This black bean soup is hearty, smoky, and loaded with flavor. Made with tender black beans, smoky ham hock, and warm spices, it's the kind of cozy soup that hits the spot every time.
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
If you're a regular reader here, you know I love a good cozy soup with lots of flavor. That's exactly what this black bean soup is. I'm a huge fan of black beans. They're filling, flavorful, and I use them all the time. You'll find them in my Slow Cooker Black Beans, my Black Bean Salsa, and now in this soup.
This is one of those recipes I make when I want something comforting and easy. I usually make this in my pressure cooker for a quicker meal, but sometimes I let it simmer away on the stovetop until the beans get tender. The smoky ham hock gives it so much flavor, and that splash of vinegar at the end really brightens everything up.
Love, Tanya
Black Bean Soup At a Glance
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes (pressure cooker) or 1 hour 30 minutes (stovetop)
- Total Time: 1 hour (pressure cooker) or 1 hour 45 minutes (stovetop)
- Serves: 6-8
- Best For: Weeknight dinners, cozy lunches, meal prep
A Quick Look at The Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil - used for sautéing the vegetables. Feel free to use any other high-heat cooking oil, like avocado oil, or even bacon fat.
- Yellow onion, green bell pepper, garlic - diced onion and bell pepper, minced garlic form the aromatic base.
- Ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and bay leaves - to add seasoning to this dish.
- Dried black beans - rinsed and picked over, no soaking needed
- Smoked ham hock - this is what gives the soup its smoky, rich flavor. You can sub this with smoked turkey, bacon, or simply leave it out if you aren't a fan. You can add a little chipotle in adobo or smoked paprika if you want that smoky flavor with no meat.
- Broth, water - chicken or vegetable broth both work great, combined with water to cook the beans.
- White vinegar - added at the end to brighten the flavors
- For serving - sour cream, chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges.
How to Make Black Bean Soup
I've added instructions for the pressure cooker and the stovetop. This recipe is so adaptable.
Step 1: Set your pressure cooker to sauté mode on high. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and bell pepper, and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic, cumin, and oregano. Sauté for about 10 seconds, then turn off the sauté function.
Step 2: Add the black beans, ham hock, bay leaves, broth, and water to the pot. Stir to combine. Secure the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. When the time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally.
Step 3. Carefully remove the ham hock and the bay leaves from the pot. Shred the meat from the bone, discarding the bone and any excess fat. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Discard the bay leaves. Using a wooden spoon, smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to create a thicker, creamier texture while keeping some beans whole.
Step 4. Stir in the white vinegar, then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with sour cream, chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.
Stovetop Method
Follow step 1 above, using a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat instead of a pressure cooker. Add the black beans, ham hock, bay leaves, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until beans are tender.
Stir occasionally and add more water if needed. Remove the ham hock, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot for texture. Stir in the white vinegar, then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with toppings.
Variations
- Make it vegetarian by omitting the ham hock and using vegetable broth. Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika for that smoky depth you'll be missing.
- Use different toppings, such as shredded cheese, avocado, or crushed tortilla chips.
- Add a can of diced tomatoes or some chopped carrots and celery to the soup for extra vegetables.
- For a thicker soup, mash more of the beans. For a thinner soup, add more broth or water.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve this black bean soup with warm cornbread or add a side of rice to make it even more filling.
- Top with fresh jalapeños if you like some heat.
Should I Soak the Beans?
I usually skip soaking the beans, and they turn out perfectly tender using either cooking method. However, if you want to soak them, go right ahead. Soaking means your beans will cook a bit faster. If you do soak them, reduce the pressure cooking time to about 30 minutes or the stovetop time to about 1 hour.
If your beans are older, they may need a little extra time; just keep simmering until they’re tender.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store leftover black bean soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The soup will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a bit of broth or water when reheating. The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tanya's Top Tips
- No need to soak the beans for either cooking method; they'll cook perfectly as is.
- The vinegar at the end brightens the flavors, so don't skip it. You could also use lime juice or lemon. It brightens the dish.
- When shredding the ham hock meat, watch out for small bones and remove any excess fat.
- Hold back on extra salt until after cooking, since the ham hock and broth can be salty.
I hope you love this black bean soup recipe as much as we do. If you're looking for more hearty soup recipes, try these out:
- Split Pea Soup with Ham - Another flavorful soup, but made with the ham bone.
- Sausage Lentil Soup - Hearty and full of flavor, sausage and lentils are such a good combo.
- 15 Bean Soup - If you love bean soups, this one's a must-try. I use Italian sausage to season this 15-bean soup.
- Vegetable Beef Soup - Hearty and delicious, perfect for cold days.
Black Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 lb dried black beans rinsed and picked over
- 1 smoked ham hock about 7.9 ounce
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
Instructions
Pressure Cooker Method
- Set pressure cooker to sauté mode. Add olive oil, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano. Sauté 10 seconds, then turn off sauté function.
- Add black beans, ham hock, bay leaves, broth, and water. Secure lid and pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. Allow natural pressure release.
- Remove the bay leaves and discard.. Remove ham hock, shred meat, and return to pot. Smash some beans against the side of the pot for thicker texture.
- Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with desired toppings.
Stovetop Method
- Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Sauté 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano. Sauté 10 seconds.
- Add black beans, ham hock, bay leaves, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and simmer 1 hour 30 minutes until beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add water if needed.
- Remove the bay leaves and discard. Remove ham hock, shred meat, and return to pot. Smash some beans for texture. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with desired toppings.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the ham hock and use vegetable broth. Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika for depth.
- Soup keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
