Easy Crockpot Black Bean Soup with Dried Beans (Vegan & Healthy)

This easy crockpot black bean soup is hearty, cozy and packed with Tex-Mex flavor. It honestly tastes like a bowl of meatless chili! Made with dried black beans, bell peppers, tomatoes and warm spices, it’s a healthy vegan dinner that practically makes itself. Just chop, toss everything into the slow cooker and walk away. No soaking needed! It’s also perfect for meal prep, and you can make it as mild or as spicy as your family likes.

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Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Black Bean Soup

Family-friendly: easy to make mild for kids or spicy for grown-ups.

Tastes like meatless chili: thick, hearty and full of Tex-Mex flavor.

Dump-and-go easy: 15 minutes of chopping, then the crockpot does the rest.

No soaking: dried beans go straight into the slow cooker.

Healthy and budget-friendly: a pound of dried beans and a few veggies feed a crowd. 15 grams of plant-based protein and 12 grams of fiber per bowl.

Vegan and plant-based: just choose dairy-free toppings.

Great for meal prep: it tastes even better the next day and freezes beautifully.

Ingredients for Vegan Black Bean Soup

• Dried black beans: 1 pound, rinsed and picked over. No soaking needed.
• Vegetables: green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, celery and a jalapeño.
• Canned diced tomatoes: with their juices, for flavor and body.
• Garlic: fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor.
• Spices: chili powder, paprika, salt, black pepper and bay leaves give it that chili-like, Tex-Mex taste.
• Hot sauce: optional, for heat.
• Vegetable stock: keeps it vegan and adds flavor.

How to Make Black Bean Soup in the Crockpot

1. Prep the beans. Rinse the dried black beans in a colander and pick out any small stones or broken beans.
2. Chop the vegetables. Dice the bell peppers and onion, chop the celery, mince the garlic, and remove the seeds from the jalapeño before dicing it.
3. Add everything to the crockpot. Add the beans, vegetables, garlic, diced tomatoes with their juices, spices, hot sauce (if using), bay leaves and vegetable stock. Stir to combine.
4. Cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 10 hours, until the beans are tender.
5. Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaves, stir, and taste for salt. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Want it thicker, like chili? Mash some of the beans against the side of the crockpot with a potato masher, or blend a cup or two of soup and stir it back in.

How to Make It Mild (or Spicy!)

To make it mild and kid-friendly:

• Skip the hot sauce. I leave it out for my son, who doesn’t like spicy food.
• Remove the jalapeño seeds and white ribs, where most of the heat is, or leave the jalapeño out completely.
• Use mild chili powder.
• Serve with cooling toppings like avocado, sour cream or cheese.
• Let everyone add their own heat by putting hot sauce on the table.

To make it spicier:

• Add the hot sauce, or a little more.
• Leave some jalapeño seeds in.
• Add a pinch of cayenne or a chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.

Topping Ideas

• Sliced avocado
• Sour cream (use a dairy-free sour cream for vegan)
• Shredded cheese (use a dairy-free cheese for vegan)
• Green onions
• Fresh cilantro
• Tortilla chips

Black Bean Soup for Meal Prep

This soup is perfect for meal prep. Let it cool, then divide it into individual containers for easy lunches all week. Keep the toppings separate and add them just before eating, so the avocado stays green and the chips stay crunchy.

How to Store and Freeze Black Bean Soup

• Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. Leave a little room at the top, since soup expands as it freezes.
• Reheat: warm it on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of vegetable stock if it’s too thick.

FAQ

Do I need to soak the black beans first?

No! That’s the beauty of this recipe. The dried beans cook low and slow right in the soup, so there’s no soaking needed. Just rinse them and pick out any stones first.

Can I use canned black beans instead?

Yes. Use about 3 or 4 (15-ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed, and reduce the vegetable stock to about 4 cups. Since canned beans are already cooked, the soup only needs about 3 to 4 hours on LOW, just long enough for the vegetables to soften and the flavors to blend.

Why are my beans still hard?

Older dried beans can take longer to soften. If your beans aren’t tender after 6 hours on HIGH, keep cooking and check every 30 to 60 minutes. Buying fresh dried beans from a busy store helps.

Is this black bean soup vegan?

Yes! The soup itself is vegan and plant-based. Just choose dairy-free toppings, or skip the sour cream and cheese and go with avocado, green onions and tortilla chips.

Is black bean soup healthy?

Black beans are full of fiber and plant-based protein, and this soup is loaded with veggies. It’s a filling, wholesome meal that’s naturally low in fat.

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