Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup served in a low white bowl with toppings on one side and a spoon resting in the bowl on the other side

4 from 1 vote

Slow cooker black bean soup is a delicious, hands-off vegetarian soup that’s hearty and filling for a chilly day. Add your favorite toppings and grab a spoon!

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 30

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1 lb.) bag black beans, soaked overnight then drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 cup salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Optional toppings:

Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro, avocado, hot sauce, etc.

Instructions

Note: The beans for this recipe need to be soaked overnight. Please plan accordingly. Or see below for alternate ways to make this soup.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and saute for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the onion mixture to the insert of your slow cooker.
Add the soaked and drained black beans, broth, diced green chilies, salsa, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper. Stir well.
Cover and cook the soup on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
Once the cook time is complete, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup. This helps with the texture and consistency. (Alternatively, you could transfer part of the soup to a blender and blend partially then transfer back to your slow cooker.)
Let the soup sit for 15 minutes on warm to thicken.
Season to taste with salt and pepper then serve with desired toppings.

Save This Recipe

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

Notes

Beans: The recipe calls for dried beans and they need to be soaked overnight so that they are more tender and will cook all the way when making this soup. See below for info on how to do a “quick” soak.

Canned beans: Prefer to use canned beans instead of dried? You’ll need 4 (14.5 oz.) cans for this recipe. Be sure to rinse and drain them well.

Blending: I much prefer this soup when it’s partially blended after the cook time is complete. It improves the texture and consistency. (I’ve tried it without blending and don’t like it as much.) You can use an immersion blender or transfer part of the soup to a regular blender.

Broth: Choose vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegetarian/vegan. Or if you’re like us and not actually vegetarian, it’s fine to sub chicken broth if that’s what you have on hand. Either way, I recommend the low-sodium version.

Spicy: Need a little heat? Add an extra jalapeño, or leave in some of the seeds and membranes, or add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper with the other seasonings. You can also serve it with hot sauce to give some heat to just your bowl.

How to quick soak beans:

Rinse your dried beans and pick out any damaged ones or stray rocks.
Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for two minutes then turn off the heat.
Cover and let sit for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Drain the beans and then proceed with the recipe.
Caution: You may need to add extra cook time to ensure the books are tender.

How to store leftovers: For the fridge: Let the chili cool down, then transfer it to a container with a lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the freezer: Let the soup cool down and then pack it up in a ziptop freezer bag or a freezer safe container. It will keep for 4-6 months.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!