Vegan Black Bean Red Pepper Soup

This vegan black bean red pepper soup is protein-packed, comforting, and super flavorful. Its heartiness dances on the border between soup and stew while its toppings nudge it into chili territory. I'm still calling it soup, but feel free to identify it as you wish.

In reviewing blog data, one of the most glaringly obvious facts is that soup recipes are beloved by many of you.

Whether it's soups of the rich, creamy, and buttery variety like this recipe or this recipe, broth-based soups like this vegan take on French onion soup, or fancier puréed soups like this one, all evidence points to wide-ranging appreciation for slurp-able bowl-based meals.

With your preferences in mind, I'm in the throes of testing a handful of new soup recipes, and this black bean red pepper soup is the first to be released of (hopefully) many more to come.

Vegan black bean soup is a favorite of mine. I love that it's reliably thick and yet creamy, too.

I most admire thick soups for their ability to support a hefty amount of toppings, and this one does not disappoint.

Its thickness puts it right between soup and stew, and its colorful toppings hint at a chili. The best of all bowl-based meals under the guise of a humble soup.

I'm digging it, and I hope you do, too.

As with most soup recipes, this one is a breeze to make. It requires little more than some chopping, spice gathering/measuring, can-opening, and simmering.

To make it, you'll sauté a diced onion and chopped jarred roasted red peppers in a bit of olive oil.

Once the onion begins to soften, add several cloves of minced garlic and a tiny heap of spices/seasonings, including ground cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt.

Give everything a good stir and continue to sauté until the garlic mellows and the spices aromatically bloom.

Next, stir in four cans of drained and rinsed black beans along with a quart of vegetable stock.

Bring the soup to a rolling boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the black beans are super tender.

Once the black beans are tender, turn off the heat and carefully transfer about three cups of the soup to a high-speed blender. Secure the lid with your hand, using a kitchen towel as a barrier, and blend until smooth.

Pour the blended soup back into the pot.

Then, stir in chopped cilantro and a tablespoon or two of lime juice. Taste and add a bit more salt to really make the flavors pop.

Once the soup is ready, ladle it into roomy bowls and top.

My favorite toppings are as follows:

Sliced avocado.
Sliced scallions.
Cilantro.
Crushed tortilla chips.
Quartered cherry tomatoes.

As always, you do you. Top with your favorites (or skip the toppings altogether).

Once you've topped (or not topped), serve the soup and dig in.

I love serving it alongside a bowl of tortilla chips for dipping, scooping, and dunking.

There's something so satisfying about the combination of crispy corn chips dunked into this mildly spicy soup. So, so good. Try it!

If you make this vegan black bean red pepper soup, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #blissfulbasil on Instagram.

📖 Recipe

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5 from 3 votes

Vegan Black Bean Red Pepper Soup

This vegan black bean red pepper soup is protein-packed, comforting, and super flavorful. Its heartiness dances on the border between soup and stew while its toppings nudge it into chili territory. I'm still calling it soup, but feel free to identify it as you wish.

Course Soup, Stew

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan

Keyword chili, soup, stew

Prep Time 10 minutes

25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Ashley

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• 4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable stock or broth
• ½ cup stemmed cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for topping
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste
• Optional toppings: Scallions, avocado, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, quartered cherry tomatoes

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and red peppers and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.
• Next, add the garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and cayenne. Decrease the heat to medium-low and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the spices are wafting a rich, toasted scent, stirring frequently.
• Stir in the black beans and vegetable broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low or as needed to maintain a steady gentle simmer until the beans are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and transfer about 3 cups to a high-speed blender. Securely fasten the blender lid and place your hand and a kitchen towel on top to ensure the top stays in place. Carefully blend until smooth.
• Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to incorporate. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and season with more sea salt to taste (I usually add another 1 teaspoon—you may need to add even more if you used low-sodium stock/broth).
• Ladle into bowls, top as desired, and serve.
• Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and up to 1 month in the freezer.

Notes

*Inspired by Cookie + Kate's Spicy Black Bean Soup recipe.