Creamy Black Bean Soup (Print Version)

Velvety black bean dish with smoky bacon and tangy lime crema for bold, comforting flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
07 - 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Spices and Seasonings

10 - 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Lime Crema

15 - 0.5 cup sour cream
16 - Zest and juice of 1 lime
17 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnishes

18 - Chopped fresh cilantro
19 - Extra lime wedges

# How to Make:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
02 - Add onion, carrot, celery, and jalapeño (if using) to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and oregano. Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices and release their flavors.
05 - Add black beans, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
06 - Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy, or leave slightly chunky as desired. Alternatively, blend in batches in a standard blender, then return to the pot.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in half the cooked bacon, reserving the remainder for garnish.
08 - In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt to create the lime crema.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl with lime crema, sprinkle with reserved bacon and chopped cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bacon fat does all the flavor work for you, so you're basically building umami from the first sauté.
  • One pot means less cleanup, which is honestly the best part of weeknight cooking.
  • That lime crema swirl transforms a simple soup into something you'd order at a restaurant.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—that starchy liquid will cloud your soup and make the texture gluey instead of velvety.
  • The immersion blender changed my soup game forever, but if you don't have one, a regular blender works just as well, you're just playing careful Tetris with hot soup.
  • The lime crema is where the magic happens; don't just stir the lime juice into sour cream and call it a day, because the zest adds a complexity that transforms a good soup into an unforgettable one.
03 -
  • Make the lime crema right before serving—if you whisk it together too early, the lime juice can slightly curdle the sour cream and change the texture in a way that's subtle but worth avoiding.
  • Keep extra lime wedges on the table because people always want more acidity once they taste how it brightens everything, and they'll squeeze them without asking if they're there.
Go Back