Smoky Black Bean & Poblano Soup with Lime Cream and Tortilla Chips

This hearty black bean soup is packed with smoky poblano pepper, sweet onion, and a bold Southwest spice blend. Simmered until thick and flavorful, it’s the ultimate comfort food for chilly nights.

Serve it up with a dollop of tangy lime sour cream, a sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese, and fresh cilantro. Don’t forget the blue corn tortilla chips for dipping—they add the perfect crunch!

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Ingredients

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Poblano PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.4 ounce Black BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Tex-Mex PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Blue Corn Tortilla ChipsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Quarter the lime. Halve, peel, and dice the onion. Core, deseed, and finely dice the poblano. Dice the tomato. In a small bowl, combine sour cream with a squeeze of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and poblano; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, 5–7 minutes. Stir in the Southwest spice blend, diced tomato, and tomato paste until combined; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the black beans (with their liquid), Tex-Mex paste, veggie stock concentrate, and ½ cup water to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until the flavors meld and the soup thickens slightly, 8–10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, add a splash more water.
4. Meanwhile, pick cilantro leaves from stems. Divide the soup between bowls and dollop with the lime sour cream. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and cilantro leaves. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips for dipping and remaining lime wedges on the side.

Useful Cookware

A few helpful kitchen tools for this recipe, with relevant Amazon picks for each item.

Small bowl

Kaytee Stoneware Ceramic Pet Hamster Bowl, Brown, 3-InchView on AmazonDipping Bowls, Soy Sauce Dish Ceramic, 3 OZ Small Serving Bowls for Side Dishes Vintage Blue Stylish Design, Set of 6 Mini Appetizer Plates for Condiment Sushi Ketchup BBQ Party, 4 InchView on AmazonFarielyn-X 3.5in 4oz Small Glass Bowls, Mini Glass Containers, Ramekins, Prep, Pinch Bowl, Stackable Condiment Containers, for Prep, Dips, Nuts, Snacks, Candy Meal Prep Bowls, Dessert BowlsView on Amazon

Medium pot

Cuisinart 1.5 Quart Sauce Pan with Cover, Stainless Steel Pot with Lid, Small Kitchen Pots, Dishwasher Safe, Compatible with Induction, Electric, Gas Cooktops, Oven Safe Saucepan, Cool Grip HandlesView on AmazonSENSARTE Nonstick Saucepan with Lid, 1.5 Quarts Small Pot with Swiss Granite Coating, Stay-cool Handle, Multipurpose Handy Sauce Pot Small Kitchen Cooking Pot, Induction Comptable, PFOA FreeView on AmazonCAROTE 8QT Full Clad Tri Ply Stainless Steel Stock Pot with Lid, Kitchen Soup Pot, All Stoves Compatible, Oven & Dishwasher Safe, Stay Cool Handle, White, Mothers Day GiftsView on Amazon

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use dried black beans instead of canned?

Yes, but you’ll need to cook them separately first. Use about 1.5 cups cooked beans and adjust liquid as needed.

What can I substitute for poblano pepper?

A green bell pepper works well, though it won’t be as smoky. Add a pinch of smoked paprika to compensate.

Is this soup spicy?

It has a mild warmth from the Southwest spice blend. For more heat, add a chopped jalapeño or a dash of cayenne.