• De quoi le crumble est-il composé ?
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • About Me
    • My Mission
    • My Story
    • Food Stories
    • Press & Media
    • Contact Me
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Biting into Life

Homey + Wholesome Plant-Based Recipes

  • Recipes
    • View all recipes
  • Collections
    • Quick & Easy
    • Comfort Food
    • Light Meals
    • Main Dishes
  • Ressources
    • My products
  • Free Course
  • FR-EN
    • Français
    • English
  • Search
  • Recipes
    • View all recipes
  • Collections
    • Quick & Easy
    • Comfort Food
    • Light Meals
    • Main Dishes
  • Ressources
    • My products
  • Free Course
  • FR-EN
    • Français
    • English
  • Search

Mobile Menu

  • About Me
    • My Mission
    • My Story
    • Food Stories
    • Press & Media
    • Contact Me
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
You are here: Home / Nutrient-Dense Recipes / Fuss-Free Spicy Black Bean Soup

Fuss-Free Spicy Black Bean Soup

Last Modified: February 2, 2021 · January 29, 2021 · 14 Comments · //  by Naiby · This post may include affiliate links

75shares
  • Facebook 3
  • Twitter
  • Yummly
  • Mix
  • Email
  • Print
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This black bean soup has an earthy, spicy, and slightly sweet taste. This meal is perfect when you come home from work and want to cook something hearty but quick.

Overhead view of black bean soup speckled with corn and topped with cubed avocado, cubed tomatoes, and cilantro sauce
Black Bean Soup

Table of Contents

  • The Best Black Bean Soup
  • Are Black Beans Good for You?
  • What’s the Difference Between Canned Black Beans and Dried Black Beans?
  • The manufacturing process
  • The choice of consumption
  • Do Black Beans Cause Farting or Diarrhea?
  • What Goes in This soup?
  • Main ingredients
  • Seasonings
  • Optional Ingredients
  • How to Make Black Bean Soup Step by Step 
  • The Keys to Success: My Top Tips
  • Serve this Recipe With…
  • Make this Soup Now
  • Spicy Black Bean Soup Recipe

The Best Black Bean Soup

I love sitting in front of a bowl of steaming beans, especially when the climate is, shall we say, gloomy. It really just warms you up from the inside.

When you make them from scratch, the wisdom of cooking a fabulous meal with pre-cooked beans as a solid base comes with time. Because if they’re not pre-cooked, you might find yourself one night, after running into your kitchen dangerously hungry, opening your cupboards to see nothing on your sadly empty shelves but jars of dried beans.

But if you get a head start, having beans ready to eat is really great. Plus, it’s not so hard to prepare, and it’s so economical. Plus, you’ll find it’s just as fast as canned beans.

This soup is extraordinary. It’s really great because it’s:

  • High-protein
  • Low in calories
  • Naturally salty, therefore low in salt
  • Diet-conscious

This is exactly what you need to reach your healthy weight goals. In fact, it’s very satisfying. You’ll love it.

After the vegetables are sautéed, the cumin, chili, and chipotle intertwine happily with the black beans in your kitchen for just under an hour while your butt is waiting on the couch.

Once it has simmered, you top the soup with a textured gremolata-style herb sauce made with cilantro, oil, and lime zest. What a delight!

I was thrilled to bring a spoonful of this thick and variegated soup to my mouth. 

The acidity of the sauce comes first hits the palate. Then comes the softness of the tomatoes and the smoothness of the avocado. And finally, some explosions of sweetness emanating from the carrots, corn kernels, and red bell pepper and amalgamated with the beans’ earthy taste. At the very end, all I felt was a pleasant tickle in the back of my throat.

It is a good backup dish to prepare at any time. Your family will think you’ve been working at simmering it for hours.

Jump to Recipe

Are Black Beans Good for You?

Black beans contain an impressive total amount of fiber (about 15 g per cup) and protein (close to 15 g per cup). These can help regulate the passage of food through your digestive tract and stabilize the flow of digestion. This is believed to help regulate blood sugar levels and the overall health of the digestive tract.

Also, these legumes have unique qualities: their fiber is a valuable source of resistant starch. This is because it “resists,” it doesn’t break down, and therefore does not cause an undesirable increase in your blood sugar level. 

Resistant starch is counted as calories on labels and charts, but 90% of resistant starch calories are lost during digestion, acting more like a type of fiber. Let me explain.

