Black beans, also known as turtle beans, are high in protein and fiber, low in fat, inexpensive and nutritious. They also make delicious soup.
Black bean soup is hearty, satisfying and super easy to make. It also freezes well so you can keep a stash of portion controlled containers in the freezer for those nights when you’re too tired to cook and tempted to call for a pizza.
Recipes for black bean soup come in all kinds of styles: mild or spicy; smooth or chunky; thick or thin; vegetarian or with meat. You can make black bean soup from dried beans or canned; in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. The variations are endless so there’s something to please everyone.
Have fun garnishing your black bean soup too. Chopped cilantro, avocado, salsa, sour cream, chopped egg, scallion, and red onion all taste great on top of black bean soup. And a splash of acid – lime juice or vinegar – added just before serving is important to brighten it up.
I’ve got two of my favorite black bean soup recipes as well as a collection of favorites from around the web, along with their nutrition and PointsPlus Value information for you. Most have just 3 to 5 Points+. Enjoy!
- 1 pound dried black beans, washed and picked over for stones
- 3 medium onions, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lean ham hock or ¾ cup lean cubed ham
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- ½ cup fat-free sour cream or Greek yogurt, for garnish if desired
- Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish if desired
- Soak the beans in 4 quarts of water overnight. Drain
- Combine the drained soaked beans, onions, green pepper, garlic, ham hock or ham, oil, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, chicken broth and water in the slow cooker and stir well.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
- For a thick soup, remove half of the cooked bean mixture and puree until smooth in a blender or mash with a potato masher, then return to the cooker. If you like a soupier soup, leave it as is.
- Add vinegar and stir well.
- If you used a ham hock, remove the meat from the bone, cut it into bite-sized pieces and stir it back into the soup.
- Serve the soup in bowls with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
Easy Black Bean Soup Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8
This easy black bean soup uses canned black beans and comes together in about 1 hour.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cans (14.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
Salt
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Instructions
In a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cayenne and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans, broth, 1 1/2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes to blend the flavors.
Process 3 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth. Stir the pureed soup back into the pot and add more water if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Remove from the heat and season with salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste. Served in bowls garnished with cilantro.
Nutritional Estimates Per Serving (about 1 cup): 134 calories, 3 g fat, 20 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 7 g protein and 3 WW PointsPlus Value.
More Great Black Bean Soup Recipes with Nutritional and Weight Watcher’s PointsPlus Information
Weight Watchers Spicy Black Bean Soup Recipe – a tasty, quick and easy soup made from simple pantry ingredients that makes a perfect goto meal on a busy weeknight. Each 1-1/2 cup serving has just 4 WW Points+ Value.
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup Recipe – Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution, with just 4 WW PointsPlus found at Mom’s Skinny Kitchen.
Gina’s Black Bean Soup – an easy, inexpensive, low calorie, filling freezer friendly soup with 5 WW PointsPlus Value from SkinnyTaste.
Hearty Black Bean Soup Recipe - Cumin and chili powder give spark to this thick, hearty soup from Amy Chop of Eufaula, Alabama. Each serving has 130 calories and 3 WW PointsPlus Value. Found at Taste of Home.
Instant Black Bean Soup - “The prep time on this dish is about three minutes, and it still turns out great thanks to canned beans and salsa. Each serving has 212 calories and 5 WW PointsPlus Value. From Cooking Light found at My Recipes.
Slow Simmering Black Bean Soup Recipe - I looked and looked for a great black bean soup to make at home. After several uninspiring batches, at last! I came upon this, one worth making and adapting again and again. The original recipe came from Laurie Colwin, the food and fiction writer. Each serving has 166 calories and 4 WW PointsPlus Value. Found at Kitchen Parade.
Quick & Easy Black Bean Soup - This is a zippy Southwestern-flavored black bean soup made with canned beans and prepared salsa so it comes together in minutes. Each serving has 191 calories and 4 WW Points+. Found at Eating Well.
Do you have a favorite black bean soup recipe you would like to share?
More Skinny & Delicious Soup Recipes
Easy Baked Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Ham & Split Pea Soup
Slim & Healthy Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup
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