Black Bean and Lime Soup

This Easy Black Bean and Lime Soup Recipe is made with canned black beans, shallots, garlic, lime and cilantro. It’s a quick and healthy vegetarian and vegan soup that’s delicious for lunch or dinner.

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I spent about 10 years of my life as a vegetarian. I still absolutely love vegetarian foods.

I used to live off of this Vegetarian Bean Soup with Pasta, and it’s still one of my go-to soup recipes. This Black Bean Soup is another vegetarian soup favorite of mine – especially because it’s so quick and easy to make.

I like to add lime to this recipe because one of the first black bean soups I ever ate had little green specks of lime zest in it. I love the added hint of tanginess from the lime. Cilantro and cumin deepens the flavors even more.

Why This Recipe Works

This is a super simple, healthy recipe. It only requires 7 ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make. There is 20 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber per serving. It’s also low in calories, sugar, and fat.

It’s a delicious combination of savory black beans, cilantro, and bright and zippy lime flavors.

This recipe is vegetarian and vegan. If you are gluten free, be sure to check the label on store-bought stock, as some contain added gluten. 

How to Make Black Bean and Lime Soup

Ingredients

• You will also need butter or olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Use canned black beans
• You can use a small onion in place of the shallot, if preferred.

The entire recipe and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

The prep work for this recipe is minimal. You will need to mince the garlic and shallot as well as juice and zest the lime.

Create!

Melt the butter (or olive oil) in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the garlic and shallot. Cook 2-3 minutes to soften. Stir in the cumin and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds.

Pour in the vegetable stock and black beans. 

Cook 15-20 minutes to soften the beans.

If you would like some whole beans in your soup, remove about 1/3 of the soup and place in a bowl.

Transfer the remaining soup to a blender and add the cilantro. Puree until smooth and then add back to the pan with the reserved beans.

Chef’s Tip: you can also use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot to the desired consistency.

Stir in the lime juice and zest, taste, and season with salt, pepper, and/or additional lime, as needed.

Present!

Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, if desired.

Tips and Techniques

• Use canned black beans for the most tender, velvety results.
• You can use a small onion in place of the shallot, if preferred.
• Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.

FAQ’s

Can You Freeze Black Bean Soup?

Black bean soup can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Allow soup to cool before transferring it to airtight container or freezer bags.

To reheat, thaw soup in the refrigerator, then heat in a pan on the stovetop until warmed through.

What Do You Serve With Black Bean Soup?

You can serve black bean soup topped with sour cream, cilantro, lime zest, or avocado. It also pairs well with tortilla chips or crusty bread.

More Soup Recipes

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This recipe was first published on January 18, 2018. It was updated with step-by-step instructions, new images, tips, techniques, FAQ’s and video in December 2020.