Let’s say you eat about 41 grams of total carbohydrate. About 15 of those grams are classified as fiber. If you subtract them from the total amount of carbohydrates, you end up with 26 g, which contains lots of starch. 

Usually, this high starch content would increase a food’s Glycemic Index value and make it a food of concern concerning blood glucose and insulin impact. 

However, in the case of black beans, these concerns are not raised because a large amount of the starch in black beans “resists” digestion, as I said earlier, and goes straight through, if you will, like water through a sieve. 

Recent studies show that black beans contain unique components that also improve the regulation of blood sugar and insulin levels on the protein side.

Jump to Recipe

What’s the Difference Between Canned Black Beans and Dried Black Beans?

Dried black beans generally need to be soaked, drained, and cooked before being consumed. Canned black beans are pre-cooked, which provides a greater level of convenience. 

A nutritional loss would be negligible when switching from dried and cooked black beans to canned black beans. They are generally sorted, graded, and cleaned, and they go through the drying and cooking process in both cases. 

The manufacturing process

Canning is not very aggressive. Before being cooked inside their sealed can, they are hydrated, blanched for 3-8 minutes in water heated to 180-199°F (82- 93°C). A common type of cooking method for canned black beans would involve about 45 minutes of cooking at approximately 240°F (116°C). After cooking, they are cooled and then placed in their can with brine or another type of liquid.

This liquid may be low or no salt, a better choice for those who want or need to avoid salt. 

Sometimes calcium (for example, in the form of calcium chloride) can be added to canned black beans to maintain their firmness. Other times, sodium bicarbonate can be added to help reduce acidity and improve water absorption when they are cooked. 

The choice of consumption

As a general rule, these added ingredients would not be a problem for most people. But if their presence bothers you, just rinse thoroughly to reduce them considerably. 

It’s not difficult to find canned organic black beans that have been cooked without the addition of salt, calcium chloride, or sodium bicarbonate in most areas. It’s possible to find them with a sea vegetable such as kombu. 

Both types can be beneficial to health. My concern, however, is the can material. 

Recent nationwide testing shows that many canned foods still contain chemicals, such as BPA, linked to cancer and birth defects.

So, if you’re concerned about the environment, cans cause more waste.

Jump to Recipe

Do Black Beans Cause Farting or Diarrhea?

Normally, canned black beans are better for the stomach, as they are already well prepared and pre-cooked.

However, the dried ones should be pre-soaked in water with a tenderizing substance (such as baking soda) for at least 8 hours to make them easier to digest and reduce flatulence caused by certain types of sugars. Another advantage is that it shortens their cooking time. You can also add strips of kombu, a food algae, which has the unique ability to neutralize the effects responsible for gas.

Afterward, you throw away the water and cook them for your favorite meals.

Well, I’m aware of the debate on the disposal of soaking water. 

Some websites and commentators have argued that it contains too many valuable nutrients to throw away. I agree, but it goes along with other undesirable nutrients (anti-nutrients), such as those associated with flatulence. 

It’s up to you, negligible loss of nutrients or more farting, indigestion, diarrhea, etc.?

Jump to Recipe

What Goes in This soup?

Black Bean Soup Ingredients (clockwise): corn kernels in a small cardboard container, black beans in a small cardboard container, red bell pepper, extra-virgin olive oil in its oil dish, vegetable broth concentrate in a Mason jar, bunch of cilantro in a wire basket, avocado, grains of salt and pepper scattered on the surface, garlic cloves, chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle, kombu, lime, tomato and Red onion
Black Bean Soup Ingredients (clockwise): corn kernels, black beans, red pepper, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable broth concentrate, bunch of cilantro, avocado, salt and pepper, garlic, powder chili, ground cumin, chipotle, kombu, lime, tomato and red onion

Main ingredients

Black beans – it’s ridiculously easy to make them at home. In this case, pre-soak them the night before in water with a tenderizing substance (like baking soda). If you’re using canned beans, make sure they’re organic and salt-free.

Corn kernels – fresh or frozen will do the trick. It brings a color contrast in the brown porridge and a touch of sweetness.

Red bell pepper – another color element to take the monotony out of the meal.

Carrot – and another one.

Cilantro – used in the herb sauce. It goes really well with black beans.

Lime – I used it instead of lemon because it reminded me of the Caribbean’s flavors.

Tomato – for garnish and color.

Avocado – ditto.

Seasonings

Red onion – to me, red onions are more flavorful than yellow onions.

Garlic – ditto.

Vegetable broth – gives umami. Not all broths are equal. Choose one that is tasty enough but doesn’t leave its mark.

