Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

This hearty black bean soup is made the easy way – in the slow cooker crock pot!

This black bean soup is made from scratch with beans, veggies, and spices. It’s warm, cozy, hearty, filling, and nourishing. It’s mild enough for kids, but easy to spice up if you like spicy foods. The slow cooker makes preparing this black bean soup easier than ever. Prepare it early, and come home to a warm dinner. Isn’t that just the best after a long day? Loaded with colorful fresh toppings like avocado and jalapenos, and served with tortilla chips, this slow cooker black bean soup makes delicious Taco Tuesday soup.

While using dried beans takes a little planning, it really is easy once you get used to it. Dried beans need to soak overnight before being cooked for a few hours. To make this extra simple I usually cook dried beans in the slow cooker. That way I can set it and forget it. This black bean soup very similar to that slow cooker black bean recipe, but has a lot more added to the crock pot and on top. Another bonus of using dried beans is that they are so darn cheap. A one pound bag of dried black beans is usually under $2. When you think about the cost of canned beans or meat, dried beans are an amazing deal. Black beans are also a great affordable way to get protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. One cup of cooked black beans provides 15 grams of both protein and fiber, making this black bean soup quite filling.

Do you prefer the convenience of using canned or pre-cooked beans? I hear you! I love this soup with canned beans too! Using dried beans yields a thicker, creamier soup as the starches all end up in the soup. When I make this black bean soup with canned beans, the soup ends up lighter with more broth. To be completely honest, I think I prefer the brothy canned version best.

This black bean soup is perfect for family dinners or potlucks. Serve the soup straight from the slow cooker and offer toppings in bowls for a hearty, warming meal. Use dried or canned beans – the choice is yours. I hope you keep this recipe in mind for those hectic days when you’ve only got five minutes to throw ingredients in a slow cooker. I hope it makes your life a life a little bit easier, more nourishing, and delicious!

Don’t miss the one-minute video to see how it’s done!

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Yield: Serves 6

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Prep Time 10 hours

Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 16 hours 30 minutes

This hearty black bean soup is loaded with veggies and colorful toppings. If you're in a hurry, feel free to use 4 cans of beans, drained instead of the dried beans.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound dried black beans, or 4 (15 oz.) cans, drained
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 15 oz. diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 4-6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
• 1 can corn kernels, drained (optional)
• hot sauce, to taste

Toppings

• 1-2 avocados, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
• small bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 avocados, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
• small bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

1. If using dried beans, soak in water overnight. Drain and rinse the beans.
2. To a slow cooker crock pot, add the beans, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, jalapeno, spices, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups vegetable broth. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, then another two hours over low heat. If using canned beans, cook on low for 6 hours. Carefully transfer about 2 cups to a blender and puree, or use an immersion blender. This will make the soup extra creamy. Add it back into the slow cooker. Stir in the corn and let warm up for a few minutes. I like adding the corn after the soup has cooked so that it stays bright yellow and doesn't get too soft. Taste the soup and a few dashes of hot sauce if you like it spicy, and/or add more salt to taste. If the soup has thickened too much, add more of the broth.
3. Serve the black bean soup in bowls and add your favorite toppings!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 bowl
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 530Trans Fat: 0g