Black Bean Soup
Recipe by Steven Weitzman, founder & head chef of Grilly CheesePublished 2026-10-27Updated 2026-10-27
Black bean soup with canned beans, red pepper, cumin, and lime. Make this easy skillet soup in about 35 minutes, with no blender needed, for grilled cheese night.
Black bean soup is a hearty bean-and-vegetable soup seasoned with cumin and lime, making a filling, savory side for a crisp grilled cheese sandwich. This version uses canned black beans, finely diced onion and red pepper, and a short simmer in a deep skillet. Mashing some of the beans thickens the broth while leaving plenty of whole beans for texture. There is no blender step, and the lime goes in at the end so its flavor stays bright. Makes: about 5 cups, or 4 side-dish servings. Prep: 10 minutes. Cook: about 25 minutes. Total: about 35 minutes. Active work: about 20 minutes. Use a deep skillet or saute pan with at least a 3-quart capacity; a shallow frying pan is not suitable for this soup.
How to make Black Bean Soup
Makes About 5 cups; 4 side-dish servings. Listed times are estimates; visual and temperature cues control doneness.
10 minCook
25 minRest
0 minTotal
35 minYield
About 5 cups; 4 side-dish servings
Equipment
- Deep 12-inch skillet or saute pan, at least 3-quart capacity
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
- Colander
- Wooden spoon
- Potato masher
- Ladle
Ingredients
- •1 tablespoon olive oil
- •3/4 cup (105 g) finely diced yellow onion
- •1/2 cup (70 g) finely diced red bell pepper
- •2 garlic cloves, minced
- •1 tablespoon tomato paste
- •1 teaspoon ground cumin
- •1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- •1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- •2 cans black beans (15 ounces / 425 g each), drained and rinsed; about 3 cups drained
- •2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus a little more to loosen if needed
- •1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- •1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- •1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- 1
Soften the vegetables and spices
Heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet or saute pan with at least a 3-quart capacity over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, and salt. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the pepper has softened. Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano; stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- 2
Simmer the black beans
Stir in the drained beans, 2 1/2 cups broth, and black pepper, scraping up any tomato paste from the pan bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. Reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the beans are hot throughout.
- 3
Mash and finish with lime
Turn the heat to low. Use a potato masher to gently mash about one-third of the beans directly in the skillet, keeping the masher low to limit splashing and leaving plenty of beans whole. Stir and warm for 2 minutes, until the broth has a lightly creamy body. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste before adding more salt. If the soup is thicker than you like, add a little extra broth until it flows easily from a ladle. Serve hot.
Tips
- →Dice the onion and pepper into small pieces so they soften in the stated time and fit comfortably on a spoon.
- →Keep the garlic and spices moving during their brief cooking step. If they threaten to stick or scorch, add the broth promptly.
- →Start by mashing less than you think you need, then stir. The soup becomes thicker as the mashed beans mix into the broth.
- →Aim for a soup that pours from a ladle with whole beans suspended in the broth. Add extra broth a few tablespoons at a time if it becomes too dense.
- →Taste after adding the lime. The final acidity changes how the salt and spices come across, so it is useful to adjust seasoning last.
Variation
Beans: Use about 3 cups already-cooked black beans in place of the canned beans. Cooking dried beans is a separate preparation and is not included in the recipe time. Pepper: Green or yellow bell pepper can replace red in the same amount. Green pepper gives a slightly less sweet flavor. Lime: Fresh lemon juice can replace lime in the same starting amount. Add it at the end and taste before using more. Spice: For a little heat, stir in a pinch of cayenne with the cumin and paprika, or add hot sauce to individual bowls. This is optional and not part of the mild base recipe.
Questions and answers
Can you make black bean soup with canned beans?
Yes. This recipe uses two drained and rinsed cans, which are already cooked and only need to simmer with the vegetables and seasoning. That keeps the total time to about 35 minutes.
Do you drain canned black beans for soup?
For this recipe, drain and rinse them before adding measured broth. Other recipes may use the can liquid, but keeping it out here makes the soup's salt level and thickness easier to control.
How do you thicken black bean soup without a blender?
Gently mash about one-third of the beans in the skillet with a potato masher. Stir them into the broth and warm briefly, adding more broth if the soup becomes too thick.
Is black bean soup vegan?
This version is vegan when made with vegan vegetable broth. It uses olive oil, vegetables, spices, beans, and lime, with no meat, dairy, or egg in the base recipe.
What spices go in black bean soup?
This recipe uses cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, and black pepper. Fresh lime juice finishes the soup and balances the earthy flavor of the beans.
Can you freeze black bean soup?
Yes. Freeze cooled soup in meal-size containers with room for expansion, then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. Stir in a little broth or water if it has thickened after thawing.
Storage and reheating
Grilled cheese is best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered, shallow container at 40°F (4°C) or below, within 2 hours of cooking—or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C), checking the center with a food thermometer. A skillet over low heat, briefly covered and then uncovered, can warm the center and help restore the crust. If using previously cooked chicken or other leftovers, count storage time from when that ingredient was first cooked. See USDA leftovers guidance and FoodSafety.gov minimum temperatures.
Dietary note: This recipe is labeled vegan as written with the specified products.
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