This healthy and savory black bean soup recipe with dry beans is easy to prepare, freezer-friendly, and perfect for those cold winter days.
Black Bean Soup
I look forward to making homemade soups and stews when the weather gets cold. This black bean soup is hearty, super high in fiber, and inexpensive to make. It’s also vegan and vegetarian. Try it topped with avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt and fresh chopped herbs, like cilantro or chives. You might also like this Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Soup, Vegetarian Black Bean Chili, or these Quick Cuban Black Beans.
Black Bean Soup Ingredients
I pack in extra flavor in this black bean soup by adding the veggies twice. Whole vegetables simmer with the beans, and chopped ones get sauteed separately before going in the pot.
- Beans: Simmer the dry black beans with red bell pepper, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in water.
- Sautéed Vegetables: Onion, red bell pepper, carrots, parsley, and garlic cook together and then go in the soup.
- Vinegar: If you don’t have red wine vinegar, apple cider or white wine vinegar will work.
- Wine: Use any dry white wine, like chardonnay or pinot grigio. If you don’t like cooking with wine, omit it.
- Seasoning: Ground cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon. For vegetarian black bean soup, use vegetable bouillon. If you prefer to skip the bouillon, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth in it’s place.
- Toppings: Top your soup with any combo of avocado, sour cream, Greek yogurt, red onions, scallions, chives, tortilla chips, and/or cilantro.
How to make black bean soup from scratch?
- Soaking the Beans: You can soak beans one of two ways. If you start the day before, rinse the black beans, place them in a large pot with about eight cups of water, and soak them overnight. If you’re short on time, follow the same steps, but instead of soaking them overnight, cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Then, remove the pot from the heat and let the beans sit covered for an hour.
- Drain the beans and discard the water. Add nine cups of fresh, cold water to the pot.
- Add the Veggies to the Black Beans: One bell pepper, two whole garlic cloves, one small onion, and three bay leaves. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered for about 90 minutes until the beans are tender. Stir the mixture occasionally and add more water if necessary. Once done, discard the vegetables and bay leaves.
- Sauté Vegetables: While the beans simmer, cook the chopped onion, parsley, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic on medium-low heat in a large skillet for about five minutes. Season the veggies with salt and pepper.
- Add Everything to the Beans: Put the sautéed vegetables into the pot of beans after they’ve simmered for an hour. Next, add the wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, and bouillon and more water if needed.
- Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Blend: Remove the bay leaves and then partially blend the soup for 10 seconds with an immersion blender to thicken it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend three cups of the soup in a regular blender and then return it to the pot.
- Season: Add more salt, pepper, and cumin to taste and then ladle into bowls. Top with your preferred toppings and enjoy! Leftovers will hold for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Black Bean Soup Storage Tips
I’ve been getting a lot of requests for make-ahead freezer meals, so I’ve added a label to the recipes on my site that I think would freeze well. You can find them under “Freezer Meals”.
This black bean soup recipe is perfect for meal prep. Freezing meals in individual portions to use throughout the month for lunch or dinner is a great way to save time and money. Pour the soup into quart-size freezer bags or an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, thaw overnight and warm on the stove or in the microwave. This will last in the fridge for 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is black bean soup good for you?
Legumes, such as black beans, are an amazing source of fiber. One serving of this homemade black bean soup is a little over 10 grams of fiber. It’s also rich in protein and iron and low in calories and fat. Black beans provide you with vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Folate, Magnesium, Iron and Potassium.
How To Make this Soup with Canned Beans
- Skip the first 4 ingredients – dried beans to garlic, and replace dried beans with 4 15-ounce cans black beans.
- Begin at step 3 and cook in a large heavy pot.
- Step 4 add the cans of beans and 4 cups of water. Follow the remaining steps the same. Makes 9 cups.
How do I thicken black bean soup?
I like my black bean soup soupier, but if you prefer it thicker, there are a couple of things you can do. If your soup is watery, you can simmer it uncovered for longer so some of the broth evaporates. You can also blend it for longer – blending is a great way to thicken soups without adding cream.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love:
- Turmeric Roasted Sweet Potato and Macadamia Soup
- Creamy Sausage and Potato Soup
- Spaghetti and Meatball Soup
- Pressure Cooker Smoked Turkey Black Bean Soup
- Lentil Soup with Butternut and Kale
Your comments are helpful! If you’ve tried this healthy Black Bean Soup recipe or any other on Skinnytaste, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. And if you took a photo of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can reshare on my Stories!
