Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup

This easy yet impressive recipe takes the Cuban comfort food classic Black Bean Soup to the next level with the addition of roasted sweet potatoes and a smooth and light avocado crema on top! The perfect vegan soup to serve on a cold winter day.

This sweet potato black bean soup recipe is the ultimate cozy soup for the cold season! Ultra smooth classic Mexican-Cuban black bean soup sweetened with sweet potatoes to perfectly compliment the creamy black beans. Topped with a luscious avocado crema that brightens up your palate and tiny cubes of roasted sweet potatoes instead of croutons—for extra veggie goodness!

Yes, another soup recipe. I am officially on a soup mission here to get me through this cold season!

But in all honesty, even when the weather is at its’ best— a bowl of soup is always a good thing! And this sweet potato black bean soup is a super good thing!

This black bean soup recipe is another Miami inspired dish—along with my spicy mango chicken wings and many more to come! So when I moved to Miami about 13 years ago (sigh** 13!!), we had a wonderful landlord—a huge, and I mean HUGE family with three generations and plenty of family gatherings.

We were always invited to their family gatherings and that’s where I first tasted black bean soup and fell for it! I clipped up my generous neighbours’ recipe and have been making it over and over, until I actually twisted the recipe for a Cuban-Mexican fusion cooking class..and I was SO glad I did!

This sweet potato black bean soup was a HIT! And I kept thinking how I would love to make this for my lovely ex-neighbour, or maybe how I would love to move back to Miami  🙂

Why this Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup recipe is so awesome: 

So let me take a minute to tell you how fabulously easy an delicious this vegan black bean soup recipe is.

It’s comforting, thick, naturally creamy (but no cream!), sweet and deliciously bean tasting, spiked up with a bit of cumin and oregano with a garlicky note in the background.

You may want to twist this basic black bean soup a little bit and spare 10 extra minutes—which I STRONGLY urge you to do and make some roasted sweet potatoes and a smooth avocado crema to take your black bean soup to the next level.

!! I promise the results will be well worth your time! The avocado cream brightens up the black bean soup, gives it a lovely contrasting refreshing tang and adds to the whole look of this comfort food soup.

How to make this Vegan Black Bean Soup recipe: 

I love sautéing onions and sweet peppers to get a load of flavor going, then I add in the garlic towards the end together with my spices.

This step here gives me a subtle garlic flavor—which I absolutely LOVE with black bean soup. At this point, the beans, sweet potatoes, cilantro and stock go right in and are simmered up for 15 mins. Then it’s ready for blending.

Ok, let’s start with the sweet potato cubes or croutons. Peel and dice up an extra sweet potato and simply roast them in the oven (375 degrees for 10 mins).

Now on to the Mexican twist on this sweet potato black bean soup —the avocado crema! Do you remember this fabulous flavorful and quick shrimp salad with avocado dressing or this Mexican style lentil detox salad ? Another example where the avocado crema takes the recipe to a whole new level!

The avocado crema comes together in 2 mins in a food processor. It’s basically like a creamy guacamole (speaking of—did you try this crowd-pleasing foolproof classic Mexican guacamole yet?).

So all you need is to process an avocado, scallions, cilantro, lime juice, plenty of cilantro, olive oil, and to make for the “crema” effect, add in sour cream.

To serve this ultimate sweet potato black bean soup, ladle it into bowls, top with a dollop of avocado crema, some sweet potato cubes and more avocado crema, then dip in your spoon and enjoy to the last sip! 🙂

Tips for success: 

• Make the Avocado Crema using this recipe.
• When making the crema, omit the sour cream if you’re vegan or watching calories, and just add in water—you will still end up with a creamy avocado crema!
• You can let this black bean soup simmer for as long as an hour if you want maximum flavor or just 15 mins if you’re rushed.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup

This easy yet impressive recipe takes the Cuban comfort food classic Black Bean Soup to the next level with the addition of roasted sweet potatoes and a smooth and light avocado crema! The perfect vegetarian soup to serve on a cold winter day. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Cuban, Mexican, USA

Keyword creamy sweet potato soup, Cuban black bean soup, soup with avocado crema

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 211 kcal

Author Mahy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large red onion minced
• 1 sweet bell pepper minced
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 pinch chili powder (optional)
• 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 cup oats (any size any type)
• 5 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro

For the Avocado Cream

• see Mexican Style Lentil Detox Salad

Instructions

1. In a large pot, add the olive oil and saute the onion and sweet peppers with a pinch of salt for 3 mins until soft and the onions are slightly golden and caramelized, add in the cilantro and garlic. Sautee for just a minute more.

2. Add in half of the diced sweet potatoes, beans, oats and spice. Give it a quick sauté then add in the stock.

3. Bring the soup to a boil and lower the heat to low. Let the soup cook for at least 15 mins up to 1 hour. Add in the cilantro at the end.

4. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

5. Serve the soup with a dollop of avocado crema, roast sweet potato cubes and more avocado crema.

For the avocado crema:

1. Process all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.

For the roasted sweet potatoes:

1. While the soup is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the remaining sweet potato cubes in a single layer in a baking sheet lined with foil and toss them with a bit of olive oil (a teaspoon) and cover the potatoes with foil. Roast them for 10 mins until tender.

Recipe Notes

• Make the Avocado Crema using this recipe.
• When making the crema, omit the sour cream if you’re vegan or watching calories, and just add in water—you will still end up with a creamy avocado crema!
• You can let this black bean soup simmer for as long as an hour if you want maximum flavor or just 15 mins if you’re rushed.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 bowl (no avocado crema))

Calories 211 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Sodium 1067mg46%

Potassium 441mg13%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 1305IU26%

Vitamin C 30.9mg37%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 2.8mg16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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