Ground cumin – it’s a bitter spice that gives a depth of taste. I like to have whole seeded cumin, then grind it in a small coffee/spice grinder if necessary. This way, I can be sure that there are no additives or other possible dubious substances. Also, the fragrances are more obvious. The finest ones are from India.

Chili powder – this is a mixture of spices used among others in Tex-Mex cooking. The main element that gives its name to the mixture is the chili serrano (chile serrano). Also found in its composition (in ascending order) are paprika, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. It comes in the form of a fine powder with a dark red-brown color. 

Chipotle powder – it’s a variety of chili pepper native to Central and South America. It’s actually a type of large jalapeno picked very ripe, then smoked and dried. It has a café au lait color. It’s a little hotter than the jalapeno but less fiery than the cayenne pepper. The finest ones are from Mexico.

Salt and pepper – for seasoning, of course. It’s worth using kosher salt. It dissolves twice as fast as dense salt and gives you an early indication of your preparation’s saltiness.

Optional Ingredients

Kombu – widely used in Japanese cuisine, it’s a food seaweed usually dried which is rich in minerals.

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Black Bean Soup Step by Step 

Making black bean soup

1 / Sauté the vegetables (onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrot).

2 / Add the black beans, corn, broth, and spices.

3 / Roughly mix the soup and season. 

4 / Prepare the herb sauce. 

5 / Divide into bowls and put the toppings on.

Jump to Recipe

The Keys to Success: My Top Tips

These tips are for you if you decide to go the canned bean route. 

Choose the right black beans

I’m going to go on a limb, but in my opinion, it’s useful, dear guest, to know how to doctor those. It’s one of those important life skills, like knowing how to tie your shoes, make your bed or use a corkscrew. If you have this skill, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Anyway, I’ve heard through the grapevine that they’re very different from brand to brand. So you have to be fussy and aim right.

Cook them to perfection

Also, be aware that canned beans should only be heated briefly; otherwise, you’ll end up with a sad mush.

Bring out the spices’ inherent flavors

If you have a small coffee/spice grinder, I suggest you have whole cumin seeds and grind them for usage to release its volatile oils—aromatic compounds that give the spices their fragrance and flavor.

Jump to Recipe

Serve this Recipe With…

If you can, keep a quantity of pre-cooked black beans handy. Put some in the freezer to keep them longer. You’ll be able to create the easiest, quickest and tastiest meals ever!

Your soup may thicken over the next few days. What to do with your bean mixture? 

  • Mix them with rice (white or brown), a sliced tomato salad, or anything in the refrigerator.
  • Wrap it all up in a tortilla or burrito with a cream that imitates sour cream.
  • Use it as a base to make black bean burgers.
  • Turn your soup into a taco filling.
  • Accompany them with plantains.

Make this Soup Now

This black bean soup is the perfect comforting meal on a cold winter day.

Make it a backup meal when you don’t feel like thinking about what to cook when looking for something filling, healthy and tasty.

All you need are some fine beans that are ready to cook. But they’re not pre-cooked, it’s not hard to get them ready. Soak them the night before, and then add ingredients that combine well with their earthy taste.

The day you come home from work hungry, you’ll cry with gratitude for doing it early.

And your hungry belly and lazy buttocks will thank you too, both of them happily soothed.

Spicy Black Bean Soup Recipe

Black Bean Soup with cilantro sauce, tomato and avocado
Overhead view of black bean soup speckled with corn and topped with cubed avocado, cubed tomatoes, and cilantro sauce
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Spicy Black Bean Soup with Cilantro sauce

This black bean soup burbles together just long enough to warm through, and then it’s ready to go, earthy and spicy and faintly sweet. With a green salad on the side, this soup makes a terrific, supper or an easy lunch. 
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Resting Time1 d
Total Time1 d 1 hr 20 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: garlic, red bell pepper, carrot, black beans, corn, vegetable broth, cumin, chipotle, tomato, avocado

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 carrot, cubed (about 1 cup)
  • 1 red bell pepper, cubed
  • 720 g black beans, rinse, and drain (2 dry cups, 4 pre-soaked cups, or 2 cans of 540 ml each)
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels (160 g or 1 x 199 ml-can, rinsed and drained)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth, plus 1 cup to dilute
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder or to taste
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the cilantro sauce

  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Grated zest and juice of 1 ½ lime

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
  • Add the red bell pepper and carrot and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add black beans, corn, broth, cumin, chili, and chipotle. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 50 minutes. Remove the kombu.
  • In a blender, coarsely blend the soup to obtain a thick texture, keeping some beans and vegetable pieces intact. Add salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the coriander sauce.
  • Serve the soup in bowls. Garnish with tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro sauce.

