This hearty black bean sweet potato soup is a delicious, cozy meal for Fall. When the weather turns cooler it's the perfect time for making soup. I love the ease of having leftovers from a big batch of soup, since even I get tired of cooking every night.
This fabulous soup is packed with loads of black beans and chunks of tender sweet potatoes, that gives it a little natural sweetness. Plus I've added in lots of spices to give it a Southwest vibe. My whole family enjoyed this soup garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges and served with my gluten-free corn muffins. It also goes great with tortilla chips. My teenage son gave it 10 stars, so that's saying something! LOL
If you're looking for more veggie-forward soups to try, I recommend my vegan broccoli cheddar soup or this yummy roasted cauliflower soup.
Ingredient Notes
This black bean soup recipe uses just a few simple ingredients and it's both gluten free and vegan.
- Oil - I use olive oil for all of my cooking, but any light-flavored cooking oil, like vegetable oil or avocado oil, will work fine.
- Onion & Garlic - These provide the base flavors for the soup. If you like celery or bell peppers, you could add about ½ cup of either along with the onions too!
- Ground Cumin, Chili Powder, Chipotle Chili Powder, Red Pepper Flakes - These spices lend a bit of a Southwest flavor to this soup with a little pop of heat. If you don't like spicy food, I recommend leaving the red pepper flakes out.
- Sweet Potatoes - Peel and cube fresh sweet potatoes. I use the orange variety since that is what is most common where I live. If you prefer white or purple sweet potatoes those will work fine too. You could even substitute white potatoes or butternut squash for a different flavor.
- Vegetable Broth - Store bought or homemade vegetable stock will work fine in this soup. If you're following a gluten-free diet, make sure to get a broth that is marked gluten free. This is an ingredient that frequently has hidden gluten. I like Pacific Foods brand.
- Black Beans - I used Bush's canned black beans for this recipe, since they are gluten free. If you want to use dry beans, you'll need to soak and cook them ahead of time, since the canned black beans are already cooked.
- Vegan Sour Cream - A dollop of sour cream not only adds some creaminess, it also tempers the spiciness of the soup. If your store doesn't carry vegan sour cream, you could use a little full-fat coconut milk to keep the creamy texture.
- Lime Juice - I liked to add fresh squeezed lime juice to balance out the flavors of the soup. It gives a nice bright finish to the soup!
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free or Vegan - use dairy sour cream or greek yogurt in the same measure.
- More Vegetables - Add more vegetables if you like. You could add in ½ cup of diced celery or red bell pepper along with the onions. I added a little frozen corn to the soup in the photo.
- No Sweet Potatoes - Replace sweet potato cubes with white potatoes or cut butternut squash.
- More smoky flavor - For extra spice, add ¼ cup diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Bean Swap - If you're not a fan of black beans, you can swap pinto beans or kidney beans in the same measure.
How to Make Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
STEP 1: Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Then add in the diced onions and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
STEP 2: Add the minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
STEP 3: Add in the sweet potato cubes and the vegetable broth. Bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, cover the pot and reduce to low heat. Cook for about 10 minutes until potatoes are almost fork tender.
STEP 4: Add the drained black beans into the soup and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes.
STEP 5: Scoop out 2 cups of the soup and transfer it to a blender. Puree it until smooth.
STEP 6: Pour the pureed portion of the soup back into the pot with the rest of the soup and stir well. Continue to cook until it thickens a little.
STEP 7: Remove the pot from heat. Add the sour cream and lime juice and stir well. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes. Note: If you want to add any frozen corn do it now. The corn will warm through during the resting time.
Alternative Preparation
If you prefer a smoother soup, you can use an immersion blender right in the soup pot and puree the whole thing.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More cozy soup recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Southwest Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 3 Cups Sweet Potatoes about 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 3 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 30 ounces Black Beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ Cup Vegan Sour Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 Cup Frozen Corn optional
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Then add the diced onions. Cook and stir occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, 1 Cup Yellow Onion
- Add the minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to the onions. Cook while stirring constantly for 1 minutes.3 cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, ½ teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Add the sweet potato cubes and vegetable broth. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover and reduce the temperature to low. Cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are almost fork tender.3 Cups Sweet Potatoes, 3 Cups Vegetable Broth
- Add in the black beans and simmer for 5 minutes more. Try not to stir too often as it will break the beans up.30 ounces Black Beans
- Transfer 2 cups of the hot soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful when opening the blender lid as the hot soup may splatter. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot and stir well. Continue to cook for a few minutes until it thickens a little bit.
- Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the sour cream and lime juice. If you're adding frozen corn, add it now as well. Replace the lid and allow the soup to rest for 5 minutes, then serve.¼ Cup Vegan Sour Cream, 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice, 1 Cup Frozen Corn
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
Susan says
I like how you repeat the ingredients after every step in the recipe!