Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
A hearty black bean soup is one of my favorites, especially when it’s packed with vegetables, spices, and of course beans. This Black Bean and Sweet Potato soup is loaded with all the goodness. A pinch of lime juice adds a light, zesty note to the soup and complements the soup flavors nicely. While the chili peppers, add some spicy heat to the dish.
This soup slightly changes it look and flavor depending on the kind of sweet potatoes you use! The purple sweet potatoes add a beautiful purple hue to the soup, and add a little more dense body to the soup broth; whereas, the orange sweet potatoes leave the soup with a lighter broth flavor and coloring. Both sweet potatoes are delicious options, so you can’t go wrong with either.
Soup is one of those meals that you can make your own! You are always free to mix and match the vegetables and spices to customize it to your liking. This Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup makes a large batch of soup. It’s a perfect soup for leftovers and makes for a quick go-to meal.
A few notes before you get started:
POTATOES: feel free to use either orange or purple sweet potatoes. I have not tested the recipe with any other variety of potatoes.
SPICE: If you don’t want the soup to be spicy, feel free to omit the Chile peppers. You can always top the soup with some cayenne pepper when serving.
BROTH: Feel free to adjust the broth consistency. If you like a thicker soup broth, feel free to blend more soup than the suggested 4 cups. If you like a thinner broth, feel free to use more water or even blend up less soup. I prefer to use water for my soups, as it’s cheaper and more convenient that buying or making vegetable broth. If you prefer to use a vegetable broth, feel free- but if your broth is salty, omit the miso paste in the recipe.
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 1-2 chile peppers (habanero, jalapeno)
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 2 cups diced celery
- 3 cups chopped orange or purple sweet potatoes (about 1-2 large)
- 1 large bell pepper
- 2-3 cups chopped zucchini (about 1-1.5 large)
- 2 cups cooked corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 6 cups water
- 4½ cups cooked black beans or 3 (15-oz) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-2 limes, juiced (about ¼ –⅓ cup)
- 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
- 2-4 cups chopped kale (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne (optional, if need more heat)
Instructions
- Wash and chop the onions, chiles, carrots, celery, peppers, zucchini, and sweet potatoes. In a large pot, add a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons) along with the onions and chiles. Cook until the onions start to become translucent. Add the carrots, celery, and cook until they start to soften. Add the sweet potatoes, and cook until they start to soften. Add more water as needed.
- Next add the chopped bell pepper and zucchini to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, and then add the corn kernels. Add more water, as needed, to keep the veggies from sticking. Add the herbs, spices, and nutritional yeast to the pot. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the water, and lime juice to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked throughly. Next add the black beans.
- In a high speed blender, add 4 soups of the soup, tomato paste, and white miso paste. Blend until smooth and then add back to the pot. Blend more soup, if desired, for a thicker broth or add more water for a thinner broth.
- Optional to add in fresh cilantro and chopped kale. If more spice is needed, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Cook for a few minutes to allow the greens to wilt down and then serve. Enjoy! Makes about 12-15 cups soup.
Kristina DeMuth
Kristina DeMuth