Black Bean Soup

This Easy Black Bean Soup is a Gold Star Dinner

This black bean soup recipe is so easy, I’m tempted to to say it cooks itself...but that’d be crazy. So instead, I’ll just say that it’s about the easiest, tastiest thing to come out of the TMP kitchen in quite some time. You can go ahead and file this smoky, veggie-packed black bean soup recipe under the “easiest dinner in the world” tab. Thanks to the help of canned black beans, this ridiculously simple meal comes together in just a few minutes minutes.

Can you Guess the Secret Ingredient in our Black Bean Soup?

We’ve put our own spin on a classic black bean soup recipe with the lively additions of smoked sausage, bell peppers, and plenty of garlic! The result is a black bean soup full of deep, bold flavors. And, thanks to our trusty immersion blender, it’s also the creamiest black bean soup you’ve ever had, making it the perfect meal to slurp down with your family any night of the week.

What Goes into Black Bean Soup?

This scratch-made black bean soup strays a bit from what you might find in your mom’s trusty cookbook, but we’re confident you won’t hear any complaints. We’ve eliminated half the steps that a more traditional recipe might have (saving some serious time in the process) and added a few things to deepen the flavor and add even more punch to an already-delicious dish.

• Begin by building layers of flavor: sauté chopped purple onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant and tender.
• Chopped green and red bell peppers are perfectly in sync with the spicy, Southern vibes of this soup, and their brightness plays off of the smoked sausage beautifully.
• Never shy of flavor, we're calling for hearty doses of cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and chili powder, all of which pack a serious punch of super-savory flavor without being overpowering.
• Last, but not least, black beans and chicken stock are added and blended with everything else to make for a wonderfully creamy and luscious black bean soup.

How To Make Black Bean Soup?

1. Sauté your veggies. You can even buy pre-chopped onions, bell peppers, and garlic if you’re really pressed for time.
2. Add the beans, chicken stock, and spices and bring all that yumminess to a boil.
3. Place an immersion blender into the soup pot and pulse it a few times until the desired consistency is achieved. DON’T over pulse! You want to leave some whole beans and veggies for texture. (Immersion blenders are a dream for this kind of job, but you could easily just spoon a portion of the soup into your standing blender and then add it back into the pot.)
4. Add your sausage. We like to brown our sausage in the pot before we start sautéing the veggies for the soup, but it’s not a necessary step if you are trying to save time. (Also, be sure NOT to blend your sausage- trust us.) Simmer until sausage is cooked through.
5. You’re done! All that’s left is to top this rich and smoky bowl of goodness with sour cream and cilantro and chow down.

Tips for Making Homemade Black Bean Soup.

• Why Canned Black Beans: Some black bean soups made from scratch require you to soak dry beans for long lengths of time. I’m sure those recipes are great, but I know I don’t have time for that, and I’m guessing you don’t either. Canned black beans to the rescue! After testing and retesting, we are confident that our crazy good version of black bean soup using canned black beans is the way to go.
  
• Keep a few ingredients on hand: If you are anything like me, you already have ¾ of the necessary ingredients on hand at all times to make this black bean soup recipe: canned black beans, chicken stock, onions, and bell peppers. These are such versatile ingredients that we can always find a way to use them. I’ve started buying sausage and just throwing it in the freezer so that I can whip up this soup whenever the mood strikes or when I’m pressed for time and don’t want to resort to take-out.
• Invest in an immersion blender. Immersion blenders are one of the most cost-effective, space-saving small appliances you will ever own. It may not seem like a necessity now, but once you own one you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. From spaghetti sauce, to mashed potatoes, to this creamy black bean soup—everything’s easier with an immersion blender!

Is Black Bean Soup Healthy?

Still sticking to those resolutions? Make this homemade black bean soup even healthier. Our version of black bean soup from scratch may not be the healthiest out there, but we do believe it is the best! If you are trying to lighten your calorie count or are avoiding processed meats, this soup is easy to adapt:

• Swap low-sodium veggie stock for the chicken stock.
• Opt for a chicken or veggie sausage made without nitrates.
• Skip the sour cream. Although it tastes delicious, this creamy black bean soup is a winner even without the added addition of that delightful dairy.

Looking for More Soup Recipes?

Here are a few to add to your weekly rotation:

• This Tortilla Soup is always a crowd pleaser.
• Oh so cozy Tikka Masala Soup.
• A Butternut Squash Soup hits the spot every time.
• Our most popular soup ever is this Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage and Kale!

This Black Bean Soup + Invite Friends Over = Recipe for Success

This black bean soup recipe comes together fast, is full of rich, complex flavors, and is a truly satisfying meal at the end of a long day. It’s the perfect dish to quickly throw together after work or church—or better yet to make ahead of time—and invite friends or family over to enjoy with you.

If I’ve learned anything about cooking over years, it’s that memorable meals don’t have to be complicated—sometimes all it takes is a big pot of tasty soup and some wonderful company. If you make and enjoy this black bean soup, we’d love to see who you shared it with! Post a picture to Instagram and tag @themodernproperand #themodernproper so we can celebrate good food and great company along with you. Happy eating!