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You only need 10 minutes of prep for this healthy and flavorful Crock Pot black bean soup recipe! With smoky southwest flavor, the hearty and satisfying vegan soup is delicious alongside crunchy tortilla chips for scooping and dipping.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup Recipe
- Ingredients
- How to Make Black Bean Soup in a Slow Cooker
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Black Bean Soup Recipe
- Crock Pot Black Bean Soup Recipe Recipe
If you’re looking for even more slow cooker soup recipes, be sure to try this chicken enchilada soup, a pot of Crock Pot vegetable soup, some zesty chicken tortilla soup, and this Southern black-eyed pea soup, too!
Why You’ll Love this Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup Recipe
- Easy. If you can dice some veggies, then you can make this meal! You don’t even have to soak the dried beans. Just dump everything into the Crock Pot and your job is practically done.
- Affordable. Made with inexpensive ingredients, this meatless entree is hearty and satisfying. The dried beans are one of the cheapest sources of filling fiber and protein, giving the soup bulk without breaking the bank.
- Healthy. This simple pot of soup is loaded with nutritious fresh vegetables, as well as beans that are high in fiber and a great source of protein.
- Flavorful. It might be good for you, but that doesn’t mean that a vegan black bean soup is lacking in flavor. Instead, the sweet and savory veggies add great flavor, while the spices offer a smoky, southwestern taste. Pile on the fresh toppings and enjoy!
I cannot stop making this soup!
– Victoria
It is perfect for these cold days. I made it even easier by using canned black beans. I puree one can and mix in the other . I also added turmeric for the healthy benefits and it taste great.
Thanks for your great recipes.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite recipe for black bean soup. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Dried black beans: you don’t even have to soak the dry beans overnight before they go straight into the pot. So easy, and so affordable!
- Vegetable broth: the liquid base of the soup. You can sub with chicken broth if you’re not worried about preparing a vegetarian meal. Vegetable stock is also a nice option.
- Celery, red bell pepper, carrots, and onion: fresh aromatics that add sweetness and savory flavor to the base of the soup.
- Bay leaf, ground cumin, and garlic powder: for smoky, savory, earthy flavor.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Liquid smoke: an optional ingredient that adds a touch of smoky flavor to the soup. It’s definitely not necessary, though!
How to Make Black Bean Soup in a Slow Cooker
This easy black bean soup recipe comes together in just minutes, and then the Crock Pot does the work! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Place all ingredients in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook until the beans are tender.
- Blend a portion of the soup.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with plenty of colorful, fresh toppings.
Serving Suggestions
Set out a variety of toppings and allow your guests to dress up their own bowls. Here are some good options:
- Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips
- Diced avocado or guacamole
- Sour cream
- Sliced green onion
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime wedges
- Pico de gallo, fresh salsa, or chopped tomatoes
I also like to pair the soup with a bowl of tortilla chips for scooping and dipping, a skillet of jalapeno cheddar Mexican cornbread, or a piece of crusty French baguette (just like they offer at Panera Bread).
Preparation and Storage Tips
- How to Store: Keep the soup in an airtight container in therefrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s a nice make-ahead option for busy weeks.
- How to Freeze: This is a great freezer meal, so prepare a big pot and stick any leftovers in the freezer for a quick-prep lunch or dinner option. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Stored in an airtight container,the soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- How to Reheat: Place the soup in a pot andwarm over a low flame, just until heated through. You can also microwave individual bowls for about 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Make a spicy black bean soup by adding cayenne pepper, hot sauce, sliced jalapeño peppers, or canned chipotles in adobo sauce to taste. You can also include other spices and seasoning, such as smoked paprika or sweet paprika, oregano, and chives.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end for a bright, acidic note.
- Add canned corn or frozen corn to your soup for even more flavor and a hint of sweetness. A can of creamed corn would also work well, and would serve to further thicken the soup. Canned diced tomatoes would also be a nice addition.
- For a creamy black bean soup, reduce the vegetable broth to 3 ½ cups. At the end of cooking, puree the soup and then stir in ½ cup of heavy cream.
- If you’re not trying to keep the soup vegetarian, you can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
- Add meat. You can prepare black bean soup with sausage, ham, or chicken. Stir in diced smoked sausage that has been browned in a skillet, browned ground sausage of your choice, diced ham, or shredded rotisserie chicken.
Tips for the Best Black Bean Soup Recipe
- This recipe makes a relatively small batch of soup (about 5 cups total). If you’re feeding a larger crowd or if you want more leftovers, double all of the ingredients. The cooking instructions remain the same.
- Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency. We like to puree about half of the beans and veggies, leaving some chunkier texture throughout. That said, you can make your soup completely smooth by pureeing the entire batch if you prefer.
- You don’t need to soak the black beans at all for this slow cooker recipe! Just add the rinsed dry beans to the Crock Pot and they will be tender by the end of the day.
- Remember that all slow cookers run at slightly different temperatures, so you’ll need to adjust the total cooking time to suit your individual needs. You’ll know the soup is done when the beans and veggies are tender. In general, this takes about 4-5 hours on HIGH or 8-10 hours on LOW. That said, a Crock Pot that runs hot (like mine) may be done in as little as 3 hours on HIGH.
More Bean Soup Recipes to Try
Ham and Bean Soup {Quick and Easy!}
1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Senate Bean Soup {Navy Bean Soup}
10 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Bean Soup {Stovetop + Slow Cooker}
10 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Crock Pot Black Bean Soup Recipe
5 from 3 votes
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 4 hours hours
0 minutes minutes
Total: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Servings 5 cups
Calories 157.1 kcal
You only need 10 minutes of prep for this healthy vegan black bean soup in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
- ½ lb. dried black beans, rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 medium stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ¼ teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or more, to taste)
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- Optional, for garnish: lime slices, sliced green onion, tortilla strips or chips, grated cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes or pico de gallo
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook until beans are tender – approximately 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH.
Discard bay leaf. Use a handheld immersion blender (or a regular blender) to puree a portion of the soup, leaving plenty of chunky texture as well. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with desired toppings.
Notes
- This recipe makes a relatively small batch of soup (about 5 cups total). If you’re feeding a larger crowd or if you want more leftovers, double all of the ingredients. The cooking instructions remain the same.
- Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency. We like to puree about half of the beans and veggies, leaving some chunkier texture throughout. That said, you can make your soup completely smooth by pureeing the entire batch if you prefer.
- You don’t need to soak the black beans at all for this slow cooker recipe! Just add the rinsed dry beans to the Crock Pot and they will be tender by the end of the day.
- Remember that all slow cookers run at slightly different temperatures, so you’ll need to adjust the total cooking time to suit your individual needs. You’ll know the soup is done when the beans and veggies are tender. In general, this takes about 4-5 hours on HIGH or 8-10 hours on LOW. That said, a Crock Pot that runs hot (like mine) may be done in as little as 3 hours on HIGH.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 157.1kcalCarbohydrates: 34.5gProtein: 9.5gFat: 0.7gSodium: 367.5mgPotassium: 791.1mgFiber: 8.3gSugar: 4.6gVitamin A: 2315IUVitamin C: 7.8mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 2.7mg
Keyword: black bean soup, black bean soup recipe, crock pot black bean soup, easy black bean soup, slow cooker black bean soup, vegan black bean soup
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Author: Blair Lonergan
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This recipe was originally published in September, 2015. The photos were updated in February, 2024.