Black Bean Soup Recipe (From Scratch)
Ingredients
For the beans:
- 1 pound dry black beans
- 1 small red bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, whole
- 3 bay leaves
For the soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup white wine, (2 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 chicken bouillon cube, or vegetable bullion cube
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- black pepper, to taste
- avocado, sour cream, red onions, scallions, chives and/or cilantro, for topping
Instructions
Soak The Beans
- Overnight Method: Rinse beans and place in a large pot with about 8 cups of water. Soak beans overnight.
- To reduce the cook time, use this quicker method: Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let the beans sit, covered for 1 hour.
Cook the soup
- Drain and discard the water, then add 9 cups of fresh cold water.
- Add 1 bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, the small onion and bay leaves to the beans. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally. (Add water if necessary) Discard the veggies.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil on medium-low. Add chopped vegetables (onion, parsley, carrots, pepper, garlic) season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper, to taste and sauté for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft.
- Add the vegetables to the soup after it has simmered an hour, then add wine, vinegar, cumin, oregano, bouillon, and adjust water if needed.
- Cover and simmer on low about 30 minutes, stirring.
- Remove bay leaves, then using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup for about 10 seconds to thicken. If you don't have an immersion blender, put about 3 cups of the soup in a blender, then add it back to the pot.
- Adjust 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and cumin to taste and ladle about 1 1/4 cups into each bowl.
- Top with sour cream if desired, chopped onions, scallions, chives or/or cilantro and enjoy!
Good recipe, I added jalapeños while cooking and used chicken broth instead of water
This is hands down one of the best soup recipes out there. I have been making the canned bean version for a couple of years in regular rotation. Even my picky eater loves it. Thanks for the excellent recipe!
So yummy and easy. Used canned beans. Can cook it longer for extra flavor.
Absolutely delicious!! This is a long but definitely rewarding recipe! Thank you
Just made this. Used canned beans and it was amazing!! Makes a huge batch which is great for freezing. Absolutely love this one!
Thanks for sharing, I appreciate all of the hard work you put into developing recipes to make my life easier. Do you think this could be make in a slow cooker? Thanks☺️
My toddler loved it! I was surprised! I didn’t have bouillon cubes so I cooked with chicken broth instead of water, turned out great! I added some extra salt, chopped cilantro and lime juice for some extra pizzazz. Thanks for the recipe!
Perfect!
This was delicious and easy. I have made it several times. Dried beans are cheaper than using canned. Simple ingredients. Not time consuming at all. And I love that it’s under 300 calories! Shared with friends who called it “the best back bean soup ever.”
I’ve made it 3 times! It’s a great recipe
I made this with canned beans. I doubled the recipe, used 4 black bean cans, 2 cans of canelli beans, and 2 cans of navy beans. I used vegetable “better than bullion.” Other than that, it was made as written. It was so delicious. Glad I doubled it. Like others have said, it is still time consuming using canned beans but so worth it. Thank you for the great recipe!
A lot of work but worth it. I used canned beans and taco seasoning. Delicious.
This was a little labor intensive, but SO good! I will definitely double or triple the next batch and freeze for future lunches. Very delicious!
Added a lot more dried spices than listed here as I didn’t have peppers. I mean lots of extra chili power. Chicken broth also. Tastes great. Cilantro is great as a topping.
Definitely needed more pizazz so we added taco-style toppings of pico de gallo, cheese, etc.
I used canned beans. So easy and delicious!
Really nice recipe. I used Rancho Gordo beans that I get from a neighbor who has a monthly subscription but can never use them up. I added some frozen corn and a dried serrano to the sauted vegatables and did not blend because I like the texture and the heat. Fast delicious dinners all week. Thanks!
Loved the soup! I made it with dry beans. I added some ground spicy sausage! It’s a keeper!
Would like to try today but. out of dry beans so must use canned. Do I rinse and drain. Thank you.
Given that the recipe calls for draining the cooked beans before proceeding, I would rinse and drain the canned beans before using them in this recipe.
Yes- always drain and rinse canned beans.
This is just exactly what I was looking for! I played around with the seasonings a little, it was not quite as flavorful as I wanted. Great base to add your own touches to.
Am I calculating this correctly? Is the serving size 3oz?
Serving size is 1 1/4 cups.
Thank you for the modification to use canned beans. I’m excited to try this recipe! Do you suggest the canned beans be rinsed first or does it not matter? Thanks again!
