Liven up your soup routine with this dairy-free Caribbean black bean soup! Fire-roasted tomatoes add color and flavor, while peppers, a splash of rum, and lime juice give it some Bahama flair. The recipe starts with dried beans for optimal texture and depth in flavor. But we have added a canned bean option below, just in case you’re in a hurry!
Dairy-Free Caribbean Black Bean Soup Recipe made from Dried Beans
This dairy-free Caribbean black bean soup recipe was originally shared with us by a blogging friend named Janelle, back in 2007. Janelle merged her culinary training with her family’s world travels to create recipes like this one. It’s not a traditional recipe, but is inspired by flavors of the Caribbean, including tomatoes, lime, peppers, and rum! We’ve recently updated this recipe with nutrition facts, some instruction tweaks, recipe tips, and the ingredient FAQs below.
Ingredient FAQs
- Black Beans: Can I Use Canned Beans? This recipe will taste fresher and will work best with dried beans. But if you need a quick meal, you can use canned beans. You’ll need 4 (15-ounce) cans of black beans, drained. This should be about 6 cups of beans. You can skip the initial boiling and long cook time. Instead, cook the onion and garlic in a little oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Vegetable Stock: Can I Use a Different Stock or Broth? Yes, you can use vegetable broth, chicken broth, or chicken stock instead.
- Tomatoes: What are Fire-Roasted Tomatoes?These are canned tomatoes that have been roasted. They add a little more depth in flavor than regular canned tomatoes. Look for brands like Muir Glen or generic.
- Rum: Can I omit the Rum? This ingredient adds a lot of that Caribbean vibe. But you can omit it if you need alcohol-free.
- Cilantro: Can I omit the Cilantro? I do! If you aren’t a cilantro fan, go ahead and leave it out, or substitute parsley or basil for a different flavor twist.
Special Diet Notes: Caribbean Black Bean Soup
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.
Dairy-Free Caribbean Black Bean Soup
You can enjoy this delicious soup pureed until smooth, or chunky-style. We like it somewhere in between. Please note that this recipe is quite easy, but you'll need to allow a couple hours for the soup to simmer.
Ingredients
Method
- Place the beans in a large pot and cover with warm water by 3 inches. Cover the pot and place it over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil, and let the beans boil hard for 1 minute. Then reduce the heat and simmer the beans for 20 minutes.
- Drain the beans, return them to the saucepan, and add the stock. Bring the stock to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. If the stock starts to drop below the bean level, add more stock.
- Add the onion, garlic, and oregano, and cook the soup for 1 to 2 hours, or until the beans fall apart. Stir occasionally so the beans don’t stick to pan.
- Stir in the tomatoes, pepper, cilantro, rum, lime juice, and brown sugar. Bring the soup back to a simmer for another 10 to 20 minutes.
- Puree about half of the soup with an immersion blender.
- Taste, and season the soup with salt, as needed.
Nutrition
Notes
Sodium Note: Sodium levels can vary in the stock you use. Choose a low salt or no salt variety and salt to taste if you need a lower sodium option.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!More Recipe Tips: Dairy-Free Caribbean Black Bean Soup
Serving Suggestions
- Topping Bar: Put out a selection of garnishes for the soup. We like dairy-free cashew sour cream, dairy-free packaged sour cream, chopped avocado, tropical salsa, sliced green onions, fresh herbs, and additional chopped peppers (for spice fans!).
- Make it a Meal: You could enjoy this as a light plant-based meal or lunch. Or you can add some chopped cooked chicken, pork, or tempeh for a heftier, higher-protein meal.
- Add Simple Sides: We like warm sourdough (this is my current favorite) dipped into this dairy-free Caribbean soup, or balance it with a fresh green salad.
Make Ahead
- Time: The recipe itself does take some lengthy simmering, so it is best made ahead. It’s actually a great meal prep option, and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Tips: After the first 20 minute boiling of the beans, you can add the ingredients to a slow cooker, and let it simmer for 6 to 8 hours instead of cooking it on the stove top.
Storage
- Store: Keep this soup in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can be frozen for longer storage.
- Defrost or Reheat: It’s actually pretty good cold, but you can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave whether refrigerated or frozen.
Troubleshooting
- Soup is Too Thick: If your beans absorbed too much liquid, simply add more stock! This soup can be thick or thin – it’s your choice.
- Beans are Too Hard: It’s possible that you just need to cook them a little longer in your climate and altitude. Also, Janelle skips soaking, which is okay to do if your dried beans aren’t too old. If they are old and dried out, presoaking the beans for several hours or overnight can help.
Also try this Tuscan White Bean Soup Recipe!
