Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup (Printer-friendly)

Hearty soup featuring creamy sweet potatoes and protein-packed black beans with smoky spices.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 stalk celery, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Legumes

07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnishes

18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Lime wedges
20 - Avocado, sliced

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced sweet potatoes, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil over high heat.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.
06 - Add drained and rinsed black beans, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to meld flavors.
07 - Remove bay leaf from the pot. For a creamier consistency, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup while maintaining some chunky texture.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, or sliced avocado as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all day, which feels like getting away with something.
  • Black beans and sweet potatoes create this natural creaminess without cream, so you actually feel good after eating it.
  • The spice blend is gentle enough for any mood but complex enough to keep your taste buds interested.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—the starchy liquid can make the soup cloudy and overly thick, and rinsed beans cook into the broth instead of staying separate.
  • Partial blending is your secret weapon; a completely smooth soup loses the textural appeal that makes you want another bowl.
03 -
  • Don't skip sautéing the vegetables first—that step caramelizes them slightly and creates a depth that broth alone never reaches.
  • If your sweet potatoes are large, cut them smaller than you think you need to because they cook slower than you expect and you want everything tender at the same time.
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