Just made this and it is so good! Only thing I did different was mince up 3/4 of a jalapeño that needed to be used and added 1/2 of chicken stock that was leftover. Made rice to add to our bowls. Even my super picky 84 year old father liked it!
Is this 1 point per serving on the new WW Blue plan that will be launching soon? Is that why it has a 1 in blue dot at the top of the recipe? Thank you if that is the case! 🙂
Its the current plan but if you click the ww link in the recipe box you can see the ww recipe builder
As another reader asked, how do I cook this recipe using canned beans? I have many cans of beans and no bags of dried beans. Your ambiguous reply was frustrating as I think this is a good recipe and would like to try it.
It’s not an easy reply, I would have to retest it with less liquid but I tell you what. I will make it a priority this week to do this.
Has anyone done this with instapot?
I just added directions for canned beans in the recipe notes.
Awesome! Thank you, Gina! I can’t wait to try it w/canned beans.
Do you add the liquid from the cans or rinse?
Thank you Gina – I love soup.
Hi, can I use canned beans. ? I have lots of cans I want to use up
It would have to be cooked a bit different with canned.
Does anyone have updated directions to do this in the instant pot? Thank you!
I’ve never had black bran soup till I bought panera,s from shuncks and was delicious, reminds me of Popeyes black beans and rice, which I love and started looking for a recipe, im excited to try yours..
This was outstanding! I used the instant pot to soften dried black beans and then transferred them to my Dutch oven for making the rest of the recipe. I didn’t use a separate pan to sauté the veg, I added everything at once and it turned out absolutely delicious. Used a Knorr Homestyle Stock pod in Low Sodium Chicken for the bullion cube. Highly recommend!
So happy you liked it!
Loved it! It is a great base to experiment with and I love how the side veggies added to the beans give it extra flavor.
Made this tonight and it was delish! I love all of your recipes! We try a new one just about every week plus several on regular rotation. 💜
Thanks Erin!
what do you do with quatered onion used to cook the beans? do you leave that in the soup or remove once beans are cooked?
remove it
This was awesome. I made it in my instant pot. Cooked dry beans for 20 minutes. Then added chili seasoning and cumin and salt to the beans sautéed for a few minutes to combine the flavors. Took out the beans sautéed onion garlic the adoba chili’s sauce carrots white wine vinager and red peppers. Added the bean broth to the mixture. Manual high pressure for five minutes then added back the beans and added cumin and oregano to taste. Blended . Squeezed a lime and added cilantro and a dollar of fat free Greek yogurt. Tasted like Panera’s black bean soup. Will make again
I gotta say, your site is a lifesaver! I have never in my life counted calories before, I’ve done low carb and such, but never calorie restriction. My son and I are on the every other day diet by Krista varaday and all your low cal options are making it easier for him (and me) to stick to diet days since we can eat more than just a little bowl. We have loved a number of your soups so far and I will definitely be trying this one soon.
Can I make this in slow cooker?
I have not tested it
Made this exactly as written. Absolutely delicious. I love all of your soup recipes, Gina. I have several on regular rotation.
This recipe is awesome- added some lime juice and it’s amazing!!
Anyone know how many points a serving in WW freestyle? I saw smart points and points plus but I don’t think those are the same. Thanks!!
Absolutely perfect! I have never been able to make this come out tasting near as good as Mom used to make so I quite trying a few years back–until now! Tastes like my childhood! Delicious!
Just another ST recipe to go on permanent rotation around here!
THANK YOU Gina!
You’re welcome Rebeka!
Great recipe!!!!
Modified for instant pot sounds fabulous!!
Could this be modified for the Instant Pot?
A pound of dry beans is about the same as four cans of beans, or about 7-8 cups of cooked beans. That's probably why your soup was too thin.
I just leave the wine out,and it's still good. Apple juice sort of works as a substitute, or you could try raw apple cider vinegar, just start with about half the amount so the soup isn't too vinegary.
Made this with some substitutions using what was on hand, and it turned out delicious. I used two cans of black beans (no draining) and a carton of beef stock. Threw in some garlic and onion powder and roasted red pepper. Added a jalapeno to the vegetables in the frying pan, threw it all together in one pot following the instructions for the other ingredients and simmered for 20 minutes. Blended and then stirred in some sour cream and a can of corn. Delicious! Many thanks Gina!
