Roasted butternut squash or sweet potato.

Vegan Style: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and you have a tasty vegan soup!.

Hot Bean Dip: You could also use this soup as a dip! Warm flour tortilla strips, chips, bell peppers, celery, carrots, or just about anything tastes delicious dipped in this warm bean and rice mixture.

Assemble a plate of tortilla chips, then drizzle the soup over the top along with cheese, diced tomatoes, sour cream and our Best Guacamole Ever and you have a show-stopping plate of nachos!

Nacho Topping: I like to use this soup as a nacho topping.

You can even add a teaspoon or two of your favorite taco seasonings, salsa, adobo sauce or hot sauce to the soup for an extra kick.

Southwest-Style: Pile your bowl of black bean soup high with with slices of fresh avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese and salsa for a Southwestern flair.

Fried Egg: Add some extra creaminess with an over-easy fried egg.

Chicken: Add shredded chicken while cooking or to the top for extra protein and heartiness.

Variations, Add-Ins, and Topping Ideas for Black Bean Soup You may need to add a little extra chicken broth if the soup is too thick. Thaw in the refrigerator, then microwave, stirring often. Freeze in freezer safe bags or jars for up to two months.

Black Bean Soup makes for delicious leftovers! It’ll keep in the fridge for up to four days.

If using the slow cooker, simmer on low for about five hours.

This soup can be made either on the stove top or the slow cooker.

Use any kind of rice you like! I prefer quick cooking white rice but you could try brown rice too.

I’ve even tossed in a palmful of taco seasoning a few times and that gives it just enough kick for me and my husband without making the children complain that it’s too spicy (they also suddenly think everything is “spicy”)

For added heat, you could add some chili powder, cumin, or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the soup.

But you can puree the whole thing if you like. I like to keep a few beans out of the puree party because I happen to enjoy a few lumps in my food, especially rich buttery black beans. My kids love this, since some of them have sudden aversions to “lumpy” foods.

Use a blender or immersion blender to combine some or all the beans and chicken broth into a creamy texture.

You don’t even need to drain the beans just throw it all in and let the extra juices add to the flavor of this delicious soup. They’re so tasty and really bulk up this soup and so many other recipes.

Sure, you could soak beans overnight and then cook them and all those pesky steps, but for this recipe just toss in a couple of cans of beans.

Warm, soothing, simple, the perfect busy weeknight dinner. My family likes to add their own individual favorites like avocado, sour cream, cheese or tortilla crisps to the top, but I love it just the way it is. Please tell me I’m not the only who has had those days! Hearty and satisfying, this black bean soup can be thrown together in under thirty minutes but tastes like it’s been simmering all day.

Black Bean Soup is the meal we have when I’ve completely lost track of time and suddenly it’s nearing suppertime and I’m still sorting and folding laundry.

Chicken black bean soup