Black Bean Chipotle Soup

About This Recipe

Black bean chipotle soup has a creamy bean body with smoky chilli and a bright lime finish. Red pepper and tomato add sweetness and acidity. It can retain some whole beans rather than being blended into a completely uniform purée.

Equipment

• ✓ Soup saucepan
• ✓ Knife and board
• ✓ Ladle
• ✓ Immersion blender or blender approved for the liquid temperature

Ingredients

• 600 g cooked black beans
• 160 g onion, diced
• 150 g red pepper, diced
• 15 g garlic
• 25 ml olive oil
• 1–2 chipotle chillies in adobo
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 400 g chopped tomato
• 800 ml vegetable stock
• 25 ml lime juice
• 1 avocado
• 10 g coriander

Easy Step-by-Step Method

Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.

Chef Notes & Tips

Chipotle strength varies; begin with one chilli and add more after simmering.

Ingredient choices: Use fully cooked black beans and taste chipotle in adobo before adding the second chilli. Brands differ in heat and salt. Avocado is a cool garnish, not a soup thickener in this formulation.

Cooking control: Cook the onion-pepper base and chipotle before adding beans, tomato and stock. Simmer to combine flavours, then blend only the portion indicated. Adjust consistency before adding lime.

If something goes wrong: If too hot, increase the unsalted bean-stock base. If too thick, loosen with stock rather than oil. A smoky flavour should come from chipotle, not burnt onion or a scorched pan.

Ingredient Substitutions

• ↔ Kidney beans can replace half the black beans; smoked paprika offers mild smoke.

Food Safety & Doneness

Wash produce and use clean utensils. Keep perishable ingredients refrigerated. Refrigerate cooked food in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 32°C. For hot soup, use an immersion blender with its head submerged, or cool sufficiently before using a blender approved for warm liquids. Never seal hot soup in a closed cup blender.

Serving & Plating

Serve with diced avocado and coriander added at the last moment. Keep extra lime available separately.

Storage

Refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed to at least 74°C throughout. Discard food left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C.