I have an ungodly number of cans of black beans to use up (one night my husband comes home with literally 30+ cans of black beans like, "isn't this great? They were on sale!" so I made this with canned beans instead of dry (4 cans– that's what I read the equivalent of one pound of dried beans is– and I rinsed them well first, of course). I threw the garlic and bell pepper and everything that would go into cooking the dry beans in with the rest of the ingredients to saute (except the bayleaf, added at the simmering step). I used the wine (dry vermouth actually, I always use that in place of wine since it keeps longer once opened) to deglaze the pan after sauteing all the onion and everything, and I also used two dried chiles from my FIL's garden for spice and a little more cumin than was specified. I subbed part fresh cilantro, part dried parsley for the fresh parsley that is called for (just didn't have any fresh parsley). Used veggie bullion instead of chicken and served each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, a quarter of an avocado, chopped, a lime wedge squeezed overtop, and the chopped chives. I didn't think that the changes I made were anything too drastic, and I didn't think it was bland at all! My husband and I both loved it, in fact, and were super glad to have the leftovers for lunches and/or freezing. Great recipe!
yes… ingredients say red bell pepper
Meant to put previous comment on crockpot picante chicken and black bean soup. Sorry!
Was snowed in last week so I made this soup to pass the time. Made on stove instead of crockpot. Already had shredded chicken left over from another recipes. Blended my black beans & broth added them to remaining chicken broth ( also had broth in freezer) cooked on low so flavored would have depth. Oh my gosh . This was so good! I will definitely make this again.
I also added a little extra bouillon, the juice of 2 limes, and topped it with minced cilantro, raw onion, and melted cheese. Delicious.
Would I be able to cook this in a crock pot?
Can you make this with any other dry bean like kidney beans or pinto beans?
YUMMY! Just made this and while a bit labor intensive for me, it is delicious and all three kids LOVE it. So yes, we will be making this one again.
Made this tonight. My favorite part was how pretty the sautéed veggies looked in the pan – all those beautiful colors looked so yummy! I used a red onion so mine had purple bits too. I'm going to have to find something to stuff that veggie mix into – maybe a vegetarian zucchini boat?
Fantastic! We all loved this, especially with a dollop of light sour cream and some chives. Great comfort food and VERY filling.
As always, Gina, OUTSTANDING!! Whole family loved this.
Everyone who is fussing at Gina for not answering the canned bean question: She DID answer it! Read through the comments before you get snippy! She said that she thinks it would work fine, but that without testing it herself, she can't know exactly how much you should use. Later, another poster wrote that she used 3 cans of black beans, rinsed.
Also, why does everybody ask her about crazy substitutions or how certain alterations would change the points? How could she possibly know the answer to those questions unless she went back and tested it exactly. If you want to know how the points would change, then plug it in the WW recipe builder yourself. If you want to substitute something, then do it. Cooking is usually not an exact science (though baking is, of course). Be creative and adapt your recipes however you'd like. Gina is an awesome, talented cook and writer, but she's not omniscient.
Seriously! I don't even understand the fuss. It took me ten seconds on Google to find a website with dry to canned bean conversions. It is not even that hard, ingredient conversions/substitution suggestions are out there for everything you can possibly think of, people just have to take a few seconds to actually look. I guess there will always be people who think it is every blogger's responsibility to answer every single question they have no matter what it is right now!
What can I use to sub for olive oil?
i can never get my bean to cook fast even after soaking them overnight
Dont add salt when you cook them.
Hi Gina! Love the recipes! I was also wondering if you could recommend the best freezer containers. I've been using freezer bags that I freeze while laying flat on a cookie sheet. This seems to allow for minimum freezer space. Any other suggestions?
Souper Cubes are the best!
Loved this recipe. I cooked the beans overnight in defatted ham stock made from the Thanksgiving ham, then just kept that stock for the soup rather than draining. It's delicious with some pico and a spoonful of sweet corn kernels and a few crumbles of feta. So filling just a cup really does it.
Gina, what are the best and lowest cost containers you recommend for freezing soup (or any freezable food, for that matter)? I bought some plastic freezer containers, but their lids popped off, even after I let the soup cool completely. And glass containers are expensive. Love, love, love your site and recipes! You've never steered me wrong!
I've used freezer bags. I put the bag inside a large coffee mug, fill, press as much air out as possible then seal. I write the name and PP on the bag, lay flat on cookie sheet then freeze. It seems to work well but I am also interested in other methods.
Kelly, good idea, I'll try the freezer bags, thanks. I was just hoping for something "sustainable" that doesn't end up in our landfills, but it looks like Gina has been too busy to respond for awhile. The holidays, no doubt!
Freezer bags or even mason jars, just don’t fill it up all the way to the top.
