Skip The Same Old Black Bean Soup – Try This Bold, Spicy Version Instead

Beans are delicious, nutritious, and versatile. When you want a quick and simple dinner, preparing a basic black bean soup is a great way to fill up with warmth, comfort, and plenty of protein and fiber. Though it's tempting to throw together the same old ingredients without much pomp and circumstance, Tasting Table recipe developer Hayley MacLean put together a spicy black bean soup recipe that provides a spicy twist on the usual. It's sure to become a staple of your seasonal soup rotation — if not all year long.

Starting with canned black beans and adding a handful of accessible ingredients, the magic of this veggie-forward soup lies within the element of heat. Between chili powder, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, this soup is made to ignite your senses. The recipe also calls for a healthy helping of bell peppers, celery, onions, and carrots along with a zesty punch of lime juice and a handful of savory seasonings simmered in a vegetable broth, which you can get store-bought or prepare from scratch.

The soup is lightly blended using an immersion blender for a smooth finish with some noticeable chunks to enjoy. For those who need a little something to temper the spice level, try serving the soup with a generous dollop of sour cream or a portion of shredded cheese on top. Tweak this recipe to bulk it up with more protein or consider complementary sides, such as shortcut Spanish rice or a crispy chicken quesadilla, to round out your meal.

Given that black beans are one of the five most nutrient-packed beans to add to your diet, Hayley MacLean's spicy black bean soup recipe is a mealtime must. You can serve it alongside your favorite style of rice, or top it with chopped avocado and a sprinkle of queso fresco or cotija cheese. There are also a number of ways to adjust this veggie-forward recipe to include more or less animal proteins, as well as more or less spice.

For example, try using chicken broth, beef stock, or even a bone broth as the base for your soup. Broth is usually best when made from scratch, but you can always choose from a number of store-bought brands if you're in a pinch. Additionally, adding a topping of crispy fried bacon to the soup will give it a protein-packed finishing touch with a fun crunch. Alternatively, you can keep the vegetarian-style soup plant-based by topping it off with cooked plant-based crumbles and your go-to dairy-free cheese.

If you're not too big on spice, try eliminating a few of the most significant sources of heat from your version by omitting or using less of the crushed red pepper flakes, chili powder, and chipotles in adobo sauce. The paprika will still provide a nice, smoky kick without being overwhelming. On the flip side, if you want to turn up the heat even more, try adding some additional jalapeño or Serrano peppers to the mix. Any way you choose to prepare this delightful black bean soup, it will easily become a new favorite in your kitchen and around the dinner table.