Hearty One-Pot Black Bean Soup with Smoky Crema and Cheddar

This hearty black bean soup comes together in a single pot in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights. The beans are simmered in a richly spiced broth with mushroom stock, onion, tomato paste and Southwest seasonings until thick and tender.

For the finishing touch, load up your bowl with “the works”: melted white cheddar cheese, a swirl of smoky red pepper crema and crunchy crushed blue corn tortilla chips. It’s a satisfying, flavor-packed meal that will warm you from the inside out.

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Ingredients

1 unit Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup White Cheddar CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Blue Corn Tortilla ChipsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Smoky Red Pepper CremaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Black BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Mushroom Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tex-Mex PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Finely chop the onion. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, Tex-Mex paste and Southwest spice blend. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the black beans (with their liquid), mushroom stock concentrate and 2 cups of water. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the soup thickens slightly and the beans are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. While the soup simmers, shred the white cheddar cheese and crush the blue corn tortilla chips into small pieces.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with shredded white cheddar, a drizzle of smoky red pepper crema and a handful of crushed tortilla chips. Serve hot.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of bean?

Yes, you can substitute pinto or kidney beans for black beans. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the bean.

Is this soup vegan?

As written, it contains cheese and crema. To make it vegan, omit the cheese and use a vegan crema or skip the topping. The soup base itself is plant-based.

Can I freeze the soup?

Yes, the soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop.