Easy Black Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage Recipe

Black beans, onions, peppers, garlic, and smoky spices pair with andouille sausage in this hearty, easy Black Bean Soup Recipe. Learn how easy this recipe for black bean soup is to make and how to freeze black bean soup for later!

Creating This Black Bean Soup Recipe

Do you have a certain ingredient that you dont’ think you’ll ever tire of? I have a few, but black beans are one of them.

I don’t think I will ever get tired of black bean recipes. I wouldn’t want to eat them every day, but they are my favorite bean and I’m always eager to give a new recipe a test run.

Plus, they’re a great pantry staple. Many of the recipes featuring black beans here on GoodLife Eats have been created out of sheer desperation: it was dinner and a bean recipe was easy to throw together.

What I Love About This Recipe

This Black Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage was no exception.

The soup has just a bit of spice with the andouille sausage that is enough for me. I loved the hint of smokiness from the smoked paprika and ancho powder.

Soups like this are honestly not the prettiest in my opinion. The soup is made thick by pureeing some of the beans and stirring that into the recipe, but it makes for a wonderful hearty soup that is perfect for the still cool evenings we are having.

With the days warming up I am aching for brighter tasting recipes, but the nights still dip down and have me craving comfort food for dinner.

We had a little bit of leftovers after eating it for two nights. I served the last bit of black bean soup on top of some leftover pasta for a quick lunch and it was great!

Black Bean Soup Ingredients

For this easy black bean soup, you’ll need:

• andouille sausage
• olive oil
• purple onion
• red bell pepper
• orange or yellow bell pepper
• black beans
• chicken broth
• worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper
• garlic
• cumin
• smoked paprika
• ancho powder
• dried oregano
• cayenne
• bay leaves

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Tips for Making this Black Bean Soup Recipe

In case you were wondering how NOT to cook your soup, let me share my very best do’s and do not’s of soup preparation.

Never Throw the Meat in Raw

Andouille Sausage is usually pre-cooked, but if it isn’t definitely make sure you cook it first. Even if it is pre-cooked, make sure you brown the sausage first.

The browned bits left in the bottom of the pan after browning the meat will build the flavor of the chili even more. Then, saute the veggies in the same pan for added flavor and less dishes!

Don’t Skip Sautéing the Veggies

Cooking the onions, peppers, and garlic for about 5 minutes over medium heat before adding the remaining soup ingredients will deepen the flavor of the soup.

Always Season Early On

Want to really draw out the flavor from your ground spices in this Black Bean Soup recipe? Add them directly to your veggies after you’ve sautéed them.

Heat and oil applied to the ground spices will give your soup a rich, bold flavor. Adding the seasonings to the completed black bean soup just before serving will leave you with a much rawer taste.

Let it Simmer

I like to let this black bean soup recipe simmer simmer for a bit rather than quickly boiling it to get the vegetables tender. Yet again, your soup will have a much better developed flavor this way. way.

Can I add Extra Vegetables to this Recipe?

Yes, of course! Corn, extra bell peppers (try adding green to go along with the other colors) would be great, easy additions to this black bean soup recipe.

To add extra greens, try adding some chopped fresh spinach. If you want to try using frozen spinach, add it in with the sauteed vegetables to thaw and allow some of the moisture to evaporate. (Related: How to Freeze Spinach)

Can I Make a Vegetarian Black Bean Soup?

Yes, definitely! Just omit the sausage and add some extra beans to compensate for the lost bulk in the soup recipe.

Alternatively, you could use something like plant or soy based “meat” crumbles in place of the andouille sausage.

How Long Does this Black Bean Soup Last?

Prepared foods should not sit out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

If you have leftovers, you can store this black bean soup recipe in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days when stored properly.

Refrigerate leftover prepared foods, such as this black bean pasta, in a container with a sealed lid. Make sure your refrigerator temperature is set according to manufacturer instructions.

Can I Freeze Black Bean Soup?

Yes, this easy Black Bean Soup recipe is perfect for freezing! Here are the steps:

1. Allow the soup cool completely before transferring it to your preferred storage method. I like freezer gallon bags for large amounts or freezer-safe glass containers containers for individual servings.
2. Label the container with contents and date.
3. If you’re freezing in bags, lay the bags flat on a baking sheet before transferring to the freezer. This helps them take up less space and thaw faster.
4. Storage containers can be transferred directly to the fridge.