Notes

Choose the right black beans: Canned black beans are very different from brand to brand. So you have to be choosy and aim right.
Cook them to perfection: Also, be aware that canned beans should only be heated briefly; otherwise, you will end up with a sad mush.
Bring out the spices’ inherent flavors: If you have a small coffee/spice grinder if needed, I suggest you have whole cumin seeds and grind them when you use them to release its volatile oils, aromatic compounds that give the spices their fragrance and flavor.
USEFUL TIPS
This soup can also be prepared in the slow cooker. Simmer all the ingredients for 6 to 8 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
STORAGE
This soup can be kept for one week in the refrigerator. 
 
beenhere

If you try this recipe, I want to know! Leave me a comment below or share it on Instagram. Tag @biting.into.life with the hashtag #bitingintolife

Smiling girl with big afro sitting cross-legged on a sofa

Naïby Jacques

Hi! There!

I’m on a mission to help you eat nutrient-dense, easy, and mouth-watering plant-based meals so you can feel energized, well-equipped, and confident to eat and cook better.

    Subscribe to my mailing list

    Download all my nutritional charts. You’ll get my 9 Plant-Based Food Groups to Boost Your Health, Acidifying and Alkalanizing Foods Chart, Plant Food Pantry Essentials, Plant-Based Protein Chart, and The 10 Best Blood Tests for Veggie Eaters

    75shares
    • Facebook 3
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Mix
    • Email
    • Print

    Nutrient-Dense Recipes, Comfort Food avocado, corn, Tomato, vegetable broth, garlic, carrot, cumin, chipotle, black beans, red bell pepper

    Related Posts

    You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

    A batch of savory muffins in a metal plate resting on a wooden chest and torn muffin on a narrow cutting board.

    {Light and Fluffy} Savory Vegan Muffins

    Slice of banana bread lying on a counter and placed in front of the whole preparation and a few slices spread with butter

    Empowered Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Cacao Nibs

    A bowl of granola on a white counter accompanied by a small bottle of soy beverage and a cup of tea

    Super Simple Cluster Granola

    Homemade vegan half-and-half in three small glass jars and in front of a small mason jar of coconut cream, all on a piece of jute

    The Best Vegan Half-and-Half

    Piece of Cottage Pie style lentil pie in a small plate placed in front of a glass pan of the whole dish

    Heart-Warming Lentil Cottage Pie

    Two bowls of green soup garnished with white cream in a spiral, parsley and lemon zest and placed diagonally

    Bright Broccoli and Pea Soup

    Close-up shot of a wooden spoon lifting up creamy corn fusilli

    Melissa Clark’s Creamy Corn Pasta {Vegan Version}

    Tomato and bread soup in a bowl on a wooden board

    Scrape-the-Bowl Pappa Al Pomodoro

    Prune crumble, slice taken off, with juices

    Marian Burros’ Prune Crumble {Vegan Version}

    Overhead view of ribbon-shaped pasta with green peas and ricotta, topped in a green sauce

    High-Protein Pappardelle-Style Pasta and Zucchini

    A man, dressed in a dark blue shirt, holds a spoon in his left hand and pours brown sauce into a white enamel mug that he's holding in his right hand]

    Meaty Veggie Demi-Glace

    Chocolate mousse in three small jars with large coconut flakes on top on a plate being held by a man in the background

    Exquisite No-Bake Chocolate Mousse

    Previous Post: «Slice of banana bread lying on a counter and placed in front of the whole preparation and a few slices spread with butter Empowered Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Cacao Nibs
    Next Post: {Light and Fluffy} Savory Vegan Muffins A batch of savory muffins in a metal plate resting on a wooden chest and torn muffin on a narrow cutting board.»

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. veenaazmanov

      January 29, 2021 at 3:53 am

      5 stars
      So many combinations and awesome flavors. A super delicious,healthy and filling soup. Best for Dinner. Bowl of goodness and health.

      Reply
    2. Jenny

      January 29, 2021 at 8:33 pm

      5 stars
      Beautiful recipe! My only substitution will be for the cilantro; I can’t taste it, so I will use parsley. I hope that’s ok for the sauce. I will be making your soup this weekend! Thanks so much for sharing it.

