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Spicy Black Bean Soup
Main Dishes, Soups

Spicy Black Bean Soup

This Spicy Black Bean Soup makes the perfect one-pot vegetarian weeknight dinner or simple meal prep recipe for a busy week! It's a one-pot, easy, vegetarian (or vegan!) dinner that is both hearty and healthy.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Makes: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

Charred Poblano Crema

  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 8 oz thick Mexican crema
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • salt and pepper

Spicy Black Bean Soup

  • 1 lb dried black beans
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 poblano, seeded and diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 vegetable or tomato bouillon cube
  • 3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • chopped cilantro, for serving
  • lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Poblano Crema

  • Char the poblanos over an open flame or under the broiler until black all over. Transfer to a ziplock bag, seal, and let them cool. Peel the poblanos and remove the seeds and stem.
  • Add the poblanos to a blender with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

  • Rinse the dried black beans and pick out any odd looking pieces or rocks. Add the beans to a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and stir to dissolve. Let the beans soak overnight. Drain and rinse before using.
  • Heat the olive oil in a 4 qt dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and poblano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft and starting to brown. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the spices to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the black beans, broth, bouillon, and bay leaf to the pot and bring to a simmer. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and stir to dissolve. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and creamy.
  • Once the beans are creamy, add the vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with poblano crema and cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side and charred tortillas.

Notes

For Instant Pot and slow cooker instructions, see above blog post.