Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty soup with creamy sweet potatoes, black beans, and aromatic spices for a warming, gut-friendly 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 (14 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice

→ Spices and 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 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Lime wedges
20 - Sliced avocado

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced sweet potatoes, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
04 - Pour vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice into the pot. Bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to simmer, cover pot, and cook for 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.
06 - Add drained black beans, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to meld flavors.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup for a creamier consistency while maintaining some chunky texture, or leave entirely chunky if preferred.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, or sliced avocado.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that fills you up without leaving you sluggish, thanks to all that fiber and plant-based protein.
  • The flavor deepens as it sits, so it tastes even better the next day when you're reheating it for lunch.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when life gets hectic.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of your vegetables, because that slow caramelization is what builds the soup's depth; rushing it results in a one-note flavor.
  • If you're using an immersion blender, only partially blend and keep the pot away from your face when you first start blending to avoid hot splashes.
03 -
  • Add a pinch of chipotle powder to the spice mix if you want to give it a subtle smoky kick that tastes intentional rather than accidental.
  • Keep lime wedges nearby when serving because a squeeze of fresh lime juice right into the bowl brightens everything and makes it taste fresher than it actually is.
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