Quick and Hearty Black Bean Soup with Smoky Red Pepper Crema

This black bean soup comes together in a single pot and is packed with bold, smoky flavors. The beans are simmered in a richly spiced broth with onion, tomato paste and Southwest seasonings until thick and tender. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner that’s both satisfying and easy to clean up.

Top each bowl with “the works”: sliced scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, a swirl of smoky red pepper crema and crushed blue corn tortilla chips for crunch. Serve with extra chips on the side for dipping. This soup is a true crowd-pleaser!

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Ingredients

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Black BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tex-Mex PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup 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

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Halve, peel and finely dice the onion until you have about ¾ cup (1½ cups for 4 servings). Trim and thinly slice the scallions, separating the white parts from the green tops. Drain the black beans over a small bowl, reserving the liquid.
2. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and scallion whites. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the Southwest spice blend and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and Tex-Mex paste and cook until slightly darkened, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in 1¾ cups water (3 cups for 4 servings), the stock concentrates, drained black beans and ¼ cup reserved bean liquid (½ cup for 4 servings). Bring to a boil, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens, 5-8 minutes. For a thicker soup, simmer a bit longer; for a thinner soup, simmer less. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
4. Crush a few tortilla chips. Divide the soup into bowls and top with scallion greens, shredded cheddar, a drizzle of smoky red pepper crema and crushed tortilla chips. Serve with whole tortilla chips on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use dried black beans instead of canned?

Yes, but you’ll need to cook them separately first. Use about 1 cup dried beans, soaked overnight, then simmer until tender before adding to the soup.

Is this soup spicy?

It has a mild to moderate heat from the Southwest spice blend. You can adjust by adding more or less spice or omit if you prefer a milder flavor.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Absolutely! The soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed. Add toppings just before serving.