      Reply
      • Naiby

        January 29, 2021 at 10:19 pm

        Ah, yes. Parsley will do fine. Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Amy

      January 30, 2021 at 12:39 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow! What a recipe! I love a good soup and I’ve never done a black bean soup before. Love the addition of kombu too which for me just makes everything taste better.

      Reply
    4. Marissa

      January 30, 2021 at 2:57 am

      Yessss, this is perfect! I just accidentally bought a bag of dried beans forgetting I’d already purchased a bag last week 😂 and I’ve got cilantro and avocados coming in my produce delivery on Monday. I’ve got everything else I need to make this for dinner early next week! I can’t wait to try this.

      Reply
      • Naiby

        January 30, 2021 at 8:00 pm

        That’s just perfect. Let me know how it turns out.

        Reply
    5. Jamie

      January 30, 2021 at 4:11 am

      5 stars
      I love the combination of all these flavors together! This makes such a hearty, comforting soup that warms me right up! Delicious!

      Reply
    6. Kari

      January 30, 2021 at 10:11 pm

      5 stars
      So lovely discovering your blog and finding this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
      • Naiby

        January 31, 2021 at 1:20 am

        Thanks. I hope to see you around more often 😉

        Reply
    7. Kushigalu

      January 31, 2021 at 6:28 am

      5 stars
      What a flavorful soup wuth black beans. Perfect for anytime of the yeae. My family would love this. Making it soon.

      Reply
    8. Sam

      January 31, 2021 at 5:02 pm

      This looks so hearty and comforting. I love all the flavours you have put together. Can’t wait to pick up to ingredients and try this soup!

      Reply
    9. Cindy

      February 1, 2021 at 8:31 am

      5 stars
      This soup is so flavorful and I love the spice! I’m glad I had leftovers and enjoyed it over rice the next day as a quick lunch. So good!

      Reply
    10. martine

      February 1, 2021 at 8:54 am

      ça a l’air bien délicieux! je vais essayer ce weekend merci Naïby!

      Reply
      • Naiby

        February 2, 2021 at 4:37 am

        Génial. Tu me diras comment ça s’est passé.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Smiling girl with big afro sitting cross-legged on a sofa

    Hi! I’m Naïby

    Whole plant-based food advocate, recipe developer, food stylist & photographer in the making, dedicated to sharing nutrient-rich plant-based recipe ideas that will make you feel stimulated, well-equipped, and confident to eat and cook better.

    Learn More

    Get started

    Hand rolling a cabbage leaf, reading the ultimate guide to plant-based eating, click here, get your free course now

    Top Recipes

    • Nutrient-Dense Recipes, Comfort Food, How-To
      Fresh, Fast and Lactose-Free Ricotta

    • A man, dressed in a dark blue shirt, holds a spoon in his left hand and pours brown sauce into a white enamel mug that he's holding in his right hand] Nutrient-Dense Recipes, Comfort Food
      Meaty Veggie Demi-Glace

    • Homemade vegan half-and-half in three small glass jars and in front of a small mason jar of coconut cream, all on a piece of jute Staples, Nutrient-Dense Recipes
      The Best Vegan Half-and-Half

    • A batch of savory muffins in a metal plate resting on a wooden chest and torn muffin on a narrow cutting board. Nutrient-Dense Recipes, Quick & Easy Meals, Breakfast, Snacks
      {Light and Fluffy} Savory Vegan Muffins

    • Nutrient-Dense Recipes, Comfort Food, How-To
      How to Make Dairy-Free Ricotta-Style Cheese in Less than 10 Minutes

    • Lentil, barley, and sweet potato salad with broccoli and baby tomatoes in a glass baking dish sitting on a wooden board Nutrient-Dense Recipes, Main Dishes, Quick & Easy Meals, Light Meals
      Hearty Lentil, Barley and Sweet Potato Salad

    Subscribe

    Get my free plant-based course and more

    Unlock my plant-based nutrition charts, recipe secrets, and exclusive updates to prepare nutrient-rich, mouthwatering & friendly meals. All you need is a good appetite. Subscribe!

    Footer

    Unlock recipe secrets and exclusive updates to prepare irresistible & friendly meals under 45 min. All you need is a good appetite. Subscribe!

    Open my appetite

    • Recipes
    • Collections
    • Ressources
    • Free Course
    • FR-EN
    • Search

    Site Footer

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • My Mission
    • My Story
    • Press & Media
    • Contact Me
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Sitemap

    Copyright © 2021