Smoky Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema
A thick, smoky black bean soup made from canned beans, onion, peppers, cumin and chipotle, finished with a cool lime-yogurt crema and fresh toppings.
This is our favorite pantry soup for chilly evenings. Canned black beans simmer with sautéed onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin and a spoonful of chipotle in adobo until they are tender enough to blend. We puree about half the pot so the soup turns thick and velvety while keeping plenty of whole beans for texture.
A quick lime crema, simply Greek yogurt or sour cream stirred with lime juice and zest, cools down the smoky heat. Pile on sliced avocado, cilantro, radishes and a few crushed tortilla chips, and it feels like a full meal in a bowl.
Smoky Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped chipotle in adobo
- 3 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Zest and juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for serving
- Avocado, cilantro, sliced radishes and tortilla chips, for topping
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrot and cook for 8 minutes, until softened and lightly golden.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano and chipotle and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the black beans, broth and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir the yogurt with the lime zest, half the lime juice and a pinch of salt to make the crema.
- Use an immersion blender to puree about half of the soup right in the pot, leaving plenty of whole beans. Or transfer 3 cups to a blender, puree with the lid vented, and return it to the pot.
- Simmer for 5 more minutes, adding a splash of broth if it is too thick. Stir in the remaining lime juice and taste for salt.
- Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of lime crema, avocado, cilantro, radishes and crushed tortilla chips.
Kitchen notes
- Chipotle in adobo is spicy; start with 1 teaspoon and add more at the end if you like.
- For deeper flavor, use beans cooked from dry and some of their cooking liquid in place of broth.
- A squeeze of orange juice at the end adds a subtle sweetness that balances the smoke.
Ways to vary it
Turn leftovers into something new: spoon the thick soup over rice for a quick bowl, use it as a filling for quesadillas, or thin it with broth and add a handful of corn and diced zucchini for a lighter second-night soup.
Keeping & reheating
The soup keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge and freezes well for up to 3 months. It thickens as it sits, so thin with broth or water when reheating. Store the crema and toppings separately.
This recipe shares general cooking information and is not medical or nutrition advice. Please check ingredient labels for allergens. Read our full disclaimer.
