Creamy Black Bean Soup (Sopa de Frijoles)

Take some time and try to make this black bean soup recipe! This is an easy and delicious way to use up some of those leftover extra beans in your kitchen. Making this dish takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish, but it tastes like something that took hours. The ingredients are simple- just the right combination of herbs and spices. Give this recipe a try today for lunch or dinner!

I’m pretty sure that this happens to a lot of young people when they’re just married: when you love to cook and know a couple of different recipes really well but realize that cooking every single day for your spouse is a different story.

That happened to me; at least, when I had just gotten married.

I knew how to cook several dishes, even the complex Mole Poblano! But, after a few weeks into the married life, I realized that my cooking repertoire wasn’t that big. This realization is confirmed when you hear them say “Are we having this again?”. That was when I started buying cookbooks to widen my cooking experience, and this black bean recipe is my own version of a recipe from the first cooking book I got as a newlywed, back in the ’80s.

Black bean soup is classic comfort food that is served throughout Mexico. It's a basic soup that provides the perfect base for lots of customizations. As you travel around Mexico, you will discover all sorts of variations. You might find one recipe that calls for cream or milk and others that use chicken broth. There are also variations based on the peppers - some use dried and some use fresh peppers.

My sopa de frijoles recipe is also vegetarian! I used cooked black beans, sweet tomatoes, sauteed onions, and a salty vegetable broth. It's a hearty and filling soup that gives you a solid base where you can add your favorite toppings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Black Bean Soup

Before I share my soup recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about homemade black bean soup.

Can you make it in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can make black bean soup in the slow cooker. All you have to do is follow my instructions until the step where you simmer all the ingredients. At that step, place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and set it to low. Cook it on low for about 4 hours. It won't take long for the soup to heat up.

How do you store soup leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for about a week. Be careful not to store any leftovers that already have toppings on them. Just store the soup base.

How do you make this black bean soup spicier?

My recipe is mild, but it is really simple to make it taste spicier. Add some heat by adding some chipotle and habanero peppers on top.

Are dried black beans or canned beans better for soup?

Either choice will work perfectly in this recipe. I prefer to cook black beans in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. This is my black beans recipe and I use it to prep for recipes like my soup. Cooked black beans have a better taste than canned beans and really aren't much more effort than opening a can.

What can I use instead of a blender to process the tomatoes, onion, and garlic?

Use either a food processor or an immersion blender to puree the ingredients. If you do not have any of these tools, a hand mixer can work in a pinch- it is just a lot more difficult.

Easy Mexican Black Bean Soup

Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this dish...

• Fresh Tomatoes
• White Onion
• Garlic Clove
• Olive Oil
• Black Beans
• Epazote Leaves
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth

Black Bean Soup Toppings

Be creative and use your favorite Mexican toppings. Here is what I used on top of my soup:

• Avocado
• Fried Tortilla Strips
• Chipotle Pepper
• Crumbled Queso Fresco

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

How To Make Black Bean Soup: Step By Step Tutorial

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.

Make The Base Sauce

• Chop the tomatoes and place them in a blender along with the chopped onion and garlic.
• Process everything together until you have a smooth sauce.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and then pour the tomato sauce in.
• Cook the tomato sauce on medium-high heat for about 7-8 minutes until it starts to boil.

Prepare The Black Beans

• While the tomato sauce is cooking, puree the black beans and their broth in a blender or food processor until they have a fine texture.

Cook The Black Bean Soup

• Pour the black bean puree into the saucepan and stir, mixing well. The puree has to have a very fine, silky texture. If you prefer, pass through a strainer to obtain the best results.
• If the soup is too thick, add the chicken broth a tablespoon at a time to get a creamy texture. Don’t pour it all at once since it could result in a watery soup.
• Season soup with salt and pepper.
• Simmer the soup, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy!

What To Serve With Sopa De Frijoles

This is a very filling meal on its own, so serve it with your favorite Mexican side dishes. These are a few of my favorite recipes that will taste the best with this hearty soup:

• Easy Red Rice
• Xec (Jicama and Citrus Salad)
• Salpicón de Res

But, most of the time, I just like to eat a big bowl with a few slices of jalapenos, avocado, and queso fresco (or cotija cheese) crumbled on top. Delicioso!

More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for sopa de frijoles, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

• Cream of Corn Soup
• Potato Poblano Soup
• Mexican Lentil Soup
• Beef Birria Recipe
• Easy Chicken Stew (Olla Tapada)

I hope you make this recipe for creamy Mexican black bean soup! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

📖 Recipe

Creamy Black Bean Soup

Mely Martínez

This is an easy and forgiving recipe, so you can play around with it a lot. There are many variations all over Mexico: some with cream or milk, others with chicken broth or without it. Some also use dried peppers or fresh peppers. 

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Soups

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 206 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 small tomatoes or one large tomato (about 8 ounces total weight)
• ▢ ⅓ cup white onion chopped
• ▢ 1 garlic clove
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
• ▢ 2 Cups cooked black beans with a little of its cooking broth
• ▢ 2 Epazote leaves if available
• ▢ Salt & Ground Black Pepper to taste
• ▢ ½- cup chicken or vegetable broth.

CHOICE OF TOPPINGS:

• ▢ 1 Avocado diced
• ▢ 4 to rtillas cut into thin strips and fried.
• ▢ 1 Canned Chipotle pepper
• ▢ ½ cup crumbled Queso Fresco

Instructions

 

• Chop the tomatoes and place in a blender along with the chopped onion and garlic. Process until you have a smooth sauce.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and then pour the tomato sauce.
• Cook the tomato sauce over medium-high heat for about 7-8 minutes until it starts to boil.
• While the tomato sauce is cooking, puree the black beans and their broth in a blender or food processor until they have a fine texture.
• Pour the black bean puree into the saucepan and stir, mixing well. The puree has to have a very fine, silky texture. If you prefer, pass through a strainer to obtain the best results. If the soup is too thick, add the chicken broth a tablespoon at the time to get a creamy texture. Don’t pour it all at once, since it could result in a watery soup. Season soup with salt and pepper.
• Simmer the soup, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes. Serve warm with your choice of toppings.

Notes

• NOTES:
• This soup is well known throughout Mexico and has several variations: some add cream, milk, or crispy dried peppers as toppings or as part of the tomato sauce.
• You can be creative with this soup and add other types of herbs like cilantro in case you do not find the Epazote o even add an avocado leaf to give the soup a different taste and aroma. And even use peppers like Arbol pepper, guajillo pepper, or the spicy habanero if you like. Give it your own personal touch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 206kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 11gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 976mgPotassium: 464mgFiber: 8gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 445IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 2.1mg

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