After an unbelievably hot October, fall has finally arrived in Los Angeles with cooler temperatures and a few rainy days. So it’s time for my first soup recipe of the season. I’m starting off with a black bean and vegetable soup. It’s a thick, hearty soup loaded with black beans and veggies. It has a touch of spicy heat from red pepper flakes and cumin. This soup is high in fiber and low in fat. Serve it with some cheesy toast and you’ve got the perfect fall meal for lunch or dinner.
Start by sautéing the aromatics – onions, celery, carrots, a red pepper and some garlic in a little olive oil. Once the aromatics are soft, you add the spices – red pepper flakes, ground cumin and a little black pepper. Then add in the black beans, a can of diced tomatoes and some water and bouillon cubes. Bring to boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Next, using an immersion blender, puree your soup to your desired consistency. I like a thick soup so I pureed about half the soup. If you like a smoother soup then puree 3/4 or all of the soup.
I served the soup with some cheesy toast because I love cheesy toast – especially with soup. Simple, crunchy, cheesy toast is the best. I used parmesan cheese but you can use any type of cheese – cheddar or pepper jack would be great choices. I’ve include the directions for cheesy toast below.
A couple of notes about this recipe:
- The soup is vegan, the cheesy toasts are not.
- Since I used bouillon cubes, which are rather salty, I used low sodium black beans in this recipe.
- This soup, like most soups, tastes great the next day.
- I topped the soup with a little diced red pepper and parsley because it looked pretty.
- To blend the soup you can either use your blender or use a hand held immersion blender. I find the immersion blender much easier to use and clean.
- If you’re a big soup fan then here are some more hearty fall soups you might like: Lentil and quinoa soup, roasted carrot and parsnip soup, tomato and rice soup and red lentil and carrot soup.
Black Bean and Vegetable Soup
Black bean and vegetable soup – a hearty, vegetable packed black bean soup with a spicy kick. The perfect soup for frosty days.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- Soup
- 1 medium onion – diced
- 1 red pepper – diced
- 3 medium carrots – diced
- 2 large celery stalks – diced
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves – minced
- 2 15 oz cans of black beans
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 10 twists of black pepper from a pepper mill
- 1 can of diced tomatoes – I used Hunts petite diced tomatoes
- 3 cups of water
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- Cheesy Toast
- French Bread – sliced
- 1 garlic clove – peeled
- Butter – room temperature
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tbs minced parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium to low heat. Add diced onions and sauté over medium to low heat for 5 minutes. Stir often so onions do not brown.
- Turn heat down to low and add diced red pepper, carrots, celery and garlic to the onion in the soup pot and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add cumin, red pepper flakes and ground pepper to the veggies in the soup pot and stir to combine.
- Drain and rinse black beans and add to the soup pot.
- Add diced tomatoes (and juice) to the soup pot.
- Add 3 cups of water and the two bouillon cubes.
- Turn heat up and bring to a boil.
- Once the soup is boiling, turn down the heat to low and simmer soup for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the soup is ready, puree half with an immersion blender.
- To make cheesy toasts, toast the bread and then rub a garlic clove over the toasted bread. Next lightly butter bread and sprinkle on some parmesan cheese. Place toast with cheese under the broiler for a minute or two until the cheese melts. Top with minced parsley and a little fresh black pepper.
Notes
I used low sodium black beans and low sodium diced tomatoes since the bouillon cubes have a high sodium content.
If you are using vegetable stock instead of vegetable bouillon cubes be sure to check your seasoning – you may need to add salt.
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Sheila
Terrific soup. Don’t have an immersion blender, found my potato masher worked like a charm.
Geraldine
Aren’t you clever – I would have never thought of a potato masher! XOXO
Jess @ What Jessica Baked Next
This soup looks delicious! I love the mix of flavours! The cheesy toast looks perfect to dip into the warm soup! 🙂
Geraldine
Thanks, Jess! And I say yay for cheesy toasts!
Krista
Pinned! I love a good black bean soup, but this one looks divine, especially with the addition of sautéed veggies. Can’t wait to make this!
Geraldine
Thanks so much, Krista – hope you enjoy it if you make it. Thanks for the pin too!
Meghan | Fox and Briar
Oh yes, this soup is exactly what I want right now! The temps have dropped here in the PNW and we need to get cozy. I love that you added the cheesy toasts with this, it looks so delicious.
Geraldine
Thanks so much, Meghan!
Denise @ Sweet Peas & Saffron
This is my kind of comfort food! Healthy but hearty, and those cheese toasts look just perfect for dipping! Yum!
Geraldine
Thanks, Denise – I’m a big fan and could eat soup everyday during the winter – the cheese toasts don’t hurt either!
Martin
Not had bean soup, but have just started loving black beans. Will be giving this a go as it sounds fantastically healthy!
Geraldine
Thanks, Martin – hope you enjoy it if you try it!
annie@ciaochowbambina
Oh yes – this is a perfect soup for a chilly day! So happy that the heat finally broke and you get to enjoy a change of seasons. And is there anything better than cheesy toast for dipping? I think not! Pinned!
Geraldine
Thanks so much, Annie. I agree – I’m a big fan of cheese toast dippers! Appreciate the pin too!
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles
Oh, I agree Geraldine. The rain has been so welcome here as are the cooler temperatures. It really does help bring on the feeling of fall to be surrounded by a chill and the shorter sunlit day. We’ve been enjoying fires and evening hot tubs and I know we would love this delicious soup too! You’ve packed so much goodness into this hearty meal (and I’m also smitten by the sounds of those cheese toasts). I really should investigate bouillon cubes – I do love the convenience of having broth around but the cubes strike me as a lot easier to schlep home from the grocery store ;). Beautiful bowl of warmth Geraldine.
Geraldine
Thanks, Kelly! The cooler temperatures are great – and also the rain. But, like you, I’m getting myself prepared for El Nino – hope it brings a lot of rain but not as much mayhem as last time. Bouillon cubes are a great staple to have in the pantry. They are definitely a bit saltier than regular stock but I just omit any additional salt from the recipe when I use them and usually balances things out.
traci | vanilla and bean
Hooray for Fall, Geraldine! Have you broken out your wool socks yet? This soup looks so rich and hearty… almost like a chili! There’s nothing like cozying up to soup on cold evenings, with cheesy toast too, for dipping and scooping – the beeeest!! Love all the veggies you’ve packed in here too and the black beans add excellent fiber and protein! Thank you for this my dear and yaaaay for cooler temps!
Geraldine
Thanks, Traci – this is definitely a thick soup – so you’re right, it’s almost like chili (without the chili powder). No woolen socks yet – but definitely cotton. And finally traded my flip flops for real shoes!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
So glad you are getting some much needed rain! This dish looks like a perfect meal for a cool fall day. Love that you used black beans. Enjoy the rain and cooler weather!
Geraldine
Thanks, Kathy. We need rain so badly here – but we’re facing a huge El Nino this year – which everyone is bracing and prepping for.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
I am so glad you are getting cooler temperatures, because I am LOVING this soup, my dear! Thick, hearty with a touch of spice = just perfect! Along with an entire loaf of cheesy bread, this is a delicious way to stay warm! Pinned! Cheers! 🙂
Geraldine
Haha – I think I could eat a whole loaf of cheesy bread, too, Cheyanne!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I’m so glad cooler temps are heading your way Geraldine! This soup looks incredibly hearty and delicious! Love the black beans! I also know I’m going to LOVE those cheesy toasts!! YUM! Thanks for sharing and have a great week!
Geraldine
Thanks so much, Mary Ann – have a great week too!