Corn and black bean soup with a smoky chipotle flavor and tomatoey broth is a spicy, flavor-packed meal! (17g protein, 18g fiber per serving!)
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If you know me, you know that I love SOUP! I'm a year-round soup girlie, and this smoky corn and black bean soup is becoming one of my new faves. It's full of southwest-inspired flavors and perfect with some tortilla chips for dipping.
The smoky flavor in this soup is based on my smoky black bean dip. It uses chilis in adobo sauce, which you can find canned at most grocery stores. If your store has a Mexican ingredients section, it will likely be there. You only need some sauce from the can, so you can freeze the remaining to use in other dishes.
This soup is incredibly easy to make in just one pot, and it's great for meal prep. The flavors bloom even more overnight, so it tastes even better the next day. You can also freeze it for later, if that's your thing. It reheats like a dream!
If you love 1-pot bean soups like I do, also check out my lemon white bean soup!
💖 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- smoky soup full of beans, corn, and southwest-inspired flavors
- flavor-packed 1-pot meal
- budget-friendly and meal-prep friendly
- naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- olive oil - To sauté. You can broth fry for oil-free.
- aromatics - Onion and garlic bring a ton of umami to this 1-pot soup!
- canned tomatoes - Canned tomatoes add umami and moisture to the pot.
- vegetable broth - For additional moisture.
- black beans - You can use canned or homemade in this recipe.
- corn - Fresh, frozen or canned all work here.
- chilis in adobo sauce - We are using some of the sauce from the can, and you can mince and add one of the chilis, as well, if you want even more smoky heat. If you can't find this ingredient, you can use ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika instead.
- lime juice - A little tang brings out all of the flavors.
- spices - We are amping up the flavor with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and coriander. You can also add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke for an even smokier flavor, if you like.
- toppings - There are so many toppings options for this soup! You can do avocado and/or a little non-dairy yogurt or vegan sour cream for creaminess. Lime juice for more tang. Cilantro, green onion, or pickled jalapeños for freshness. Basically, anything you'd put on a black bean soup or chili will work on this corn and black bean soup!
🔪 How to Make Smoky Corn and Black Bean Soup
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add all of the remaining soup ingredients (including the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt) to the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or longer to meld the flavors. You can add splashes of water or broth, if the pan seems dry. This will depend on the pan, your stove, etc.
Now, it's time to blend! The more of the soup that you blend, the creamier it will be, but I like to leave some whole beans and corn kernels in there. I like to do this with an immersion blender, but you can also use an upright blender. If you use an upright blender, let the soup cool before blending some of it up, then return it to the pan to heat it back up.
Dish it up with your toppings of choice. I love this with tortilla chips or pita chips for dipping, too.
💡 Helpful Tips
- Salting the onion and garlic helps them cook faster and release moisture, which prevents sticking.
- Depending on your beans, pot, stove, and canned tomatoes, you may need a little extra moisture, so keep an eye on the pan during the simmering step.
🫙 Storage Directions
Leftover soup will keep for three to five days in an airtight container the refrigerator. You can also freeze it up to six months. Just thaw either overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a couple of hours, then warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
📖 Recipe
Smoky Corn and Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- 15 ounce can tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 30 ounces black beans That's 2 15-ounce cans or 3 cups cooked black beans.
- 1 ½ cups corn fresh, frozen, or canned
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chilis in adobo sauce. You can mince and add 1 of the chilis for even more heat.
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
For Topping (Choose Your Faves!)
- cilantro
- lime juice
- non-dairy yogurt or vegan sour cream
- crushed red pepper
- green onions
- sliced avocado
Instructions
- In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add all of the remaining soup ingredients (including the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt) to the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or longer to meld the flavors. You can add splashes of water or broth, if the pan seems dry. This will depend on the pan, your stove, etc.
- Now, it's time to blend! The more of the soup that you blend, the creamier it will be, but I like to leave some whole beans and corn kernels in there. I like to do this with an immersion blender, but you can also use an upright blender. If you use an upright blender, let the soup cool before blending some of it up, then return it to the pan to heat it back up. Dish it up with your toppings of choice. I love this with tortilla chips or pita chips for dipping, too.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!