Easy Vegan Black Bean Soup

Quick facts

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 4 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• Juice of 1 lime
• Toppings: diced avocado, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, tortilla strips or chips, vegan sour cream

Step-by-step method

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, bell pepper and celery 7–8 minutes, until soft.

2. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook 1 minute. Stir in the cumin, paprika and oregano and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.

3. Add the black beans, broth, tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 20 minutes.

4. Blend about half of the soup with an immersion blender (or blend 3 cups in a blender, with the lid vented, and stir it back in) until thick and creamy.

5. Stir in the lime juice and adjust the salt. Serve topped with avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro and tortilla strips.

Tips for the best result

• The more you blend, the thicker and creamier the soup gets. Blend less if you like it chunky.
• For extra smoky flavor, add 1 minced chipotle pepper in adobo with the garlic.
• If the soup thickens too much as it sits, loosen it with a splash of broth or water.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat over medium heat, adding a little broth if needed. Add the toppings just before serving.

Approximate nutrition per serving

About 310 calories per serving (without toppings). Nutrition is an estimate and varies with brands and portion size.