Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup

Name: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) black beans, canned, drained and rinsed; 6 cups (1440 ml) vegetable broth, low-sodium; 1 whole (150 g) yellow onion, medium, finely diced; 3 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 1 whole (60 g) lime, fresh, zested and juiced; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped (optional); ½ cup (120 ml) crema or sour cream (optional); ½ cup (30 g) tortilla chips, crushed, crushed into bite-sized pieces (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant, warming Mexican-inspired soup combining roasted sweet potatoes and earthy black beans in a cumin-spiced vegetable broth. Finished with fresh lime, cilantro, and a swirl of crema or sour cream, it's hearty enough for a main course and comes together in under an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 8 cups)

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Steps

Before you start

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes so they cook evenly
Have your vegetable broth measured and ready
Zest and juice the lime before cooking begins

1
Sauté aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart / 4.7 L) over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Do not let the garlic brown.
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Ready when: Onion is softened and translucent, garlic is fragrant
Tip: Keep heat at medium so garlic doesn't burn and become bitter
2
Bloom spices
- Sprinkle the ground cumin and smoked paprika over the onion mixture and stir constantly for 30 seconds, coating the vegetables evenly.
- This releases the essential oils and deepens the flavor.
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Ready when: Spices are fragrant and coat the vegetables
Tip: Blooming spices for just a few seconds prevents a raw, dusty flavor in the finished soup
3
Add broth and sweet potato
- Pour the 6 cups (1,440 ml) of vegetable broth into the pot and add the cubed sweet potatoes.
- Stir well to combine.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
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Ready when: Broth comes to a rolling boil
4
Simmer sweet potato
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15–18 minutes, until the sweet potato cubes are very tender and break apart easily when pierced with a fork.
- Do not let the soup boil vigorously or the sweet potato will become mushy and disintegrate.
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Ready when: Sweet potato cubes are very tender and crumble when pressed against the pot side
Tip: Gentle simmering keeps the broth clear and the sweet potato pieces intact
5
Add black beans
- Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans.
- Return the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through.
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Ready when: Beans are hot and soup smells rich and savory
6
Season to taste
- Remove the pot from heat.
- Stir in the lime juice and lime zest.
- Taste the soup and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference.
- Start with ½ teaspoon salt and adjust gradually.
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Ready when: Soup is well-balanced with bright citrus and savory notes
Tip: Add salt gradually—the broth already contains sodium, so taste as you go
7
Serve with toppings
- Ladle the soup into bowls.
- Drizzle with a spoonful of crema or sour cream, scatter with crushed tortilla chips, and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately while hot.
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Tip: Add crema and chips just before eating so the chips stay crispy and don't soften

Good to know

Tips

To make a creamier soup, blend 2 cups (480 ml) of the finished soup in a blender until smooth, then stir it back into the pot. This creates a velvety texture while keeping some whole pieces of sweet potato and beans.
For extra depth, roast the sweet potato cubes at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes before adding them to the pot. This caramelizes the edges and concentrates the natural sweetness.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a diced jalapeño in step 2 if you like heat. Start with a pinch and taste before adding more.
Finish with a drizzle of good-quality olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lime for brightness—it elevates the soup significantly.

Make ahead

Prepare the soup through step 5 (after adding beans) and cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Add lime juice and fresh toppings just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: do not leave out longer than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently over medium-low heat. Freezer: cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add fresh lime juice and cilantro after reheating.

Substitutions

black beans, canned → Pinto beans or kidney beans. Use the same quantity. Pinto beans are slightly creamier; kidney beans add a firmer texture. Both work beautifully with the cumin and lime.
vegetable broth, low-sodium → Chicken broth. Use the same quantity. Chicken broth adds more savory depth, though the soup remains vegetarian if you omit it and use vegetable broth instead.
crema or sour cream → Greek yogurt or Mexican crema. Use the same quantity. Greek yogurt is tangier; traditional Mexican crema is richer and thinner. Both provide the same cooling contrast.
fresh cilantro → Fresh parsley or a small amount of fresh mint. Use the same quantity. Parsley is milder; mint adds brightness. Cilantro is traditional, but either herb works if you dislike cilantro.