Creamy Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

What do you get when you combine black bean soup and pumpkin soup? This incredible creamy black bean pumpkin soup. It's easily made from things you probably have in your pantry. A satisfying and hearty soup recipe, ready in under 30 minutes. Deck it out with lots of fun garnishes. This is the best soup for fall!

This black bean-pumpkin soup (or pumpkin black bean soup) is one of the most shared soup recipes on my site for good reason. These simple ingredients are easy to keep in the pantry and it's so good. It's a recipe I turn to often for a fast healthy meal.

Pureeing black bean pumpkin soup in a blender makes it naturally creamy without heavy cream or coconut milk. You've got to try it.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Like This Recipe
• Recipe Ingredients
• Substitutions and Variations
• Recipe Instructions
• Broth Options: Homemade or Purchased
• Serving Suggestions
• How To Make The Web Design
• Recipe FAQs
• More Fall Soup Recipes
• ⭐️Did you Make This?
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why You'll Like This Recipe

• Simple to make in under 30 minutes.
• Black bean pumpkin soup freezes beautifully.
• Makes a fast meal with pantry ingredients.
• Dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan option.

If you love pumpkin, try this easy pumpkin snack cake with chocolate chips. It's a great afternoon snack. It's also gluten-free and dairy-free, plus see my low-sugar notes.

Recipe Ingredients

Here's what you need to make black bean pumpkin soup.

• Black beans: Canned black beans made this quick and easy, plus they are easy to keep on hand. Read labels and choose a low-sodium or no-sodium brand to keep salt low.
• Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are fine here. If all you have is whole, split the tomatoes and scrape out the seeds.
• Pumpkin purée: Use canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling. That has added ingredients not needed in the soup.
• Broth of choice: Chicken broth, turkey, vegetable, beef broth all work.
• Onion: For a savory depth or flavor, a must have ingredient in soups!
• Cooking fat: My preference is extra virgin olive oil, but you could use a healthy neutral oil such as this, or avocado oil.
• Garlic cloves: Fresh is best, instead of chopping, great with a microplane zester. Works like a charm for fine fast garlic.
• Ground cumin: For a lightly lemony taste, terrific in Mexican, Southwestern and Mediterranean recipes. One of my can't-live-without spices.
• Paprika: I use smoked paprika. If you don't have it use regular paprika, but the smoked has a lovely flavor. Try it. It works great in chili and in homemade dry rub too.
• Pepper: For heat, use ground chipotle powder, which is dried, ground, smoked jalapeños.

See recipe card for measurements, plus salt and black pepper.

For more ideas on uses for canned pumpkin, try this healthy pumpkin smoothie or easy pumpkin mousse, perfect for fall dessert.

Substitutions and Variations

• Spice options: swap red pepper flakes or a little cayenne for the chipotle powder. Chili powder is a nice addition too.
• Add a little canned chipotles in adobo sauce if you like it spicy.
• For homemade pumpkin puree, read how to cook your own pumpkin from my friend Sally Vargas.
• For Southwestern flavor, add a little ancho chili powder and coriander to the spices.
• For extra protein and meat eaters, add a link of browned ready-to-eat chicken sausage as the garnish. It works great.
• For a vegan or vegetarian version, be sure to use vegetable broth.

Recipe Instructions

To puree the soup, use a high-speed blender, an immersion blender, or even a food processor. I use a blender. For cooking, use a heavy pot like a 5 ½ quart Dutch oven.

Broth Options: Homemade or Purchased

Homemade broth is best as you control what goes into it, like sodium and skipping unnecessary additives. Plus the taste is better than canned or boxed. Make a big batch and freeze it in smaller containers for soups, stews, and risotto. It's really is worth it and not hard.

Homemade Broth Recipes

Here are links to my homemade broth recipes:

• Golden homemade chicken bone broth.
• Deep rich homemade turkey broth.
• Easy homemade Instant Pot vegetable broth.
• Instant Pot chicken broth recipe and the vegetable broth are fast compared to my homemade chicken bone broth.

If you don't have time to make broth or just don't want to go to the effort, that's fine. Check out the freezer section of your market for good frozen broths. They are often better usually than canned or boxed broth.

Chef's Tip: Sodium in broth. If you use purchase broth with higher sodium levels, you may not need to add any salt to season. Taste your broth, and taste the soup before adding more. There are a few decent ones. Whatever you purchase, read the ingredient labels carefully.

Love pumpkin? Try my creamy pumpkin polenta. Add poached eggs for a hearty fall breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner option, or top with browned chicken sausage. It's delicious comfort food.

Serving Suggestions

There are many different ways to customize black bean pumpkin soup with fun garnishes:

• Put out small bowls of grated Jack or Cheddar cheese.
• Sprinkle with easy roast pumpkin seeds.
• Serve with sliced green onions or fresh chives.
• Add crushed tortilla chips to the top and squeeze of lime juice.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream.
• Add diced avocado.
• For herbs, try chopped fresh cilantro.
• For bacon lovers, garnish with crisp crumbled bacon.
• For a nice finish, try a little dry sherry (optional), balsamic vinegar, balsamic syrup, or sherry vinegar.
• Serve along side a salad or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Serve it the same day or within 4 days refrigerated. Freeze it for future fast meals.

How to Thaw and Reheat

If the black bean pumpkin soup is frozen, start the thawing process by putting frozen containers into the refrigerator the day before serving. If it's not totally thawed when you want to reheat, place the container in a large pot or bowl of cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Optionally, thaw it in the microwave on a defrost or thaw setting at lower power.

When the black bean soup loosens up enough, pour into a pot and reheat on low heat with a lid. Stir and break up any frozen portions as you go. Heat until hot to serve.

How To Make The Web Design

To make the fun web design, here’s what to do. Use barely thinned fat sour cream, or Greek yogurt. It needs to be liquid enough to squeeze out and yet hold shape.

Use a funnel to pour the web cream into a small squeeze bottle and give it a go. It's a little tricky but fun.

Start in the center and swirl circles outward. Next take a chopstick or something similar and pull streams out from the center to create a web. Practice on a small plate if you need to. This also works with many other sauces, especially dessert sauces for painting a pretty plate.

Recipe FAQs

More Fall Soup Recipes

Do you love soup like I do? Then try these soup recipe or check the soups category page for more ideas.

⭐️Did you Make This?

If you make this recipe, please comment and let me know, and if you loved it, please give it a 5 star rating! They really help other readers.

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