This spicy black bean soup is thick, hearty, and packed with layers of savory flavor. Crisp bacon and bacon fat form the foundation, while onion, celery, carrot, green bell pepper, and garlic create a deeply flavorful base. Cumin and red pepper flakes bring warmth and heat, and puréeing part of the soup gives it a rich, almost creamy texture while leaving plenty of tender black beans whole for a satisfying bite.
I’ve made many recipes using dried beans instead of canned, and sometimes it makes a noticeable difference. Other times, you can make a super delicious dish using canned beans and most people can’t tell the difference. Using canned beans makes a homemade weeknight soup much more convenient. The aromatics, vegetables, and spice mix here, plus the crispy bacon, cooking in bacon fat, and thoughtful garnishes, still make this a gourmet meal without having to soak beans overnight and cook them for an hour.
The finishing touches are what really bring this soup together. A splash of sherry vinegar or fresh lime juice brightens the rich beans and bacon, while creamy Greek yogurt, avocado, crisp radishes, red onion, fresh jalapeño, and cilantro provide contrasting flavors and textures. You can customize the garnishes to suit your taste, but I recommend using several—the cool, crunchy, fresh toppings are a wonderful contrast to the hot, earthy soup.
The result is a bowl that’s rustic and comforting enough for a weeknight dinner but flavorful enough to feel special: smoky bacon, earthy black beans, cumin, chile heat, and bright acidity in every spoonful. It’s the kind of soup that makes you forget you’re eating a quick pantry-friendly meal.
Spicy Black Bean Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- stand blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 celery ribs finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 garlic cloves pressed or minced
- 1 ½ tbsp ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cans 15 ounces each black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro optional
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional garnishes: red onions, radish, lime, Greek yogurt, parsley, celery leaf, jalapeño, avocado
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes - flipping half way through. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, crumble once cool, and set aside. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat (or leave it and skip the olive oil, if you prefer).
- Add the olive oil to the pot along with the onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper and a light sprinkle of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer about half the soup to a stand blender, securely fasten the lid, and blend until smooth (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line, and beware the steam that escapes from the top of the blender, it's very hot). Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup directly in the pot.
- Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in the cilantro, crumbled bacon, vinegar/lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish and serve.
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