Spicy Black Bean Soup

This easy 10-ingredient black bean soup recipe is one of our mainstays on cold nights. Warm & creamy, it's perfect with a sprinkle of fresh toppings.

Spicy black bean soup recipe

What I love about Super Bowl week (and it’s not the game, of course – who’s even playing? and that’s football right?)… What I love is the amount of Mexican-ish comfort food that’s all over the internet. I haven’t been into a game since the Super Bowl shuffle, but suddenly I find myself craving spicy, chile-flavored foods with tons of avocado.

This year, I’m sharing this easy vegan black bean soup recipe that I love to top with dried chile salsa and dollops of a creamy, tangy vegan sun cheese in place of traditional sour cream (recipe below).

Vegan black bean soup recipe ingredients

How to Make This Black Bean Soup Recipe

The soup part of this recipe is quick and easy… another good one for a cold weeknight. Just follow these simple steps:

  1. Sauté shallot, garlic, and jalapeño in a little oil until softened.
  2. Stir in some chili powder, and then add black beans and stock.
  3. Simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
  4. Blend and season to taste! I always finish mine with a good squeeze of lime.
  5. Enjoy!

Blend up the sun cheese and salsa if you like, but definitely feel free to simplify the toppings… add a little avocado and some good store-bought salsa and call it a night. I like to serve this soup with a side of hot cornbread.

If you love this black bean soup recipe…

Try making chili, tortilla soup, or butternut squash soup next!

The chile sauce and sun cheese recipes make more than you’ll need for this soup – both can be made well in advance.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Spicy Black Bean Soup

 
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This vegan black bean soup recipe is a great choice for a winter weeknight. Thick, creamy, and nourishing, it'll warm you up in no time.
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 small shallots, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ½-1 jalapeño, de-seeded and chopped
  • 4 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3 cups black beans, cooked, drained (reserve a few for garnish)
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
  • up to ½ cup water, if necessary for blending consistency
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
  • Squeeze of lime
  • Optional: a few pinches of cayenne and/or smoked paprika
  • Serve with (all optional): diced red onion, jalapeño slices, avocado, cilantro, tortillas, sun cheese, salsa, or dried chile salsa
Sun cheese topping: (optional)
  • 1¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds, soaked at least 4 hours
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar*
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup water (more as needed)
Instructions
  1. Heat a splash of oil in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, jalapeño, and a few pinches of salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the chili powder, stir, then add the black beans and stock. Simmer on low heat for 20 or so minutes.
  3. Blend the soup, adding water or more stock if it's too thick.
  4. Add a good squeeze of lime, blend again, then taste. Add more salt & spices to your liking. Keep it smooth, or add a few more black beans for texture. Serve with the suggested fixings, or whatever you like!
  5. For the sun cheese: Blend all ingredients together. Add more water if necessary to thin. Taste and adjust. Serve on the side, and store the remainder in the fridge.
Notes
*You can sub white wine vinegar (+ a few good pinches of salt), for the umeboshi vinegar - however the ume vinegar brings a nice “umami” flavor that other vinegars don’t. (Find it at whole foods in the asian section or buy it online).

Look for sunflower seeds in the bulk bins that are already hulled. If you can only find skin-on seeds, don't worry about peeling them (it's tedious). It’s creamier with hulled seeds, but will taste fine nonetheless.

 

Sun cheese recipe adapted from the Casa De Luz Cookbook.

 

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.