Speedy Black Bean Soup
Smoky, silky, twenty-minute black bean soup from three tins and a few pantry basics. The lazy weeknight dinner I make on repeat.
Tinned beans get looked down on but they are the reason a proper soup like this can happen on a Tuesday night. A quick blitz halfway through blending gives it that rich, silky body without needing hours of simmering.
The toppings are half the fun. I'd say pick two, but I never do.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 × 400g tins black beans, drained and rinsed
- 750ml (3 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and pepper
- To top: sour cream, sliced avocado, coriander, tortilla chips, lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute.
- Add the beans and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Blitz about half the soup with an immersion blender directly in the pot — you want a soup that's creamy but still has some whole beans for texture.
- Stir in the lime juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and top generously.
Cooking tips
- Bloom the spices in the oil before adding liquid — that step doubles the flavour.
- A parmesan rind simmered in the pot adds huge depth if you have one.
- For a punchier version, stir in a chopped chipotle in adobo with the beans.
More like this
If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll find more of my favourite quick & easy recipes in the archive, or browse the full collection.
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