Hubby made this soup last night, following (for once!) the directions exactly. He, too, found it a little bland. The addition of 1/2 tsp each of shallot and regular salt, pepper, cayenne and crushed red pepper made it outstanding.
Tonight, we cooked part of it down into what was essentially a salsa and ate it on top of nachos, topped with chopped tomatoes, scallions, and a dollop of sour cream. Fantastic!
I made this recipe using 3 cans of black beans. I rinsed and drained each can thoroughly. I basically followed the recipe after the first step. I added 9 cups of water back. I simmered my beans for 30 minutes uncovered and then covered for 30 minutes. I did stray from the recipe a bit. I read the reviews that it lacked flavor so I added in a Black Bean Seasoning packet (http://www.iherb.com/Simply-Organic-Black-Bean-Seasoning-Mix-12-Packets-1-00-oz-28-g-Each/39778). I added half the pack to the minced veggies as they were sautéing and half to the soup. I also added about 3/4 a tsp of both oregano and cumin. I'm on the final step now. The beans taste just as good as they smell. I didn't have any carrots so I skipped that and I subbed the wine for 2 Tbsp vermouth.
Hi Gina!
Can this be made with canned black beans? If yes, how many? Also, I have made dozens of your recipes, and they are all fabulous!! I don't use any other sites, or even use my cookbooks anymore. Thank you so much,Emily
yes, see notes in recipe
I don't know how this could have been bland! Of course, I didn't make it exactly as the recipe calls because I threw together a quick meal before we went out trick or treating. Cutting corners aside, it was delicious. (We did add some grated cheddar cheese and diced avocado on top, yum.) Can't wait to make it again!
This soup is so yummy! I made it with only 8 1/2 cups of water & simmered w/ the lid propped open.
I made this last week which took a bit of time but well worth it. I would soak the beans overnight. Also I served this with the cilantro, lime rice (I can't take the hot peppers). It was a hit! For dinner I reduced the amount of soup per a serving and added a tablespoon of fresh cooked and chopped bacon with the rice and soup. I love meat…
This sounds delicious! I saw in previous posts asking if you can used canned black beans but didn't an answer. So, can you use canned black beans?
I have not tested with canned, you would have to modify this a bit.
I add the red pepper twice. The second time adds extra flavor.
Just leave it out then.
I can't wait to try this recipe! I have one question though … I see "red bell pepper" to be added w/ the beans, then "red pepper" to be added w/ the soup. Is the red pepper to be added w/ the soup also a red bell pepper or is it a different kind of pepper? I feel silly asking this … but I'm a pretty inexperienced cook, so thought I might be missing something =). Thanks.
Instead of using sour cream, I substitute with a dallop of 0% fat greek yogurt. Extra protein and 1 tbsp is 0 Points plus points!
The vinegar gives it that extra something. Loved it!
Excellent!
We just had this for dinner. It was fabulous! Thank you for the delicious recipe! I have an 8yo and a 6yo who loved it as well!
oh, and I was going to mention that I don't ever have wine around and I just used chicken broth. It was good!
Really, really good! Just had it for lunch and it is excellent. Thanks so much for sharing. Your website is going to help us plan our meals.
Lots of thanks from Barcelona!
I made this tonight and boy did it knock my socks off! loved it, even if i blended it a *little* too much–oops!
I'm not sure if my instructions were clear, I just adjusted them if they were confusing. You were to add the sauteed vegetables at the end, this gives the soup a lot of flavor. I really can't see how they would have turned out bland unless you added everything in the beginning.
I really love your site and recipes but this on in particular I was pretty disappointed in. I found that the spices and veggies werent enough to flavor the water. so this soup tasted like veggies in a bowl of water. I tried adding more cumin and some garlic powder and even cheese but It was still very bland. Do you have any recommendations as to what I could do differently? thanks!
I dont have a blender…could I use my magic bullet?
Awesome recipe! I used Vermouth for the wine.
This one's on the menu for tomorrow night – so excited to try it!
I put the recipe into Recipe Builder, omitted the white wine, and I got 6 points for each serving?
Making this again tomorrow for meatless Monday….so excited, can't wait, soaking the beans now!! 🙂 I've got several of your recipes on the menu this week….Turkey Meatloaf, Spinach Meatballs, and the Cheesy Broc Potato soup….yum.
can use use the black beans from the can?
I made this yesterday. So good!! I had to use orange bell peppers as the store was out of red (don't know why). I portioned out the rest for future lunches in the freezer.
