Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup (Printable)

Creamy sweet potatoes and black beans simmered with cumin, smoked paprika, and vegetables for a hearty, warming bowl.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnishes

18 - Chopped fresh cilantro
19 - Lime wedges
20 - Sliced avocado

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
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 often.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
06 - Add drained black beans, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to blend flavors.
07 - Remove bay leaf. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, leaving some chunks.
08 - Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, or sliced avocado as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can go from craving to slurping without the stress.
  • The spices create this unexpected depth that makes people ask what's in it, then feel genuinely surprised when you say it's just sweet potatoes and beans.
  • Your gut will thank you—this soup is loaded with fiber but tastes indulgent enough to not feel like medicine.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—that starchy liquid is why people sometimes feel heavy after bean soup, and a thorough rinse changes everything.
  • The bay leaf seems small but removing it matters; biting into one is genuinely unpleasant and will derail an otherwise perfect meal.
  • Partial blending is the secret—too smooth and it tastes like baby food, too chunky and it doesn't feel creamy enough, so find your middle ground.
03 -
  • Dice your vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly and the soup feels intentional rather than chaotic.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, you can ladle out about a cup of soup, blend it in a regular blender, and stir it back in for that creamy texture without equipment.
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