This easy Vegan Black Bean Soup is a creamy, protein-packed, 30-minute dinner made in one pot. Top it with avocado, tortilla chips, and vegan sour cream for a customizable meal the whole family will love!
Craving more comforting vegan soup recipes? Try this all-time favorite Vegan Lasagna Soup, my easy and flexible Roasted Vegetable Soup, or this creamy Vegan Corn Chowder.
My Vegan Black Bean Soup recipe reminds me of the black bean soup my daughter fell in love with at Panera years ago, only it’s much more flavorful. We don’t go to Panera much anymore, but she still asks me to make this soup!
This is one of those humble and affordable soups that’s anything but boring. It’s creamy but still hearty, with tender black beans in a savory cumin-spiced broth. A spritz of fresh lime juice brightens it up at the end, then I squeeze some hot sauce over my bowl to keep things interesting.
But what really makes this meal are the toppings. I serve my black bean soup with my Vegan Sour Cream and a few tortilla chips on top, but there are so many more to choose from. Put out a few options, so you and the kids can each customize your own bowls!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“An amazing, simple & quick recipe that everyone will love! Will definitely be making again. I’d recommend making Nora’s cornbread with it!”– Kayla
Why you’ll love this black bean soup
- Simple & flavorful – Savory, smoky, and bright, the handful of pantry ingredients in this vegetarian black bean soup do some serious heavy lifting in the flavor department! It’s not spicy either, so it’s perfect for kids.
- Great for meal prep – This soup tastes even better the next day. I highly recommend doubling the recipe so you have leftovers for lunch.
- Cooking options – My black bean soup is easy to make on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker.
How to make vegan black bean soup
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Sauté the onion in a large soup pot until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then sauté the carrot and celery in the pot.
Pour in the beans, vegetable broth, and cumin. Heat to a boil, then lower it to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
Blend about 3 cups of soup in a blender until smooth, then stir it back into the pot.
Blending the soup
Partially blending a few cups of the soup is the secret to its velvety texture. I like to use a high-powered blender, but sticking an immersion blender right in the soup pot works, too. I’ve tested both ways and found that the high-powered blender gave me the creamiest results.
Taste and season the soup with lime juice, hot sauce, and salt. Ladle it into bowls with cooked rice or Vegan Cornbread on the side, then add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Serve with toppings
The toppings make this soup. And luckily, there are plenty to choose from! Here’s what I like to use:
- Pickled jalapeño slices
- Vegan Sour Cream
- Tortilla chips
- Diced avocado
- Pickled Red Onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced tomatoes
- Shredded vegan cheese
Frequently asked questions
Dry beans do work, but they’ll need to be soaked and cooked ahead of time. Soak 2 cups of dry black beans in water overnight, then simmer them in fresh water the next day until they’re tender (about 1 to 1.5 hours).
Yes! First, use Sauté mode to cook the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery as normal. Turn it off, then add in the rest of the ingredients (except the lime juice and hot sauce). Seal and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally, then stir in the lime juice and hot sauce. Blend some of the soup, then stir it back into the pot. Serve and enjoy.
Using a slow cooker easily turns this into a hands-off vegan dinner. Just throw all of the ingredients into the pot (except the lime juice and hot sauce), place the lid on top, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours or on Low for 5 to 6 hours.
When the cook time is up (AKA when your kitchen smells AMAZING), season the soup as normal and blend a few cups before stirring it back into the pot.
I really like this soup as-is, but these add-ins will easily turn up the flavor:
-Sauté a jalapeño pepper or a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce with the onions if you like spicy black bean soup.
-Combine the carrots and celery with a diced sweet potato, zucchini, cauliflower florets, or 1 cup of diced tomatoes.
-Combine the cumin with a pinch of smoked paprika and/or chili powder.
-Stir in about 1 cup of salsa at the end.
Pack the cooled leftover bean soup into airtight containers, then refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the leftovers in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave or on the stove.
Vegan Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
- 3 celery ribs, chopped small
- 4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Optional toppings
- Vegan Sour Cream
- fresh chopped cilantro, avocado, jalapeños, diced tomatoes, hot sauce, shredded vegan cheese
- Vegan Cornbread
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and saute for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and saute 1 more minute.
- Add the diced carrot and celery, and saute for 1 minute, stirring. Pour in the beans, vegetable broth and cumin. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Blend some of the soup: Put 3 cups of the soup in a blender, and blend until smooth. Add back to the pot and stir. Alternately, you can use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup right in the pot.
- Add the lime juice, hot sauce and salt to taste. Serve immediately with desired toppings.
Notes
- This soup freezes well and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It makes a great meal prep for a busy week.
- I prefer to blend some of the soup in a blender, as it gets creamier this way. An immersion blender will work fine, but it won’t get as creamy. You can also blend more of the soup if you want it pureed without chunks.
- Instant Pot: Use the sauté feature in the Instant Pot and cook the onion, then the garlic, carrots and celery. Turn off the IP and add the rest of the ingredients, except for the lime juice and hot sauce. Stir, then seal and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, then carefully remove the lid and stir in the lime juice and hot sauce. Blend some of the soup, if desired.
Simple, cheap and so tasty. Thank you!