This 5-ingredient black bean soup is the perfect weeknight dinner AND great for a meal prep lunch for the week!

Confession: Sometimes making dinner can be overwhelming.

It seems kind of silly. But when I find recipes that have a ton of ingredients, my brain shuts down and I’ll sometimes give up on meal planning that day.

Recently I’ve been experimenting with 5-ingredient recipes. Partially to see if they still taste great; and also to see if they make my life easier.

This most recent one- my 5-Ingredient Black Bean Soup- was a winner for me.

It’s such a simple soup, and uses a lot of basic ingredients I always have in my pantry. It’s a healthy meal and super cheap to make!

Keep reading to get to the recipe card for this easy black bean soup, and to get other tips and tricks!

Good for Meal Prep

When I can prepare foods ahead of time, my week gets SO much easier. Soup recipes are easy to meal prep. And honestly- it tastes even better the next day.

Make a huge pot of black bean soup on a Sunday afternoon and you’ll have a week’s worth of lunches!

Is this recipe vegan?

Yes, this is a vegan black bean soup! Check the labels of everything you buy, just in case.

I usually add cheese to mine, but you could use vegan cheese or vegan sour cream instead.

Will this work with dry beans?

This recipe is designed to be used with cans of black beans. Dried beans, although much cheaper than cans of black beans, take a lot longer to cook.

You CAN cook your dried beans ahead of time (Here’s how I cook mine in an Instant Pot) and use them in this. Two cups of cooked black beans equals about one can, so keep that in mind.

Ingredients

These ingredients are super simple. With the exception of cilantro, they’re pantry-friendly so you can keep them around all the time!

• Canned black beans
• Salsa- For me, the hotter the better! But feel free to use a mild salsa if you need a lower spice level.
• Taco seasoning
• Garlic- I use jarred garlic, but use garlic cloves if that’s what you have.
• Fresh Cilantro

Other Additions/Substitutions

Just because this recipe has only 5 ingredients doesn’t mean you can’t add more to it! Here are some great additions:

• Other vegetables like onion and bell pepper
• Rice: Seriously, rice is a great option for soups! You can use brown rice, white rice, or any other favorite.
• Vegetable broth or chicken broth: Use instead of water
• Toppings: Sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, green onion, red onions, green onions, hot sauce
• Spices: Taco seasoning was easier for me. But use what you have at home: Chili powder, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, or any of your favorites.

Can you make this in a slow cooker?

Yes! Instead of cooking this soup in a pot, you can add it all to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.

Can you make this in an Instant Pot?

I’ve never made this soup in a pressure cooker, but I’m sure it’ll work just fine. Because the ingredients are fully cooked already, I’d recommend pressure cooking on high pressure for about 8 minutes. Then let it release naturally for 10-15 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure.

How to Make 5-Ingredient Black Bean Soup

In a large pot, add the canned beans, garlic, salsa, taco seasoning, and about 3 cups of water. Note: You can saute the garlic first with a little olive oil, on medium heat, to add some extra flavor.

Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then let simmer for 15-20 minutes until the soup is heated through.

Divide into 4 bowls, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with your favorite toppings!

Note: If you like a smoother consistency, feel free to use an immersion blender or food processor to blend up the beans. I like a thick soup, so I left mine as it is.

How to Store

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. I usually count 1-2 cups of the soup as one serving.

How to Freeze

Did you know that soups are some of those great recipes that freeze amazingly well? You can do this two ways:

• Freeze a portion of the soup in individual containers so you can pull out one at a time for leftovers.
• Freeze the entire recipe in a gallon-size freezer bag to have available as a freezer meal.

What to Serve With This Soup

I’m a huge fan of bread as a side for soup! Here are some other sides I recommend:

• Cornbread
• Tortilla chips
• Rice (To put inside the soup)

What do you think of this simple recipe? This is a perfect meal for those cold evenings! Make sure to print or save this page for later!