Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup (Print)

Hearty soup with creamy sweet potatoes and black beans, seasoned with aromatic spices for a warming, satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 stalk celery, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Legumes

07 - 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 can diced tomatoes with juice

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnishes

18 - Chopped fresh cilantro
19 - Lime wedges
20 - Sliced avocado

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in sweet potatoes, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cayenne, and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.
06 - Add black beans, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to meld flavors.
07 - Remove bay leaf. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks.
08 - Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, lime, or avocado.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • It's genuinely satisfying without any pretense, filling you up with fiber and plant-based protein in a way that feels nourishing rather than restrictive.
  • The spice balance is subtle enough that you can actually taste the vegetables, but bold enough to make the whole kitchen smell incredible while it simmers.
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect for something this hearty, leaving your evening free instead of tethered to the stove.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step for canned beans—it genuinely changes the mouthfeel and prevents that metallic aftertaste that makes people wonder if something went wrong.
  • Partial blending is your friend if you want something that feels more luxurious than chunky; you're aiming for a texture that's creamy in some bites and chunky in others, like the soup made a conscious choice about each spoonful.
03 -
  • If you want smokier depth, add a pinch of chipotle powder along with the paprika and watch how it transforms the entire flavor profile without overwhelming anything else.
  • Cooking the aromatics properly for those first five minutes is genuinely the thing that separates this from tasting like you dumped ingredients into water—that patience pays dividends.
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