Description
This Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup is a hearty, flavorful, and easy-to-make recipe perfect for cozy meals. Packed with nutritious black beans, fresh vegetables, and warming spices, it can be served chunky or blended smooth. Customize with your favorite toppings for a satisfying dish that is both vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, cored and chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
Liquids & Canned Goods
- 4 cups good-quality vegetable stock
- 4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Optional Toppings
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Crumbled corn tortilla chips
- Diced avocados
- Sour cream and/or shredded cheese (dairy-free if making vegan)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Add the chopped onion, red bell peppers, carrots, minced garlic, diced jalapeños, vegetable stock, rinsed black beans, bay leaf, ground cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper into the slow cooker bowl. Stir everything together until well mixed.
- Cook Soup: Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Cook until all vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together. Once cooked, remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Choose Consistency: You have three options for serving: (1) Serve the soup as-is, brothy and chunky; (2) use a blender or food processor to puree the soup completely to a thick, smooth consistency; or (3) puree about half the soup and then combine with the remaining chunky soup for a thicker texture that still has some chunks.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with your desired toppings such as fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, diced avocado, sour cream, or shredded cheese. Serve warm immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months in a sealed container.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of jalapeño or cayenne to control the spice level.
- For a vegan version, use dairy-free toppings or omit sour cream and cheese.
- Leftovers keep well and flavors deepen after a day.
- This soup freezes well; store in airtight containers for convenient future meals.
- Rinsing canned black beans reduces sodium content and improves texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
