Homemade Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Finding a comforting soup recipe that actually fills you up during those chilly fall and winter months can be trickier than you’d think. Most soups leave you reaching for a sandwich an hour later, and when you’re trying to feed a family on busy weeknights, you need something that will keep everyone satisfied until morning.

That’s where this black bean pumpkin soup comes to the rescue: it’s hearty enough to work as a complete meal, packed with protein and fiber to keep you full, and comes together in one pot with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For this soup, you’ll want to use canned pumpkin puree rather than fresh pumpkin since it’s much more convenient and gives consistent results. Make sure you’re buying plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added spices and sugar that will throw off your soup’s flavor. Libby’s is a popular brand that works well, but any pure pumpkin puree will do the trick. If you do want to use fresh pumpkin, roasted sugar pumpkins or butternut squash work great – just roast them until tender, scoop out the flesh, and puree it yourself.

Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some easy substitutions you can make:

• Pumpkin puree: No pumpkin puree? Sweet potato puree, butternut squash puree, or even canned sweet potato works great. You can also roast fresh pumpkin or squash and puree it yourself.
• Black beans: Feel free to swap these with kidney beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans. If using dried beans, cook them ahead of time or add extra cooking time to the soup.
• Fresh ginger: If you don’t have fresh ginger, use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger instead. It won’t be quite as bright, but it’ll still add that warm spice.
• Coconut milk: Heavy cream or half-and-half can replace coconut milk if you prefer a dairy option. For a lighter version, try cashew cream or just add more vegetable stock.
• Vegetable stock: Chicken stock works fine if you’re not keeping it vegetarian, or you can use water with extra bouillon cubes in a pinch.
• Fresh coriander: Not a fan of cilantro? Try fresh parsley, green onions, or just skip the fresh herbs altogether. The soup will still taste great.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making black bean pumpkin soup is rushing the aromatics – your onions, carrots, and celery need a good 5-7 minutes to soften properly before adding garlic and spices, otherwise you’ll end up with crunchy vegetables and bitter garlic.

Another common error is adding the spices too late in the process, so make sure to toast your cumin, coriander, and paprika with the vegetables for about 30 seconds until fragrant, which helps release their full flavor.

Don’t skip draining and rinsing your canned black beans, as the liquid can make your soup taste overly salty and give it an unpleasant thick texture.

Finally, add the lime juice and fresh coriander at the very end after removing from heat – cooking them too long will make the lime bitter and turn the herbs brown and musty.

What to Serve With Black Bean Pumpkin Soup?

This hearty soup is perfect with some warm cornbread or crusty sourdough bread for dipping into all those rich, spiced flavors. I love serving it with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt on top, plus a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and maybe some diced avocado for extra creaminess. If you want to make it more filling, try ladling the soup over some cooked quinoa or brown rice in the bowl. For a fun twist, serve it alongside some baked sweet potato wedges or roasted pumpkin seeds for a nice crunch that plays off the pumpkin flavors in the soup.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This black bean pumpkin soup actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge! Store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together nicely, making it perfect for meal prep. I like to make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or bags. Just leave some room at the top since it will expand when frozen. I usually portion it out into individual servings so I can grab just what I need for a quick lunch.

Warm Up: Heat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You might need to add a splash of vegetable stock or water if it’s gotten too thick. The microwave works too – just use medium power and stir every minute or so to heat it evenly.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1300-1500
• Protein: 35-42 g
• Fat: 42-50 g
• Carbohydrates: 190-210 g

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 to 3 ribs celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 cans (14 oz each) black beans, rinsed
• 1 can (14 oz) tomatoes, diced with juices
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and black pepper, as needed

Step 1: Sauté the Aromatic Vegetables

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 to 3 ribs celery, diced

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the diced onion, diced carrot, and diced celery.

Sauté the vegetables for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften and become slightly golden.

Step 2: Add Garlic, Ginger, and Spices

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

Stir in the minced garlic and freshly minced ginger with the sautéed vegetables from Step 1, and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the ground cumin, ground coriander seed, smoked paprika, dried thyme leaves, and ground turmeric.

Continue to cook for another minute, letting the spices bloom and fill the kitchen with their aroma.

Step 3: Simmer Soup Base

• 2 cans (14 oz each) black beans, rinsed
• 1 can (14 oz) tomatoes, diced with juices
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 cups vegetable broth

Add the rinsed black beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, pumpkin puree, and vegetable broth to the pot.

Stir well to combine all the ingredients.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

Step 4: Add Coconut Milk and Finish the Soup

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt and black pepper, as needed

Remove the lid from the pot and stir in the coconut milk.

Allow the soup to come back to a gentle simmer.

Once heated through, stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

I like to add a bit of extra lime juice at the end to brighten the flavors even more.

Step 5: Serve the Soup

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra cilantro or a lime wedge.

Enjoy it with tortilla chips or strips for a satisfying crunch.

Homemade Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Delicious Homemade Black Bean Pumpkin Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 1400

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 to 3 ribs celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 cans (14 oz each) black beans, rinsed
• 1 can (14 oz) tomatoes, diced with juices
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt and black pepper, as needed

Method

 

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, diced carrot, and diced celery. Sauté the vegetables for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften and become slightly golden.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and freshly minced ginger with the sautéed vegetables from Step 1, and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander seed, smoked paprika, dried thyme leaves, and ground turmeric. Continue to cook for another minute, letting the spices bloom and fill the kitchen with their aroma.
3. Add the rinsed black beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, pumpkin puree, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
4. Remove the lid from the pot and stir in the coconut milk. Allow the soup to come back to a gentle simmer. Once heated through, stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed. I like to add a bit of extra lime juice at the end to brighten the flavors even more.
5. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra cilantro or a lime wedge. Enjoy it with tortilla chips or strips for a satisfying crunch.