Southwest Black Bean Soup

This vegetarian Southwest Black Bean and Corn Soup is a spicy black bean soup made easy in the slow cooker or the instant pot. It’s a hearty and delicious meal for a cold night.

Filled to the brim with Southwestern ingredients like corn, green chiles, and chili powder, this soup is certainly not lacking flavor. Feel free to add extra veggies or seasonings to make the soup just how you like it.

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Corn Soup

This spicy Southwestern Black Bean and Corn Soup recipe is one of my favorite vegetarian soups. It’s filled with beans, corn, tomatoes and other southwest flavors we all love. 

When served with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and a few tortilla strips, it really is an entire meal on its own.  Best of all, it can easily be made in a slow cooker or instant pot.

Serve with homemade bread like these Breadsticks, Focaccia Bread, Dinner Rolls, or these Cheesy Breadsticks.

Key Recipe Ingredients

• Beans– You can use black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans.  It also works great to use a mixture of these.
• Tomatoes– Crushed tomatoes work best.  You can use whole or diced tomatoes too but you’ll want to give them a quick blend in the blender before you add them to your slow cooker.
• Broth– If you want to keep this a vegetarian meal, use vegetable broth.  If that’s not important to you, chicken broth works great here, too and adds a lot of flavors.
• Green Chilies– diced green chilies work great.  It’s also fine if they’re fire-roasted.
• Frozen Corn– Super sweet white corn is the best addition. It tastes so fresh and is so sweet.  Canned corn works fine too but frozen corn is preferred.
• Green onions– just regular, thinly sliced green onions work great.
• Chili Powder– any kind works great. 
• Cumin– This is what gives it that smokey southwest flavor we love.
• Minced Garlic– fresh is best, but jarred works fine too. 

Toppings for Southwest Soup

• Corn Chips or Fritos
• Salsa
• Pico de Gio 
• Chopped green onions
• Sliced Olives
• Sour Cream
• Shredded Cheese
• Guacamole
• Sliced Avocados

How to Make Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

1. Add the ingredients to the slow cooker. Add the undrained beans, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, diced green chilies, frozen corn, green onions, chili powder, garlic powder, and minced garlic to a crockpot.
2. Cook. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.
3. Serve. Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations To Try

Here are a few ideas for simple recipe variations to make your Southwest Soup your own:

• Sweet Potato: Include diced sweet potatoes for a touch of sweetness and added heartiness.
• Pumpkin: Mix in canned pumpkin for a creamy and autumn-inspired twist. Season with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Quinoa: Add cooked quinoa to the soup for extra protein and texture. Finish with a squeeze of lime and chopped fresh parsley.
• Chorizo: Brown chorizo and add it to the soup for a savory and spicy element. Top with sliced radishes and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing and Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: cool completely and transfer to freezer bags. Lay flat and store frozen for up to 3 months. You can thaw overnight in the fridge.
• To reheat: to reheat, either microwave or warm in a pot on the stovetop.

More Homemade Soup Recipes

• Lasagna Soup
• Easy Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
• Easy Taco Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe
• Turkey Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
• Roasted Tomato
• Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup
• Turkey and Rice Soup
• More Soup Recipes
• Quick Dinner Ideas

This simple black bean and corn soup is a vegetarian favorite that can be easily made in a slow cooker or instant pot. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips for a complete and hearty meal.