This healthy crock-pot black bean soup is packed with hearty plant-based protein, veggie, and spice and oh so easy to make. It practically makes itself!
Rinse the dried beans inside a colander with cold water. Rinse well and pick out any tiny rocks or twigs that might be in with the beans. Pour the beans into a large bowl and cover with water to about 3 to 4 inches above the top of the beans. Soak 8 hours or overnight. Or, for a quick soak, add the beans to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, over high heat for one to two minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and let soak for one hour.
Combine all the vegetables, spices, broth and water in a 5 to 7-quart crock-pot. Squeeze in the juice of only ½ the lime, reserving the other half for later. Stir well; cover with the lid and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours.
Once the beans are very soft, add the other half of the lime juice. Blend the soup* with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches; puree until smooth and creamy. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm with fresh cilantro, jalapeno or any toppings of your choice.
Notes
*About Blending: when the soup has finished cooking, it will be chunky, so you may want to blend it. To blend, use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches; puree until smooth and creamy. Pureeing the soup makes the soup thick and mushy. If the mushy look of the black bean soup bothers you, you can skip pureeing and serve the black bean soup as it is, with whole beans, chunks of vegetables, and broth. Another option is to go half and half and only puree half of the soup so that it’s thick and smooth but still has some texture. It’s up to you and what you like best.
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