Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup (Printer-Friendly)

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

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Spices and Seasonings

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

→ Garnishes

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 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 sweet potatoes, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cayenne, and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.
06 - Add black beans, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
07 - Remove bay leaf. For a creamier consistency, use an immersion blender to partially purée the soup, leaving some chunks intact.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, lime wedges, or avocado slices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The way the sweet potatoes break down just enough to create this natural velvety thickness without any cream
  • Its one of those rare soups that actually tastes better the next day when the spices have had time to really settle in
02 -
  • The soup will continue thickening as it sits, so dont panic if it looks thinner than you expected right after blending
  • Smoked paprika is nonnegotiable here, regular paprika simply doesnt have the depth this recipe demands
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half, this soup reheats beautifully and saves you on busy weeks
  • If you only have sweet potatoes that are massive, cut them smaller so they cook through before the beans turn to mush
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