• RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • NEWSLETTER
  • COOKBOOK
  • SAVED RECIPES
  • Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook
Love and LemonsMenu

Navigation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Recipes
  • My Saved Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

Social

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Spicy Black Bean Soup

This easy 10-ingredient black bean soup recipe is one of our mainstays on cold nights. Warm & creamy, it's perfect with a sprinkle of fresh toppings.

vegan / gluten free / soups

Spicy black bean soup recipe

What I love about Super Bowl week (and it’s not the game, of course – who’s even playing? and that’s football right?)… What I love is the amount of Mexican-ish comfort food that’s all over the internet. I haven’t been into a game since the Super Bowl shuffle, but suddenly I find myself craving spicy, chile-flavored foods with tons of avocado.

This year, I’m sharing this easy vegan black bean soup recipe that I love to top with dried chile salsa and dollops of a creamy, tangy vegan sun cheese in place of traditional sour cream (recipe below).

Vegan black bean soup recipe ingredients

How to Make This Black Bean Soup Recipe

The soup part of this recipe is quick and easy… another good one for a cold weeknight. Just follow these simple steps:

  1. Sauté shallot, garlic, and jalapeño in a little oil until softened.
  2. Stir in some chili powder, and then add black beans and stock.
  3. Simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
  4. Blend and season to taste! I always finish mine with a good squeeze of lime.
  5. Enjoy!

Blend up the sun cheese and salsa if you like, but definitely feel free to simplify the toppings… add a little avocado and some good store-bought salsa and call it a night. I like to serve this soup with a side of hot cornbread.

If you love this black bean soup recipe…

Try making chili, tortilla soup, or butternut squash soup next!

The chile sauce and sun cheese recipes make more than you’ll need for this soup – both can be made well in advance.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Spicy Black Bean Soup

 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
40 mins
 
This vegan black bean soup recipe is a great choice for a winter weeknight. Thick, creamy, and nourishing, it'll warm you up in no time.
Author: Jeanine Donofrio
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 small shallots, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ½-1 jalapeño, de-seeded and chopped
  • 4 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3 cups black beans, cooked, drained (reserve a few for garnish)
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
  • up to ½ cup water, if necessary for blending consistency
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
  • Squeeze of lime
  • Optional: a few pinches of cayenne and/or smoked paprika
  • Serve with (all optional): diced red onion, jalapeño slices, avocado, cilantro, tortillas, sun cheese, salsa, or dried chile salsa
Sun cheese topping: (optional)
  • 1¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds, soaked at least 4 hours
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar*
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup water (more as needed)
Instructions
  1. Heat a splash of oil in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, jalapeño, and a few pinches of salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the chili powder, stir, then add the black beans and stock. Simmer on low heat for 20 or so minutes.
  3. Blend the soup, adding water or more stock if it's too thick.
  4. Add a good squeeze of lime, blend again, then taste. Add more salt & spices to your liking. Keep it smooth, or add a few more black beans for texture. Serve with the suggested fixings, or whatever you like!
  5. For the sun cheese: Blend all ingredients together. Add more water if necessary to thin. Taste and adjust. Serve on the side, and store the remainder in the fridge.
Notes
*You can sub white wine vinegar (+ a few good pinches of salt), for the umeboshi vinegar - however the ume vinegar brings a nice “umami” flavor that other vinegars don’t. (Find it at whole foods in the asian section or buy it online).

Look for sunflower seeds in the bulk bins that are already hulled. If you can only find skin-on seeds, don't worry about peeling them (it's tedious). It’s creamier with hulled seeds, but will taste fine nonetheless.
3.4.3177

 

Sun cheese recipe adapted from the Casa De Luz Cookbook.

 

Love and Lemons Book Preorder
Did you make the recipe? I want to see!
Tag @loveandlemons on Instagram.
The Ultimate Guide to Soup Season My tips, tricks, and recipes to help you make delicious soup this fall and winter A composite of four soups, two in pots and two in bowls
Free Bonus:
The Ultimate Guide to Soup Season

No thanks

You may like these too...

  1. Best Vegan Chili
  2. Vegetarian Chili
  3. Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl
  4. Stuffed Poblano Peppers
  5. White Bean Soup
  6. 11 Best Vegetarian Tacos

33 comments

Next Comments

Leave a comment: Cancel reply

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

Rate this recipe (after making it)




Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. baiyu-quietmuse.blogspot.sg from baiyu-quietmuse.blogspot.sg
    06.15.2014

    Preparing for the body exceeds the body’s natural response to training hard, bodybuilding competition it’s not just increases the amount of commitment.

    This is a great price. When all three heads of just about building muscle.

    Reply ↓
  2. credit sans justificatif de salaire a fournir from jute3area.sosblog.fr
    06.13.2014

    Super site à lire et découvrir, mais je rencontre un défaut d’affichage sur mon pc.

    Vous devriez vérifier ça.

    Reply ↓
  3. items from cli.gs
    04.24.2014

    If some one desires expert view on the topic of blogging then i recommend him/her to go to see this blog, Keep up the pleasant work.

