This Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup is made with just a few pantry ingredients, but is packed with so much flavor! It’s great for an easy, last minute weeknight dinner that can be enjoyed by itself or with your favorite soup toppings.
*This post was originally published on 3/5/2015, I am re-publishing it today with updated photos, text and recipe.
If you have been around here for a really, really long time then you may recognize this recipe. This Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup is an old recipe, but I wanted to give it a big refresh and share it with all my new readers today! I’m going to be refreshing old recipes once a week until I get to all of them, so keep a lookout for old favorites!
I could eat black beans every day, so it’s no surprise that creamy black bean soup is one of my favorite soup recipes. This easy soup is packed with warm, smoky flavors, creamy black beans and sweet potato. It’s great for lunch or dinner.
Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Onion and Garlic – This soup starts with onions and garlic being cooked in some olive oil. It helps with the overall flavor of the soup and creates a nice flavor base. I used white onion because that is what I had on hand, but any kind of onion will work, even a shallot. Yellow onion is traditional in most soup recipes.
- Sweet Potato – You can use a sweet potato or yam for this recipe. I like to use the bright orange ones, but purple, red or white would work too. It just depends on what kind of sweet potato flavor you are going for. I peel my sweet potato but you are more than welcome to leave the skins on.
- Black Beans – I just use canned black beans for this recipe. One of these days I still start making my own, but not today! Pinto beans could be used in place of black beans, or in addition to them, if you liked.
- Canned Tomatoes – I would recommend petite diced fire roasted tomatoes, but any kind of canned, or even freshly diced, tomato will work. I didn’t include tomatoes in my original recipe, but thought they would add some sweetness to accompany the sweet potato.
- Spices – To make this soup smoky, I use smoked paprika and chipotle powder. Smoked paprika has a very mild flavor, while chipotle powder brings more heat. If you prefer mild flavors, I would suggest skipping the chipotle. And, if you like spice, add as much chipotle powder as you like! I also use cumin, regular paprika, onion and garlic powder.
- Vegetable Broth – I like to use a vegetable broth concentrate, rather than store-bought pre-made broth. It has more flavor and lasts for a long time in the refrigerator. Homemade would also be great!
- Salt and Pepper – I usually add some salt and pepper a couple times while making the soup and then give a final taste at the end and adjust salt and pepper from there. Some vegetable broth is saltier than others, so I’m hesitant to give an exact salt measurement.
- Fresh Lime Juice – I like to add a big squeeze of fresh lime juice to the soup right at the end. It adds some nice freshness and lime juice always goes well with black beans!
How To Make Easy Black Bean Soup with Sweet Potato
- Start by placing a large pot over medium heat and adding olive oil. Next, add your diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook onion for about 2 minutes, until translucent, and then add in the sweet potato. Cook another 3-4 minutes, add the garlic and stir well. Garlic only needs about 30 seconds to heat through.
- Add all the spices and mix well. I like to let this sit for just a minute or two and then add in the canned tomatoes and 2 cans of the black beans. Stir together and let mixture come to a light simmer. Add the vegetable broth in, just another mix and place the lid on the pot. Let soup simmer, with lid on, on low heat until sweet potato is fork tender, about 20 minutes.
- Carefully half of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, about 45 seconds. Next, add in the remaining half of the soup and give a really quick blend, just a few seconds. Pour soup back into the pot and add the remaining can of black beans. Mix everything together and season with extra salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add your favorite garnishes and enjoy this hearty vegan black bean soup!
Black Bean Soup Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe gluten free? Yes! Just make sure to use gluten free vegetable stock.
- Is this recipe vegan? Yes, I did add a sprinkle of real cheese on top, but the actual soup recipe is completely vegan.
- Can I make this recipe with pinto beans? Yes, I believe that would work just fine.
- Is this black bean soup freezer friendly? Yes, allow soup to cool completely and place in a freezer friendly air tight container. Freeze up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature before re-heating.
- How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, they should last 4-5 days.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Easy Vegetarian Soup Recipes?
Veggie Packed Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Easy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
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Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Smoky Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup is made with just a few pantry ingredients but it’s packed with tons of flavor! It’s great for an easy, last minute weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small white or yellow onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potato, 1/4 inch diced
- 1 (15 oz) can petite diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (divided)
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional, if you want some heat)
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3–4 cups vegetable stock, depending on how thick you want your soup
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Topping ideas: tortilla strips, crackers, cheese, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, avocado, pico de Gallo, fresh cilantro.
Instructions
- Start by placing a large pot over medium heat and adding olive oil. Next, add your diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook onion for about 2 minutes, until translucent, and then add in the diced sweet potato. Cook another 3-4 minutes, add the garlic and stir well. Garlic only needs about 30 seconds to heat through.
- Add all the spices and mix well. I like to let this sit for just a minute or two and then add in the canned tomatoes and ONLY 2 cans of the black beans. Stir together and let mixture come to a low simmer. Add the vegetable broth, give another mix and place the lid on the pot. Let soup simmer, with lid on, on low heat until sweet potato is fork tender, about 20 minutes.
- Carefully add half of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, about 45 seconds. Next, add in the remaining half of the soup and give a really quick blend, just a few seconds, you want some small chunks. Pour soup back into the pot and add the remaining can of black beans. Mix everything together and season with extra salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add your favorite garnishes and enjoy this hearty vegan black bean soup!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Soup, Gluten Free, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
Made this last night, delicious! I love the spice combo.
That’s so nice to hear, thank you, Rachel! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I just finished making this FABULOUS soup and it is still on the stove simmering! What a great way to incorporate sweet potatoes/yams into your diet if you are looking to do something other than steamed or baked. This would be a great first course for Thanksgiving especially if you have a vegan/vegetarian in attendance – not too spicy, very flavorful, and easy to make (the day before?). I didn’t want to mess with the blender and I have an immersion blender and that worked fine. I think you could also not blend the soup and it would still be very good. Also, I used chipotle tabasco sauce instead of chipotle powder and it also worked well. Today is our first real rain of autumn and this soup with some cornbread, biscuits, or rice will be fabulous for dinner tonight. Bookmarked!
That is so nice to hear!! Thank you for the kind words and I’m so glad you are enjoying this soup! Autumn rain, soup and cornbread sound so perfect! 🙂
ive made serval bean soups, the addition of sweet potatoes in this raises it up a level, thanks
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
The soup looks awesome! Can I freeze it ?
Yes!
This is one of my favorite soup recipes! When I was pregnant, I couldn’t eat chili (oof, the heartburn was awful), so this was the perfect cold-weather comfort food substitute. Now that winter has hit, I am back to making this soup, and I am loving every bite of it! Thank you!!!
That’s so nice to hear!!
This is the BEST black bean soup I’ve ever made. It reminds me of the amazing black bean soup at Atticus cafe in New Haven, CT. Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
I converted this recipe to the instapot and loved it!
So great to hear!!
This is now my favorite black bean soup! I used a teaspoon of liquid smoke since I didn’t have any smoked paprika, and it turned out delicious!
Yah!! That’s so great to hear!
I’m not vegetarian but recently decided to incorporate more meatless meals. It’s still hot here, but I couldn’t resist trying this one out. It’s amazing! We topped ours with a little shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, and green onions. A crusty baguette was the perfect accompaniment. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you liked it! I love all the toppings you added too!