Español Grow This

Black Bean Soup

A simple soup with black beans, tomatoes, herbs and a hint of lime. One-pot meal ready in an hour!
Cooking for a Crowd

Cooking for a Crowd

Use these recipe sheets to prepare for larger groups:

A bowl of warming soup with black beans and vegetables, garnished with herbs.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Makes: 12 cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups water
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon cumin
⅓ cup lime juice or juice from 1 lime
hot sauce to taste

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
  3. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Stir often.
  4. Add the beans, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil; then reduce to medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  5. Add the cilantro, cumin, lime juice and hot pepper sauce, if desired. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Serve hot.
  6. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

  • Cook your own dry beans. One can (15 ounces) is 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups drained beans.
  • Try topping soup with non-fat sour cream, chopped cilantro and Baked Tortilla Chips.
  • Freeze extra lime juice to use later.

Comments

Submitted by Shawna Holland on Wed, 03/01/2023 - 13:18

This soup was very flavorful! I made the recipe for a food pantry demonstration/taste event. One participant stated she could not believe there was no added salt in this dish and talked about additions she would make to the recipe including adding canned chicken which the pantry distributes. 

* I did not add the optional hot sauce to this dish

Submitted by Claire on Tue, 04/01/2014 - 11:27

One child and his mother said that he never likes beans in a soup, but he ate this ALL up!

Submitted by veggielover75 on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 15:07

Tasty! The lightness of this soup was nice.

You might also like...

Recipes A to Z (without photos)

Mix and Match Grain Bowl
Two versions of a grain bowl with vegetables and chicken or tofu.

Mix and Match Grain Bowl

Make a simple, delicious and healthy meal for any time of day with ingredients you have on hand and these mix and match ideas.
Prepare:
varies
Cook:
varies
Makes:
4 servings
Superhero Shepherd's Pie
Plate of a ground beef and vegetable mix with a layer of mashed potato on top.

Superhero Shepherd's Pie

Try this mix of vegetables and ground beef topped with mashed potatoes for a comforting meal.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
60 minutes
Makes:
10 cups
Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash strands served with red sauce and grated parmesan cheese.

Spaghetti Squash

Learn how to bake or microwave spaghetti squash, then top with your favorite sauces or seasonings!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Bowl of Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

You’ll love the fresh flavors, textures and versatility of this salad that features black-eyed peas.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
6 cups
Vegetarian Borscht
Bowls of vibrant red beet and vegetable soup with a dollop of sour cream and parsley.

Vegetarian Borscht

Borscht is a soup that was first made in Eastern Europe hundreds of years ago. This variation includes beets with cabbage, beans and other vegetables.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
50 minutes
Makes:
12 cups
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Two tightly wrapped cabbage rolls covered in tomato sauce with a parsley garnish.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This variation of an old and much-loved recipe can be changed in many ways depending on the ingredients you have on hand.
Prepare:
30 to 45 minutes
Cook:
1 hour
Makes:
12 rolls