinegar will work.
• Wine: Use any dry white wine, like chardonnay or pinot grigio. If you don’t like cooking with wine, omit it.
• Seasoning: Ground cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon. For vegetarian black bean soup, use vegetable bouillon. If you prefer to skip the bouillon, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth in it’s place.
• Toppings: Top your soup with any combo of avocado, sour cream, Greek yogurt, red onions, scallions, chives, tortilla chips, and/or cilantro.

How to make black bean soup from scratch?

1. Soaking the Beans: You can soak beans one of two ways. If you start the day before, rinse the black beans, place them in a large pot with about eight cups of water, and soak them overnight. If you’re short on time, follow the same steps, but instead of soaking them overnight, cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Then, remove the pot from the heat and let the beans sit covered for an hour.
2. Drain the beans and discard the water. Add nine cups of fresh, cold water to the pot.
3. Add the Veggies to the Black Beans: One bell pepper, two whole garlic cloves, one small onion, and three bay leaves. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered for about 90 minutes until the beans are tender. Stir the mixture occasionally and add more water if necessary. Once done, discard the vegetables and bay leaves.
4. Sauté Vegetables: While the beans simmer, cook the chopped onion, parsley, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic on medium-low heat in a large skillet for about five minutes. Season the veggies with salt and pepper.
5. Add Everything to the Beans: Put the sautéed vegetables into the pot of beans after they’ve simmered for an hour. Next, add the wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, and bouillon and more water if needed.
6. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring.
7. Blend: Remove the bay leaves and then partially blend the soup for 10 seconds with an immersion blender to thicken it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend three cups of the soup in a regular blender and then return it to the pot.
8. Season: Add more salt, pepper, and cumin to taste and then ladle into bowls. Top with your preferred toppings and enjoy! Leftovers will hold for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Black Bean Soup Storage Tips

I’ve been getting a lot of requests for make-ahead freezer meals, so I’ve added a label to the recipes on my site that I think would freeze well. You can find them under “Freezer Meals”.

This black bean soup recipe is perfect for meal prep. Freezing meals in individual portions to use throughout the month for lunch or dinner is a great way to save time and money. Pour the soup into quart-size freezer bags or an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, thaw overnight and warm on the stove or in the microwave. This will last in the fridge for 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is black bean soup good for you?

Legumes, such as black beans, are an amazing source of fiber. One serving of this homemade black bean soup is a little over 10 grams of fiber. It’s also rich in protein and iron and low in calories and fat. Black beans provide you with vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Folate, Magnesium, Iron and Potassium.

How do I thicken black bean soup?

I like my black bean soup soupier, but if you prefer it thicker, there are a couple of things you can do. If your soup is watery, you can simmer it uncovered for longer so some of the broth evaporates. You can also blend it for longer – blending is a great way to thicken soups without adding cream.

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