Smoky Black Bean Soup with Cheddar and Tortilla Chips

This hearty black bean soup is packed with smoky, Southwest-inspired flavors and comes together in just 20 minutes-all in one pot! The beans simmer in a richly spiced broth with onion, tomato paste and a blend of seasonings until thick and tender.

Top each bowl with shredded cheddar cheese, a drizzle of smoky red pepper crema and crunchy blue corn tortilla chips for the perfect finish. It’s a satisfying, flavorful meal that’s as easy to clean up as it is to make.

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Ingredients

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.4 ounce 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 Food Should Taste Good™ 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 onion until you have ¾ cup (1½ cups for 4 servings). Drain beans over a small bowl, reserving liquid.
2. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add Southwest Spice; stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and Tex-Mex paste; cook until slightly darkened in color, 1 minute.
3. Stir 1¾ cups water, stock concentrates, beans and ¼ cup reserved bean liquid into pot. (For 4 servings, use 3 cups water and ½ cup bean liquid.) Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5-8 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
4. Crush a few tortilla chips. Divide soup between bowls and top with cheddar, smoky red pepper crema and as many crushed tortilla chips as you like. 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 until tender before adding to the soup. Adjust liquid and seasoning accordingly.

What can I substitute for smoky red pepper crema?

Mix sour cream or Greek yogurt with a pinch of smoked paprika and a dash of hot sauce for a similar flavor.

How do I make this soup vegan?

Use a vegan cheddar shreds and replace the smoky red pepper crema with a vegan sour cream or cashew crema.