Vegan Black Bean and Grilled Vegetable Soup

(Note: this post was originally published on January 19, 2020. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)

A Vibrant, Healthy, and Vegan Black Bean Soup

Who else loves a bowl of hearty black bean soup on a cold winter day? It's one of my personal favorites. However, many black bean soups can feel drab, both in terms of their flavors and their colors. While beans are a wonderful, healthful ingredient, a soup that's primarily just black beans feels one-dimensional. Let's give black bean soup some excitement, shall we?

This vibrant version of the original is exploding with different colors, shapes, textures, and flavors thanks to the addition of a variety of grilled vegetables. Hearty sweet potatoes, succulent onions, chewy corn, and crisp peppers all get kissed with a bit of char from the grill, then added to the soup toward the end of the cooking time. It's a simple yet transformative update to the often ho-hum classic. This colorful black bean soup with vegetables is definitely going to become your new winter best friend!

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How to Make Vegan Black Bean Soup

Although this black bean soup with vegetables is easy to make, it does take a bit of time. It's a fun recipe for a snowy weekend evening, when you're feeling cozy indoors (and want to stand by the stove for a while). Hint: mix up one of these ginger margaritas to sip while you cook.

You'll start by browning an onion in a soup pot, then you'll add the spices and toast them for a couple minutes, then you'll add black beans and veggie stock. This is the base of the soup, which you'll puree into a silky texture. Meanwhile, you'll also be grilling sweet potatoes, onions, corn, and bell peppers (probably indoors on a grill pan, assuming you're making this during the winter). Adding those chopped grilled veggies (and a few more black beans) after pureeing the base gives this soup a really interesting mixture of colors and textures. You'll finish it off with some fresh-squeezed lime juice and whatever garnishes you enjoy.

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Make-Ahead Tips

This vegan black bean soup works well as a make-ahead dish, and it actually gets better with time. If you want to make it in advance, you have two options:

1. For a partial make-ahead approach, you can grill the veggies ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator overnight. This will cut down on how many things you're trying to do at once on the day you want to make the soup.
2. For a full make-ahead approach, make the whole recipe except for adding the lime juice. Store the soup in a sealed container in the refrigerator, then reheat either all of it or just a single portion. Stir in the lime juice and add any garnishes right before serving for the freshest flavor.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Here's what you'll need for this black bean soup with vegetables, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

• Red onions
• Salt and pepper
• Oil of choice. For sauteeing and grilling.
• Cumin seeds. Cumin powder is okay too if you can't find whole seeds. If you decide to use powder, add it at the same time as the other powdered spices and decrease the amount to 1 tsp.
• Chili powder
• Coriander
• Paprika
• Ancho chili powder. This is a specific type of chili powder that's a bit smoky. Feel free to omit it if you can't find it.
• Cayenne pepper
• Vegetable broth. This soup is so flavorful that water works fine if you don't have stock on-hand. You can also use some coconut milk if you want to add additional lusciousness to this vegan black bean soup.
• Black beans
• Lime. You'll use both the zest and the juice.
• Sweet potato
• Corn. Assuming you'll be making this soup in the winter, frozen or canned corn will be your best option. In season, try grilling whole corn cobs outside and cutting off the kernels.
• Colored bell peppers. You can also add a poblano pepper if you want some additional heat, or even a jalapeno or two. Grill them along with the bell peppers.
• Garnishes of choice for serving. Feel free to use whatever Mexican-inspired fresh, creamy, and crunchy garnishes you enjoy. Fresh cilantro, avocado, roasted pepitas, etc, all make this black bean soup with vegetables even more colorful and special.

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Closing Thoughts

I make this vegan black bean soup again and again throughout the winter. It's wonderfully warming, delicately spicy, and hearty, so it feels perfect for a cold day. Each time I make it, it ends up a little bit different based on what veggies I have on-hand and what sort of spices I'm in the mood for. I like to make a big pot over the weekend, then enjoy the leftovers a couple times during the week.

Are you excited to try this black bean soup with vegetables? If you've been disappointed by monotone, one-note black bean soups in the past, I think you'll love this colorful, flavorful version. I hope it keeps you warm and cozy all winter long!

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Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

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Suggested Pairings

Ginger Margarita

Grilled Corn Guacamole

Margarita-Inspired Mexican Cauliflower‍

Rainbow Vegan Citrusy Slaw (in particular the Mexican-inspired version)

Spicy Skillet Orange Jalapeno Brussels Sprouts