This Cuban inspired black bean soup with rice is healthy, tasty, and quick to make with ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s also vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free!
- Prep Time:
5 mins - Cook Time:
25 mins - Total Time:
30 mins
I know the thought of soup in Texas in May sounds crazy. However, it has been raining all morning here and rain always makes me crave soup. Plus, I am sure there are plenty of folks out there who are still living with this year’s endless winter and could use a bowl of something warm and comforting. So, let us all find comfort in soup.
I have been making this black bean soup a lot lately because it comes together so quickly. I can pull canned black beans, broth, and spices from the pantry, onion and garlic from the refrigerator, rice from the freezer and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
Helpful notes and tips for making the best black bean soup
The perfect soup texture is completely up to you. You can make this soup as thick or thin as you want by adjusting how much to mash the beans and skipping the cornstarch. I like my soups really thick so I mash about half the beans by hand and add cornstarch to thicken. If you prefer a thinner soup, don’t mash up any of the beans and omit the cornstarch. You can also purée some of the beans in a blender, if you want a thicker soup with a smoother texture.
Freeze cooked rice for quick meals. Whenever I cook rice, I always cook more than what I need so I can freeze the leftovers and have it on hand for busy (or lazy) nights. Just be sure to cool the rice completely overnight in the refrigerator before freezing it. Otherwise, you end up with a gummy mess later. I speak from experience here.
Spicy or mild. It’s up to you. If you like your black bean soup to have some kick, feel free to increase the amount of chili powder. If you want no heat, replace the the chili powder with some ground coriander.
Get fancy with the toppings. This soup is absolutely delicious on its own but you can always add some diced avocados, a dollop of sour cream, or some thinly sliced red onion or scallions if you’re feeling fancy.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you’re looking for more soup recipes, try one of these delicious recipes next:
Black Bean Soup with Rice
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Description
This Cuban inspired black bean soup with rice is healthy, tasty, and quick to make with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Ingredients
- 3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (or more if you want more heat)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth (optional)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving
- Hot cooked white or brown rice
Instructions
- Prep beans. Put one can of drained black beans in a bowl and mash with a fork. Set aside. (See Note 1)
- Cook onions. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add spices. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
- Add broth and beans. Add vegetable broth, salt, Bay leaf, and both black beans, whole and mashed. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir cornstarch mixture to re-combine and add to soup (See Note 2). Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season. Remove Bay leaf and discard. Taste the soup and adjust salt to taste.
- Serve. Put rice in bowls. Pour soup on top. Generously sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- You can skip mashing the beans if you want a less thick soup. Or you can purée the beans in a blender if you want a thick soup with a smoother texture.
- If you want a less thick soup, omit the cornstarch.
- Recipe adapted from Comfy in the Kitchen (via my sister).
Barbara says
I’ve been making this recipe monthly now! People can’t get enough of it! I love its flavor! I do add some jalapeños to it just because I love lots of heat!
Nguyet says
Wow! What a nice comment. Thanks so much for sharing that with me, Barbara! I truly appreciate it.
Laila says
Fabulous!
Taming of the Spoon says
Thank you! So glad to hear it, Laila!