This black bean sweet potato soup is hearty, a little spicy and totally delicious! Made with some simple ingredients, this comforting soup will satisfy your taste buds and warm your belly! Top with an avocado lime creama for one extra special treat!
Hi friends!
Today I’m sharing one of my favourite bean soup recipes (a spicy black bean and sweet potato soup)!
There’s nothing fancy here, far from it.
It’s made with mostly (budget-friendly) pantry ingredients and comes together quickly. Plus, it tastes so yummy!!
There’s some smoky heat here from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, as well as fresh jalapeno. I don’t know about you, but I love a little spice. We always have canned chipotle peppers on hand because they add so much flavour to dishes.
When I’m feeling a little extra hungry, I love to enjoy a big bowl with a hunk of homemade cornbread for dunking!
How To Make This Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Full details on how to make this black bean and sweet potato soup are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- In a pot, cook onion in a little olive oil until softened.
- Add garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, chili powder and oregano and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in beans, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper. Pour in veggie broth, bring to a boil (then reduce to a simmer), cover and cook until sweet potato is fork-tender.
- Remove about 2 cups of soup and blend with an immersion blender.
- Pour creamy mixture back into the soup, stirring in.
- Stir in corn and cook until warmed through, then stir in lime juice.
Do I Have To Blend the Soup?
The blended soup adds a little creaminess and body to the soup.
However, if you want to skip this, that’s okay.
If you don’t have an immersion blender and you still want to blend some of the soup, no worries!
Simply remove some of the beans and sweet potato, place in bowl and mash with a potato masher before adding back to the pot.
Avocado Lime Crema
This avocado crema is basically Greek yogurt (or sour cream), lime, cilantro, avocado, salt and pepper.
It’s refreshing and delicious. Plus, its adds a lovely creaminess and cooling effect to the heat from the soup.
This soup, on its own, is dairy free. If you don’t want to garnish with crema, that’s okay too!
Yummy Garnish Ideas
Besides the avocado lime crema, this black bean sweet potato soup is delicious with any of these garnish ideas:
- Sliced jalapeno
- Sliced green onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Crumbled feta cheese or queso fresco
- Homemade tortilla chips crushed up
Tips for Making This Recipe
- For less spice, reduce the chipotle peppers and/or omit the jalapeno pepper.
- Use store-bought veggie broth or make your own homemade veggie broth!
- Frozen, canned, or fresh corn works in this recipe. If using fresh, you may have to cook a little longer.
- Add more than a cup of corn, if you wish, for an extra hearty soup.
- If you don’t want to mess around making crema, you can simply dollop your black bean sweet potato soup with some plain yogurt (dairy or non dairy) or sour cream.
More Yummy Soup Recipes
If you make this easy black bean soup, be sure to leave a comment below!
This black bean sweet potato soup was originally published in January 2017 but has been updated.
Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (or to taste)
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced (remove ribs and seeds for less spice, if desired)
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 (19-ounce) cans no salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 heaping cup frozen or canned (drained) corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, from about ½ a lime
- Sliced jalapeno pepper, garnish to taste (optional)
- Sliced green onion, garnish to taste (optional)
- Chopped cilantro, garnish to taste (optional)
Avocado Lime Crema
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 small bunch cilantro, about ½ cup
- ½ avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, from about 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- milk or almond milk, approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons (if needed) to thin the crema
Instructions
Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. (I used an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.)
- Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, chili powder and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in beans, sweet potatoes, salt and black pepper. Stir in vegetable broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat (to about medium-low heat) to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until sweet potato is tender.
- Optional: Remove about 2 cups of soup, place into a heat-safe container and carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour back into pot of soup, stirring in.Note: If you don't have an immersion blender, you can mash with a potato masher.
- Stir in corn and warm through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in lime juice.
- To serve, divide the soup into bowls and garnish (if desired) with jalapeno, green onion and cilantro. Dollop over avocado lime crema. Enjoy! Serves 4 to 5 large servings or 6 smaller side servings.
Avocado Lime Crema
- Combine all avocado lime crema ingredients in a mini food processor (except milk). Process until combined. If you want a looser or thinner consistency, blend in some milk until you've reached your desired consistency. Dollop over black bean sweet potato soup.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Valentina
I love the combination of creamy and chunky, and yes . . . seriously delicious! The perfect meal for these crazy times when we all need a little warm comfort. Thanks you! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you, Valentina! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend 🙂
Leanne
Woot woot! I have everything I need to make this one. And with more snow in our forecast tonight, cozy soup recipes are on the menu for a little while longer. Happy first day of Spring?!? 😉
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Awesome! Back at ya, Leanne 🙂
Katherine | Love In My Oven
What a great recipe! We always have sweet potatoes on hand, and pretty much always black beans. I’m adding to this to my weekly dinner menu! Thanks for the recipe inspiration Dawn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks Katherine! We do too! Hope you guys enjoy 🙂
Laura
I love this recipe, Dawn! Black beans are one of my favorites, and sweet potato is a brilliant addition! On my list for next week when it’s supposed to be a bit cooler here! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Laura! Hope you love it!!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I love a good soup and this is a winner! I’ve never tried adding sweet potatoes to soup before, but what a perfect idea! Making this one soon!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks Kathy! Hope you love this one too 🙂
David @ Spiced
I’m totally going to make this soup! I love using chipotles in adobo sauce in soups, and I also love black beans. We’ve been making a soup a week since January 1, and honestly we’re kinda in need of some new ideas. This sounds like a winner to me! 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks David! Enjoy, my friend 🙂
Marissa
This soup is my Comfort Food 101, Dawn. Love it! So tasty and satisfying. Especially with a slab of cornbread (as you said), YUM!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
So happy to hear that! Thank you Marissa 🙂