    Reply ↓
  4. birth control from wikhispanics.com
    04.24.2014

    It’s an remarkable post in favor of all the web viewers; they will obtain advantage from it I am sure.

    Reply ↓
  5. Personal Injury Attorney Vestal NY
    04.23.2014

    I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but good
    topic. I needs to spend some time learning
    more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful information
    I was looking for this information for my mission.

    Reply ↓
  6. holidays to croatia from 6nest.com
    04.22.2014

    My partner and I stumbled over here by a different web
    page and thought I should check things out. I like what I see so now
    i am following you. Look forward to looking at your web page again.

    Reply ↓
  7. Anet from moneyonline.ucoz.net
    02.05.2014

    Hmmm! This looks delicious. Thanks 🙂

    Reply ↓
  8. Shelly @ Vegetarian Ventures from vegetarianventures.com
    01.29.2014

    I love your twist on the homemade vegan cream. Cashew cream is my usual go-to but using sunflowers sounds like a wonderful alternative!

    Reply ↓
  9. Ale from piloncilloyvainilla.com
    01.28.2014

    Love your version of black bean soup! I´m Mexican and would definitely give it a try!

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.29.2014

      thanks! so glad to hear!

      Reply ↓
  10. Joyce @ MustardSeeds+Hope from mustardseedhope.wordpress.com
    01.28.2014

    sun cheese! will try : )

    Reply ↓
  11. cheri from mysavoryspoon.blogspot.com
    01.28.2014

    This is perfect for super bowl Sunday!

    Reply ↓
  12. aida mollenkamp from aidamollenkamp.com
    01.28.2014

    Oooh, I definitely want to give this a go — I love your use of the sun cheese and dried chile salsa too!

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.29.2014

      thanks Aida! xo

      Reply ↓
  13. Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking from sarcasticcooking.com
    01.28.2014

    Oh wow! I never heard of sun cheese before! I am soooooo going to use that to thicken soups from now on instead of flour or potatoes! And that dried chile salsa looks phenomenal and suuuper easy!

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.29.2014

      thanks Stefanie! Sun cheese is one of my favorite sauces to put in (just about) anything… let me know if you give it a try!

      Reply ↓
  14. Molly {Dreams in HD} from dreamsinhd.blogspot.com
    01.28.2014

    yum, this sounds perfect for a cold winter day!
    can’t wait to try.

    Molly {Dreams in HD}
    http://www.dreamsinhd.blogspot.com

    Reply ↓
  15. gourmet goddess
    01.28.2014

    HI, can you please give me an alternative to the umeboshi vinegar ? rice wine vinegar maybe ?.

    thanks
    gg

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.28.2014

      I don’t have a perfect substitution (next time I make it I will test one!) – the umeboshi vinegar is tangy but also very salty – so I would try rice vinegar + more salt, to taste.

      Reply ↓
      • gourmet goddess
        01.28.2014

        thanks, will give it a try …

        Reply ↓
  16. Abby from thehappyfooddance.wordpress.com
    01.27.2014

    I love how you set up your food photos! Makes even something so simple look unmissable.

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.28.2014

      thanks Abby! It was a trick to get black bean soup to not look ugly (it is grey soup afterall!)

      Reply ↓
  17. Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa from nourishbymelissa.com
    01.27.2014

    I’ve actually never tried black bean soup but I loooove black beans! This looks delicious. I’ll definitely give it a try 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.28.2014

      Let me know if you give it a try – hope you like!

      Reply ↓
  18. Maria João Clavel from clavelscook.com
    01.27.2014

    These toppings are killing me! 🙂
    Love it! Supersoup for superbowl.

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.28.2014

      thanks Maria!

      Reply ↓
  19. Supal {chevrons and éclairs} from chevronsandeclairs.com
    01.27.2014

    a personal favorite and can’t wait to try it with the new topping addition! x

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.28.2014

      thanks Supal!

      Reply ↓
  20. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar from warmvanillasugar.com
    01.27.2014

    Black bean soup is my fav. I could seriously eat it ever day! This version looks killer 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • jeanine
      01.28.2014

      Thanks Katrina 🙂

      Reply ↓
A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
SEARCH RECIPES
Search Recipes Search Recipes
breakfast  /  main-dish  /  dessert
vegan  /  gluten free
ALL RECIPES >>
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.

Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and FacebookInstagram Pinterest Twitter Facebook
Various Shop Items
PRIOR POST
NEXT POST
Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook
Top Recipes
  • Healthy Breakfast Ideas
  • Easy Dinner Ideas
  • Healthy Lunch Ideas
  • Best Brunch Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Best Salad Recipes
  • Best Soup Recipes
  • Easy Appetizer Recipes
Cooking With Vegetables
  • Avocado
  • Beets
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Broccoli
  • Butternut Squash
  • Cauliflower
  • Spaghetti Squash
  • Sweet Potato
Plant-Based Cooking Basics
  • Brown Rice
  • Lentils
  • Roasted Chickpeas
  • Farro
  • Tofu
  • Tempeh
  • Quinoa
  • Zucchini Noodles
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • COOKBOOK
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • PRIVACY POLICY
Click here to view our privacy policy.
Copyright © 2025 Love and Lemons, LLC. All rights reserved.