Thawing Tips

• When you’re ready to eat the frozen black bean soup, either reheat it on the stove or place it in your fridge first to thaw.
• You can also reheat it in the microwave if you prefer, but this works best if you thaw the soup first and heat it in a microwave safe container.

What Should I serve with Black Bean Soup?

If you’re looking for side suggestions to go with this recipe, I recommend a big green salad. It doesn’t have to be fancy at all. We often use mixed greens, lettuce, cucumber, shredded carrot, and tomato for a basic side salad. Check out these 3 Simple Salad Dressing Recipes to go along with your salad.

You also can’t go wrong with cornbread muffins. My kids are always a fan of these served as a side dish. I have 2 great recipes: Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins (don’t worry, they aren’t too sweet) and Classic Honey Cornbread Muffins.

Reader Reviews of this Black Bean Soup Recipe

“Thank you for posting. This is delicious. I added two chicken breasts boneless skinless and it was wonderful. I froze it in small container and ate it for many lunches and dinners over several weeks.” -Lecia

“Hi there! I made this for dinner today and it came out super delicious! I added some chopped fresh spinach I had in the fridge and leftover butternut squash. All in all it was flavorful and easy to prepare!” -Sherlly

“I made this soup last night and it came out terrific. The flavor is impressive.” -Sandy

More Black Bean Recipes

Do you love black bean recipes? Here are a few more recipes that we love. If you want to browse more ideas, check out the black bean recipes section of the recipe index.

This Easy Black Bean Salad is packed with corn, tomatoes, cucumber, and more! It’s tossed with a lime-cumin dressing that’s full of flavor!

In these Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas, corn tortillas are filled with tender, shredded chicken, black beans, and fresh spinach. Then they’re smothered in both roasted tomatillo salsa and a tangy sour cream sauce.

Pumpkin and Turkey Black Bean Chili is a great fall chili recipe with tons of flavor. Even better, it’s super easy to make!

Black beans, sweet potatoes, fire roasted salsa, and poblanos pair with black beans in this hearty, easy meatless Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili.

Breakfast Bowls like these Southwest Protein Breakfast Bowls with Sweet Potato and Black Beans are a great way to enjoy a quick protein-packed, creative meal at home on busy weekday mornings.

This black bean hummus is made with black beans instead of chickpeas, and is flavored with lime and cumin. This is a great dip to make for parties and potlucks!

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Smoky Black Bean Soup with Andouille Sausage

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Black beans, onions, peppers, garlic, and smoky spices pair with andouille sausage in this hearty, easy Black Bean Soup Recipe.

Print

Ingredients

• 12 ounces andouille sausage (I used a chicken andouille sausage)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large purple onion, diced
• 5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ancho powder
• 4 cans black beans, drained (I like Bush's brand)
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus extra if desired
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/8 - 1/4 cayenne, if desired
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
• cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

1. Cut the andouille sausage into half moon slices. Brown in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, adding olive oil if necessary.
2. When brown, remove and set aside in a bowl. Add olive oil to the dutch oven and saute the onion and peppers over medium heat until golden and tender, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and ancho powder and saute an additional minute.
4. Meanwhile, drain 1 1/2 cans black beans.
5. Add to a food processor or blender with 1 1/2 cups of broth. Puree until smooth.
6. Add to the dutch oven with remaining broth and beans.
7. Return the sausage to the dutch oven along with the Worcestershire, salt, pepper, cayenne (if desired), oregano and bay leaves.
8. Bring to a slow boil, then turn heat to low and cover halfway with a lid. Simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Remove bay leaves and serve topped with cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Notes

How to Freeze Black Bean Soup

1. Allow the soup cool completely before transferring it to your preferred storage method. I like freezer gallon bags for large amounts or freezer-safe glass containers containers for individual servings.
2. Label the container with contents and date.
3. If you’re freezing in bags, lay the bags flat on a baking sheet before transferring to the freezer. This helps them take up less space and thaw faster.
4. Storage containers can be transferred directly to the fridge.

Thawing Tips

• When you’re ready to eat the frozen black bean soup, either reheat it on the stove or place it in your fridge first to thaw.
• You can also reheat it in the microwave if you prefer, but this works best if you thaw the soup first and heat it in a microwave safe container.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 1133mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 12gSugar: 6gProtein: 19g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

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