20-Minute Black Bean Soup

This 20-Minute Black Bean Soup is perfect for when you need a quick, comforting meal after a stressful day. Fiber-filled black beans and corn team up with antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes and fire-roasted tomatoes to form the soup’s base. Taco seasoning, garlic and chipotle chile powder take the flavors to a whole new level, while cream cheese not only adds a silkiness to the broth but also balances the spiciness. Keep reading for our expert tips, including what ingredient substitutions can be made.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• To enhance the flavor of this soup, you can sauté the sweet potato, onion and garlic in the Dutch oven before adding them to the soup.
• To intensify the flavors, you can toast the seasonings and garlic in the microwave with a little oil before incorporating them into the soup.
• If you prefer, you can substitute the cream cheese with sour cream or Greek yogurt. Be sure to temper the dairy with some of the hot liquid before adding it to the soup to prevent curdling.
• Feel free to use fresh corn, sweet potatoes and minced garlic. However, you may need to cook the sweet potatoes and corn slightly before proceeding with the recipe as directed.

Nutrition Notes

• Black beans are packed with plant protein, fiber and antioxidants. Black beans contain anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant associated with protecting against heart and neurodegenerative diseases. Eating more legumes, including black beans, has also been linked to a lower risk of certain cancers, including colon cancer and breast cancer. 
• Sweet potatoes add their fiber and antioxidants to this soup. They’re also rich in vitamins A and C for a healthy immune system, eyes and skin. The potassium in sweet potatoes will support your blood pressure. 
• Corn often gets a bad rap from low-carb advocates, but the truth is that it’s a low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber vegetable. It also contains resistant starch, which digests more slowly, helping to keep you full longer and stabilizing blood sugar. Need more convincing? Corn is also loaded with the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which support healthy vision. 
• Tomatoes add to the vitamin A and C content of this soup. They’re especially rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. The vitamin C and water content in tomatoes is great for your skin.