Anytime I can use my crock pot I am so happy. This Black Bean Soup recipe is a super easy, cost effective vegetarian meal that’s packed with protein and dietary fiber.
If you follow Weelicious with any regularity, you know that I have a very intimate relationship with my crock pot — it’s like my best friend. Coming back after the holiday, with school starting back up, endlessly busy schedules to juggle and so on, my crock pot has been my salvation for getting hearty foods that everyone wants to eat made easily.
A vendor at our local farmer’s market offers the most beautiful assortment of beans, and since black beans are one of our family favorites and cook beautifully in the crock pot, I buy them from him all of the time. Packed with protein and dietary fiber, black beans make for a filling, inexpensive and nutritious vegetarian meal that everyone can enjoy.
I really loved making this soup with my kids, because, like me, they love using the crock pot. But the real fun for them started when it was time to puree everything. Gemma, being an incredibly curious, 4 year-old who loves anything with a motor, was totally game to help me out with the hand-blender.
As she gripped it and pressed the power button, she was enthralled as she made the beans transform into a creamy, rich soup. But if it was fun for me to witness the blast Gemma had, watching Chloe drink three helpings straight out of her bowl ensured that this soup will be in our regular mealtime rotation!
If you love how easy it is to make meals for your whole family with your Crock Pot, try these other Weelicious slow cooker recipes: Crock Pot Spaghetti, Crock Pot Mexican Corn and Bean Soup and Crock Pot Lentil Veggie Stew.
Crock Pot Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
- 1 carton chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium 32oz
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté onions for 4 minutes.
- Add chopped garlic and sauté an additional minute.
- Place the onion garlic mixture into the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- Using either a hand blender or traditional blender, puree the ingredients to your desired texture (I like to get it so a few pieces of beans are still visible so the soup is thick and still has a bit of texture).
- Top with a dollop of yogurt, sour cream, crème fraiche and/or cilantro.
Oh, and he didn’t get the bay leaves in either. I was in such pain, that I didn’t supervise much! LOL
Husband made this on stove top, because we were only using canned black beans. He added the extra water, which wasn’t good. We added cumin (lots) and sour cream to counteract the extra bland watery taste and texture. I’ll make sure to do this in the crock pot next time. will the extra h2o be necessary in the crock pot?
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They need to be dried beans! Canned are already cooked. If you’re using those, you can just heat the drained and rinsed beans on the stove with the other ingredients and cook for about 20 minutes. Then puree as directed!
Can I use canned black beans? If so, do I drain it? How long does it need to cook?
I’m just wondering if I can freeze the leftovers?
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I found your website a couple weeks ago and made the bean soup today and I have to say that it is totally awesome.
Hmmm I haven’t tried that one! I’ll add it to my list!