Name: Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 5 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 lb dry black beans; 1 onion, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 14 oz. canned fire roasted diced tomatoes (with juice); 4 cups vegetable broth (boiling); 3 tbsp taco seasoning (store bought or homemade); 1 bay leaf; Salt and pepper

This Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup made is hearty, filling, and packed with flavor from a delicious combination of spices, tomatoes, garlic, onion and dried black beans.

240 CALORIES45g CARBS1g FAT13g PROTEIN

Key Ingredients

This soup uses all vegetarian ingredients for a hearty dish that will fill you up.

Black Beans: Since this is simmering all day in the slow cooker, you can use dry beans without soaking them overnight. You should still rinse them off before you use them. If you are pressed for time, use a few cans of black beans instead. This will reduce the cooking time by a few hours.
Onion: One way to speed up food prep is to use frozen diced onions. Although, I prefer to use fresh onion because it has a lot more flavor.
Peppers: I used both red and green bell peppers. Add some yellow bell peppers for even more color and taste.
Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic cloves are always best, but the jarred minced garlic works really well too.
Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Add the entire can, even the juice, to the slow cooker. For a bit more spice, add some tomatoes with green chilies too.
Vegetable Broth: Using canned vegetable broth is a time-saver, but you can make your own too.
Taco Seasoning: Here is my recipe for homemade taco seasoning. However, a packet from the store is just as good.
Bay Leaf: The bay leaf is optional, but I found that it gives soups an earthier undertone.
Salt and Pepper: You just need enough salt and pepper to give it a little more flavor.

What To Serve With Black Bean Soup

There are so many different ways to enjoy this soup and what you serve with it can change.

Try some of my favorite ideas:

For Lunch: If you are enjoying soup for lunch, it can be filling all by itself. Or, make your favorite sandwich to go along with it. The spices in the soup taste amazing alongside an avocado sandwich or a low-carb turkey pesto roll-up.
As A Meal Starter: Start out your meal with soup and salad. This Mexican chopped salad has honey-lime dressing with lots of the same flavors as this soup. Or, serve it with spicy cabbage and corn slaw or spicy grilled chicken salad.
As The Main Dish: Make this soup your entire dinner - all you need is some additional meat or a vegetarian main dish. Pan-fried garlic-lime tilapia, portobello mushroom pizza, or honey lime chicken are all fantastic choices.

Recipe Ideas and Tips

Follow these tips to make sure that this soup turns out hearty every single time!

For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to lightly blend some of the ingredients together. Do this after it is fully cooked.
Taste the soup after it has cooked. Add additional salt and pepper as needed. Some types of taco seasoning don't need any extra salt, and some do!
Garnish the soup with your favorite toppings like avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, or sour cream.

Crockpot black bean soup served in two bowls with tomatoes, cilantro, radishes, and sour cream on the side.

Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Black Bean Soup

Here are some questions I frequently get asked about by some readers…

Can you freeze black bean soup?

Yes, you can freeze this soup and save it for later. My favorite way to freeze soup is to let it cool off completely and then store it in a freezer-safe resealable plastic bag. Lay it flat on a baking sheet and freeze it that way.

After it is completely frozen, you can remove the baking sheet and just keep the soup in the freezer. The soup will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you store the soup?

The best way to store this soup is in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I like to store soups inside mason jars because they seal really tight and won't leak.

Soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can I add meat to the soup?

Yes, you can add your favorite type of meat to the soup! I think it will taste amazing with some shredded chicken breast or chorizo sausage.

How do I make it taste even spicier?

If you want the soup to taste spicier, add a few splashes of hot sauce or some jalapeno slices.

Soup made from dried black beans in the slow cooker with creamy black bean soup topped with herbs.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup