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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup

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This chunky vegan black bean soup is a healthy, hearty, filling, one-pot meal! Made with simple ingredients, flavorful spices, and you can customize it with your favorite toppings.

healthy vegan black bean soup topped with greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips in a grey bowl, top view

This vegan black bean soup might be one of my favorite recipes of all time. It’s full of Mexican flavors!

When my husband ate it, he said: this might even be better than your vegetarian chili — which is a pretty big compliment!

It’s perfect for winter: hearty, filling and a one-pot meal. I modified this CookingLight recipe to be vegan friendly and healthier, by eliminating the chorizo, using vegetable stock, and adding more veggies & beans.

A lot of soups often demand a long cooking time, but this vegan black bean soup is ready in just thirty minutes yet full of flavor.

I recently made this recipe for a dinner party with some friends and it was a huge hit!

healthy vegan black bean soup topped with greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips in a grey bowl, top view

Kitchen Tools and Equipment You’ll Need to Make This Vegan Black Bean Soup

ingredients for healthy vegan black bean soup

How to Make Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup – Step by Step

Step 1: Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

peppers and onions sauteeing in a pot

Step 2: Stir in oregano, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds.

spices added to peppers and onions in a pot

Step 3: Stir in stock and beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10-20 minutes on low heat.

black beans added to pot

Step 4: Mash the beans in the pot with a potato masher or use immersion blender until the soup has a nice, chunky consistency.

potato masher mashing up soup in the pot

Step 5: Serve the soup warm, with your favorite toppings like avocado, cilantro, plain vegan yogurt (or lowfat Greek yogurt if you don’t need the soup to be vegan) and tortilla chips!

healthy vegan black bean soup topped with greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips in a grey bowl, top view

What makes this Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup healthy?

  • Low in Calories and Fat: An excellent low calorie and low fat meal, this vegan black bean soup has 250 calories and 3.3 grams of fat per serving.
  • High in Fiber: Black beans are high in fiber which helps with digestion and keeps you feeling fuller longer. With 14.4 grams of fiber per serving you’re getting nearly half of your recommended daily fiber in just one bowl of this delicious soup.
  • High in Plant Protein: One serving of this soup has 14.3 grams of protein thanks to the protein rich black beans.
  • Rich in Vitamins and Minerals: The black beans, and vegetables in this soup provide vitamins and minerals such as iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and zinc. These help build strong and healthy bones!

Will kids enjoy this Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup?

This soup could be a bit spicy for some kids since it has chipotle chili powder. That can be remedied by leaving out the chipotle pepper, reserving a portion of the soup for the kids, and then adding it to the adult servings. You can also cool this soup off by adding plain vegan yogurt. My kids also enjoy it topped with avocado which adds a nice creaminess.

spoonful of healthy vegan black bean soup topped with greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips in a grey bowl

How long do you need to soak dried black beans?

If you choose to use dried black beans for this recipe, you’ll need to prep them ahead of time. You will need to soak the black beans overnight.

How do you prepare dried black beans?

Step 1: Soak dried black beans in a large bowl covered with 4 inches of water overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours. Be sure the beans are completely covered with water. They will absorb the water while soaking, and if you don’t add enough there may not be enough water for them to absorb which will result in undercooked beans. You can’t add too much water but you can add too little.

Step 2: Drain and rinse the black beans. Transfer to a large pot, and cover with 4 inches of water. Bring to a boil.

Step 3: Reduce heat. Simmer covered for one hour. The beans need to be covered in water the entire time they are simmering. Since the beans will continue to absorb the liquid, you may need to add more water during this process if necessary.

Step 4: Once beans are completely tender, drain and store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

healthy vegan black bean soup topped with greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips in a grey bowl, top view

Can You Freeze Black Bean Soup?

This soup can easily be frozen. Store in an air tight container for up to 2-3 months. When ready to serve, thaw completely and reheat on the stove.

What to Serve With Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup

This chunky vegan black bean soup is a hearty dish all on it’s own, but it also pairs well when served alongside cooked grains such as brown rice, or quinoa. Some of my other favorite toppings include:

  • Diced avocado or guacamole
  • Crumbled tortilla chips
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Diced onion
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Salsa
  • Vegan plain yogurt or shredded cheese (or for vegetarians, Plain Greek Yogurt and Mexican shredded cheese blend)
healthy vegan black bean soup topped with greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips in a grey bowl, side view

Top tips for making This Vegan Black Bean Soup

  • Used canned black beans for ease – no soaking required, just drain and rinse them. Look for canned beans in BPA free packing.
  • You can briefly sauté the cumin, garlic and red pepper flakes to enhance their flavor. Then, add the remaining ingredients and gently simmer until the beans are tender and the flavors have melded.
  • To achieve the perfect soup texture, purée a portion of the soup in the blender until it’s super creamy. Then stir it back into the pot. You will have a black bean soup with tender beans and a lightly creamy consistency, without the need for cream.
  • Dial back the chipotle chili and cumin for a milder taste, and to make it kid friendly.
  • Use a low sodium vegetable broth.
  • Use fresh lime juice – it makes all the difference!
  • You can top with diced avocado, cilantro, salsa, and chopped onion.
  • Serve with brown rice, toasted whole wheat pita, sprouted wheat tortillas, corn tortillas, or tortilla chips.

