Equipment
Ingredients
Base and Aromatics
- 400 g dried black beans, soaked overnight in water
- 1400 ml vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
Spices and Flavorings
- 30 g chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
- 8 g ground cumin
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 3 g dried oregano
- 10 g kosher salt
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
Customizable Toppings
- 1 avocado, diced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- 60 g vegan sour cream
- 4 lime wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 337 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1459 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1352 mg
- Calcium
- 133 mg
- Iron
- 5.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 140 mg
- Phosphorus
- 291 mg
- Zinc
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 108 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 41 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 23 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.72 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 2.5 mg
- Folate
- 337 mcg
- Water
- 321 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Drain the overnight-soaked black beans in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water.
Place the drained black beans, vegetable broth, diced yellow onion, diced red bell pepper, minced garlic, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano into the slow cooker. Do not add the salt or vinegar yet.
Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 hours, or until the beans are completely tender. The internal temperature of the liquid will reach around 90 degrees C / 195 degrees F.
Once the beans are completely tender, stir in the kosher salt and apple cider vinegar.
Using an immersion blender, carefully puree about half of the soup directly in the slow cooker. Leave the remaining half unblended to provide a hearty, varied texture. The blended starches will immediately thicken the broth into a velvety consistency.
Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Top with optional diced avocado, fresh chopped cilantro, a dollop of vegan sour cream, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Chef's Notes
- Adding acid like vinegar or tomatoes, as well as salt, hardens the skin of dried beans. Always wait until the beans are completely tender before introducing these flavorings.
- For an even deeper, sweeter base flavor, you can gently saute the onions, garlic, and bell peppers in a little olive oil on the stovetop before adding them to the slow cooker.
- The chipotle peppers add a robust smokiness and moderate heat. If you are sensitive to spice, start with just 15 grams of chipotle and omit the extra adobo sauce, adding more at the end if desired.
- Partial pureeing is the secret to a professional texture in bean soups. It naturally thickens the liquid using the beans' own starches, avoiding the need for flour or cornstarch thickeners.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors deepen and improve after a day or two in the fridge.
Freezer: 3 months — Cool completely before freezing. Leave headspace in the container as the liquid will expand.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if the soup has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
Beans remain hard and crunchy after 8 hours of cooking
Cause: The dried beans were too old, or acidic/salty ingredients were accidentally added at the beginning of the cooking time
Fix: Transfer the soup to a large pot on the stovetop. Add a quarter teaspoon of baking soda and boil vigorously until the beans soften, adding more water if necessary
Prevention: Purchase beans from a store with high turnover and ensure salt and vinegar are only added after beans are completely tender
Soup is too thin and watery after pureeing
Cause: Excess moisture from vegetables or not enough beans were pureed
Fix: Leave the slow cooker uncovered on the high setting for 30 minutes to let some moisture evaporate, or puree an additional cup of the soup
Prevention: Follow liquid measurements closely and ensure enough of the soup is blended to release sufficient starches
Cultural Context
Black bean soup is a fundamental comfort food deeply rooted in Latin American and Caribbean culinary traditions, where it is often served as a robust main course or a welcoming starter. This specific variation borrows from Mexican-American flavor profiles by featuring smoky chipotle chilies and earthy cumin, while utilizing the modern slow cooker to slowly extract the rich, savory depths of the beans over a long, gentle simmer.
