Spicy Black Bean Soup

By Ali Slagle

Updated Sept. 11, 2025

Spicy Black Bean Soup
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(2,094)
Comments
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There are a lot of things to love about this soup: It comes together in 20 minutes in just one pot with fewer than 10 ingredients. But most importantly, minimal effort results in a velvety yet bright soup. The cocoa powder accentuates the fudginess of the black beans, while the salsa verde adds surprising tartness. The tomatillos in the salsa also contain pectin which, along with the starchy bean liquid, quickly thickens the soup. While the soup’s cooking, ready your garnishes as you’ll want plenty to top the bowls. Leftover soup keeps for up to three days, but will stiffen as it sits, so thin with water as needed or turn it into refried beans.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings (10 cups)
  • 4(15-ounce) cans black beans
  • 2(roughly 16-ounce) jars mild salsa verde (or 3½ cups homemade)
  • 2(4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
  • 2tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2teaspoons garlic powder
  • ½cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Any combination of lime wedges, sour cream, pickled red onions, queso fresco, tortilla chips and sliced avocado, radishes and fresh chiles, for topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

210 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 16 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 14 grams protein; 578 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large pot, bring the beans, salsa, green chiles, cocoa powder, cumin and garlic powder to a boil over high. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans flatten easily when smashed against the side of the pot, 7 to 10 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Use an immersion blender or potato masher to smash some of the beans until the broth is thickened to your liking, keeping in mind that the soup will also thicken as it sits. Stir in the cilantro, then season to taste with salt and pepper. (Because the beans and salsa contain salt, you might not need more; if you find the soup too salty or thick, add water to thin.) Serve with desired toppings.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,094 user ratings
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Comments

Kan

No need for canned chilis or garlic powder. Chop up peppers (poblanos!), onion and garlic, saute in olive oil, add spices to cook a bit and there you have sofritto as the flavorful basis of your soup. Adds about 20 minutes but it will be worth it.

CF

No, the beans are not drained or rinsed. The bean liquid helps thicken the soup.

Kristin

I made this as written (all ingredients from Trader Joe's) and it was delicious! I did not need to add any salt or pepper and topped my soup with avocado, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Sara T

So flavorful and so easy! Do NOT skip a healthy squeeze of lime over the top of each bowl when serving. I always make my own beans and this time I added in a diced guajillo chile at the start and it added wonderful depth to the beans.

Lindsey

Instead of canned chiles, I sautéed finely minced shallot, poblano, Serrano pepper (seeds and all), and garlic until soft and then bloomed the cumin with the mixture until fragrant. I blended the mixture with a little chicken stock using my immersion blender and then added it to my beans, salsa verde, cocoa powder, spices and a bay leaf to cook together. The soup was rich and spicy, and there was more than enough for several bowls when halved.

Diane

Made this soup using Herdez green salsa and it was mind-blowingly delicious! Great to make in a big batch to freeze for easy midweek meals. We topped with queso fresco, cilantro, and a few crumbled tortilla chips as we didn’t have a ripe avocado around. Already shared with friends and family and will absolutely make this again!

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