Check out these other healthy soup recipes!

If you have tried this Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!

healthy vegan black bean soup topped with greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips in a grey bowl, top view
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup

This chunky vegan black bean soup is a healthy, hearty, filling, one-pot meal! Made with simple ingredients, flavorful spices, and you can customize it with your favorite toppings.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • 2 yellow or red bell peppers diced
  • 2 tsp fresh oregano chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder (use less if you don't want a spicy soup!)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 30 oz unsalted black beans drained and rinsed 2 cans
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Toppings

  • chopped fresh cilantro
  • diced avocado
  • crumbled tortilla chips

Instructions

  • Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in oregano, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds.
  • Stir in stock and beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10-20 minutes on low heat.
  • Mash the beans in the pot with a potato masher until the soup has a nice, chunky consistency.

Notes

Top tips for making Vegan Black Bean Soup
  • Used canned black beans for ease – no soaking required, just drain and rinse them. Look for canned beans in BPA free packing.
  • You can briefly sauté the cumin, garlic and red pepper flakes to enhance their flavor. Then, add the remaining ingredients and gently simmer until the beans are tender and the flavors have melded.
  • To achieve the perfect soup texture, purée a portion of the soup in the blender until it’s super creamy. Then stir it back into the pot. You will have a black bean soup with tender beans and a lightly creamy consistency, without the need for cream.
  • Dial back the chipotle chili and cumin for a milder taste, and to make it kid friendly.
  • Use a low sodium vegetable broth.
  • Use fresh lime juice – it makes all the difference!
  • You can top with diced avocado, cilantro, salsa, and chopped onion.
  • Serve with brown rice, toasted whole wheat pita, sprouted wheat tortillas, corn tortillas, or tortilla chips.
Adapted from CookingLight

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.1g | Protein: 14.3g | Fat: 3.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Sodium: 2187mg | Fiber: 14.4g | Sugar: 1g

Posted In…

Plant Based Soups And Stews ·

Plant based soups can be hearty enough for a cozy winter meal, or fresh and light like my summery cucumber gazpacho. All of my vegetarian soup recipes are made with wholesome ingredients, and are hearty enough to be a main meal.

These healthy soup recipes are all packed with veggies, super flavorful, and deliciously filling! Try favorites like this mushroom soup without cream, this 15 bean soup (crock pot recipe), my Italian chickpea soup, this curried cauliflower soup, and my instant pot tomato soup

18 responses to “Chunky Vegan Black Bean Soup”

  1. There is nothing better than a hearty bowl of soup and chili is my favorite. I love how healthy your recipe is with all the veggies and no meat. Perfect for these cold days.5 stars

  2. Just made this tonight. Delicious and simple!! I love recipes that I can pre prep when i have a few min, and then throw everything together in the evening. Now we’ll see if my picky toddler will try it tomorrow 🙂 Thank you!!!

    • Awesome!! So happy to hear that Nina — definitely let me know how your toddler likes it! Good luck! 🙂

    • Hi Vanisha! If you don’t have chipotle chili powder, you can try using 1/2 tsp regular chili powder + 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper. Then I’d taste the soup, and add more cayenne only if you want more “heat”. Hope that helps!

  3. this would really hit the spot tonight as it very cold and snowy outside. do you know how many cups are in the 2 cans of black beans? I want to make this but i tend to use the dried beans rather than the canned. Also what is the serving size? thanks.

    • Hi Jacquie! The 2 cans of black beans are about 3.5 cups of cooked beans. The serving size is about 1.25 or 1.5 cups of soup (basically 1/4 of the recipe). Hope that helps, let me know how this turns out for you!

  4. Great recipe! Can’t wait try it in the new year. Love that it is baby friendly. Do u add salt for Layla?

    • Thanks so much! I do give it to Layla with salt in it — since she’s almost 1 I think she can handle a little bit of salt. This recipe is pretty low in sodium anyway so I don’t worry about the salt too much! But if she was closer to 6-8 months I’d probably give her the no salt version. Hope that helps!

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