Just finished making this. First time I have ever used dried beans. Came out SO good! Love it! I think next time I make it, I will take a little liquid out before I blend it, just to make it a bit thicker. HUGE amount for 5 points! thanks
Yes, you can, but it would be hard for me to type it up without making it for correct amounts. You could add beans with broth and boil, then add the vegetables in the last step and season to taste, cook until about 20 minutes.
Is there any way to use canned black beans for this? I have some in the pantry and would like to make it to accompany the cuban quesadilla tomorrow night!
Making this now…smells wonderful. I'm trying it in the crock pot, practicing making this a weeknight thing. Throwing the idea of adding some sliced smoked andouille chicken sausage in after I use my blender on it…and cornbread (have a need for some sort of bread tonight)…
could you convert this recipe and your other soup ones to point plus? it's winter and i love soup in winter!
Yes, 1 cube, I thInk it's the equivalant to 1 tbsp.
Gina when you say "1 chicken bullion" does that mean one cube? and if so, I only have powdered – what is the equivalent? One tsp?
Marisa, nice touch adding lime!
Kent- You could cook it longer uncovered, it will evaporate and thicken to your taste. I like my beans soupier. That's just me.
Another great recipe from your site – I swear you can't go wrong! I think next time I'll use cilantro instead of parsley. Also mine is REALLY soupy and I followed your instructions exactly. What did I do wrong?
I just made this soup and it's DELICIOUS!!! I followed the recipe exactly other than adding a little fresh lime juice at the end. I can't wait for my husband to get home so he can enjoy one of his favorite soups (I've already had a small cup, yum). Thank you for so many delicious recipes. You are the greatest..
Yes, exactly.
So, do we add the second set of ingredients (the carrots, wine . . .) after the black beans have simmered for an hour?
Yes, that is correct. It does not taste overly garlicky, it's a big pot of soup. You could mince them in step one. Trust me, this will be very flavorful!
I am confused too. So basically you are adding minced garlic and onion to the recipe twice, both during the initial cooking of the beans and again when you add the sauteed veggies?
I am in the process of making this recipe right now, and I am noticing that there is a LOT of garlic. Is this how it is supposed to be? I also would like to know if you are to keep the garlic whole when adding it to the beans. Thanks.
Yes, mince it all and keep it covered.
This was not clear.
Also, the U.S. dry bean council recommends keeping the onion whole: http://www.usdrybeans.com/recipes/recipe-facts/
I kept the onion, garlic cloves, and pepper whole. I hope it turns out OK!
Should I be mincing the peppers, garlic for the beans part? and do you leave it uncovered while it simmers?
Making this for dinner tonight!
Wondering about using canned beans as well. Any thoughts on that?
Any way to cut down time and use canned black beans? I have a ton in the pantry and this would be a super way to put them to use!
Thanks again for all you do!!
Thanks for a delicious recipe! My entire family enjoyed this recipe (I have a toddler and pre-schooler who wanted seconds!). This will be making its way into the favorite recipe folder.
It sounds like you either added too much water, or it needed to cook (uncovered) longer. Mine was so thick I had to add more water to it.
Okay, I just made this recipe, but mine looks like dirty dishwater. Not sure where I went wrong? I just added some potatoes to kind of thicken it up too.
Same! I keep reading over the recipe and I did all the steps 😔
Yes, you cook the beans first until they are soft. Usually takes about an hour. Then add vegetables and simmer a little while longer. If it gets too thick or dry, add water.
Mm.. this is definitely dinner tonight. Just to confirm, you let the beans / bell peppers, etc simmer for an hour and *then* add the rest of the veggies you sauteed on the side?
Thanks!
Yum! I love black bean soup! Will definitely try this one!
PS, @mesapapist, DON'T use those gross little bottles of "cooking wine" they have at the grocery stores. They're full of salt and don't taste like wine at all!
@mesapapist – I used Pinot Grigio or a Chardonnay would work fine… or you can simply leave it out if you don't like cooking with wine.
Sounds WONDERFUL. 🙂 We're not wine people – anything I can add instead, or just leave it out?
Thanks!
I'm not much of a cook so I enjoy your recipes because they are usually pretty easy. This one sounds really great also, but….dry wine or any kind I might have in the refer?
So do I!
Sounds like a filling and delicious meal! I love soup in all kinds of weather 🙂
This is excellent! Don't be afraid of cooking with dry beans!!
Black bean soup is one of my all time favorites – I made a good one before and lost the recipe! This sounds fantastic, I can't wait to make it!