Name: Spicy Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican/American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 red onion, diced; 1 green pepper, diced; 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds remove, minced; 5 cloves garlic, minced; 1-3 teaspoons chiles in adobo; 2 tablespoons cumin; 1/2 tablespoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 3 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained; 1 (15 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes; 3 cups V8 (or other brand vegetable juice); 32 oz. vegetable broth; 1 cup uncooked rice; 1 tablespoon sugar, optional; juice of 1 lime; Kosher salt; fresh cracked pepper; tortilla chips; sliced avocado; sliced jalapeno; fresh chopped cilantro

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This spicy black bean soup makes the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner or simple meal prep recipe for a busy week! Loaded with beans, veggies, and rice – this vegan soup is hearty enough to please even the meatiest of carnivores in your life!

Overhead shot of a bowl of spicy black bean soup garnished with tortilla chips and sour cream

Why you’re going to love this spicy black bean soup:

Most of the ingredients are pantry staples that you’ll likely have on hand or at least be able to easily find at the store. Canned beans, corn, and tomatoes along with a few fresh veggies, broth and rice is all it takes to get this soup on the dinner table tonight!
It’s filled with beans and veggies but tastes oh so comforting! This soup has the best of both worlds – tons of filling, fiber loaded vegetables but SO MUCH flavor that it tastes indulgent. Add some (vegan, if desired) sour cream and tortilla chips for good measure and you’ve got a balanced dinner that will fill your family up!
It’s the perfect easy meal prep recipe! I love to make a big pot of this on Sunday afternoon and then I know my lunches for the week are taken care of. This soup will stay fresh (stored in an airtight container) in the fridge for up to a week.

Close up shot of a bowl of spicy black bean soup garnished with tortilla chips and sour cream

How to make black bean soup:

Saute onion, green pepper and a large pinch of salt and pepper in olive oil.

Large white pot filled with veggies for black bean soup

Add jalapeno and garlic and continue to saute.

Add chiles in adobo, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder.

Large white pot filled with veggies and spices for black bean soup

Add black beans, corn, tomatoes, vegetable juice, and vegetable broth.

Large white pot filled with veggies and beans for black bean soup

Stir in rice.

Large white pot filled with veggies beans and rice for black bean soup

Combine everything and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.

Overhead shot of a pot of spicy black bean soup just before being cooked

Stir in sugar if desired along with juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish as desired and enjoy!

Overhead shot of a pot of spicy black bean soup garnished with tortilla chips and sour cream

Tips for making the best spicy black bean and rice soup:

If you like a really spicy soup, feel free to add a full 3 teaspoons of chiles in adobo AND leave the ribs and seeds in the jalapeno before adding it to the soup. I like a moderately spicy soup so I typically add two teaspoons of chiles in adobo but still remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapeno. I find that this gives it just the right amount of heat for my (admittedly) delicate palate.
You could use brown rice or quinoa in place of the regular rice in this recipe. Just simmer your grain of choice in the soup until it is cooked through but still a bit of an al dente bite to it.
If you have serious meat eaters in your family, feel free to add some taco seasoned ground beef to this dish or even chorizo. However, I would encourage you to serve this (vegan) soup as is to your family first and see if they even notice that there’s no meat! It’s loaded with so many hearty ingredients that I doubt they’ll even be wondering!
Season this soup with a hearty amount of salt. The one thing that’s going to go a long way in boosting the flavors of this soup is salt. Don’t be afraid of it! Add several pinches throughout the cooking process, tasting as you go. And be sure to add a little salt after it’s all cooked together too.
If you’re using this as a meal prep recipe or planning to eat it at a later date, be sure you season to taste with salt and pepper after you re-heat it each time. This will REALLY bump up the flavors of everything!

If you liked this black bean soup, be sure to check out these other easy vegan soups: