One-pot soup recipes like this Butternut Squash and Black Bean Soup are essential for me this time of year. This soup is not only easy to make, but it’s also made with budget-friendly ingredients. The butternut squash is soft and sweet, while the broth is perfectly seasoned with a hint of smokiness from the fire-roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika. It’s seriously filling and comforting! I can’t wait for you to try this butternut squash and black bean soup recipe out. It can easily be made any day of the week!
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Is there anything better than a hot bowl of soup on a cold day? I don’t think so! Soups are a staple in my house once the weather cools down, and this easy butternut squash black bean soup always hits the spot. The sweetness of the squash mixed with the smoky and spicy flavors from the chili powder, smoked paprika, and fire-roasted tomatoes is absolutely perfect! And I always stock up on canned beans and tomatoes when they go on sale just so I can add them to my favorite soups and chili recipes during the fall and winter months.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this black bean butternut squash soup:
- Butternut Squash: You’ll need around 2 lbs of butternut squash for this recipe. Look for squash that is firm and heavy for its size. I dice mine into ¾-inch cubes so it cooks evenly and becomes nice and tender in the soup.
- Onion & Minced Garlic: These aromatics create the base flavors for this easy soup recipe.
- Olive Oil: To soften the diced onions and minced garlic.
- Black Beans: I use canned black beans to make this recipe super easy and convenient—just drain and rinse them before adding to the pot! They add a nice creaminess and are a delicious plant-based protein source.
- Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes: I’m a huge fan of fire-roasted tomatoes because they add a subtle smoky flavor that elevates this soup. I use the whole can, juices, and all!
- Seasonings & Spices: Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper create a delicious, southwestern-inspired flavor profile. Adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or less chili powder.
- Chicken Broth: Using a good quality chicken broth will give the soup extra flavor. I use Better than Bouillon to make my broth.
- Kale: I love tossing in a few handfuls of kale at the end for added texture and nutrition. Remove the tough stems and roughly chop the leaves before adding them to the pot.
Variations to Try!
- Sweet potatoes can easily be substituted for the butternut squash in this recipe. This would make it like a soup version of my sweet potato black bean skillet! I’d cut the sweet potatoes into ¾-inch cubes and simmer as directed below. This should be more than enough time for them to become fork-tender, but you can go slightly longer if needed.
- Spinach and regular diced tomatoes are easy substitutes for the kale and fire-roasted tomatoes if that’s what you have in stock.
- If you have any leftover roasted butternut squash, try adding it to your soup for even more flavor and texture. I also think corn (canned or frozen) or diced bell peppers would be great additions, too!
- You can absolutely swap the chicken broth with vegetable broth if you’re keeping this black bean butternut squash soup vegetarian or vegan.
Serving & Topping Ideas
I love topping my bowl of butternut squash and black bean soup with sliced avocado. The creaminess of the avocado is the perfect contrast to the heartiness of the soup! A sprinkle of cilantro and a few jalapeno slices are also nice additions. And, of course, a thick slice of homemade cornbread would never go amiss! Here are some other serving and topping ideas I love:
- Crumbled tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese (it melts and becomes all gooey—my family loves this!!)
- Sliced green onions or pickled red onions
- Toasted leftover butternut squash seeds (made using our roasted pumpkin seed recipe)
- Lime wedges
How to Store
This recipe for butternut squash and black bean soup stores really well. The veggies will get a little softer in storage, but the flavors will become even more developed. I keep my leftovers in an airtight container, and they last up to 4 days in the fridge.
You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Separating the soup into individual portions before freezing makes it easier to defrost and reheat later on! Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove or in the microwave. I sometimes add a little extra chicken broth if it thickens up too much once reheated.
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Soup Recipe
Servings 6 servings (about 1.5 cups each)Ingredients
- 2 lbs. butternut squash, diced into ¾ inch cubes ($2.98)
- 1 onion, diced ($0.39)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.24)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.12)
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder ($0.15)
- 1 tsp cumin ($0.10)
- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- ¾ tsp salt ($0.05)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided ($0.04)
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained ($1.00)
- 1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes ($1.25)
- 4 cups chicken broth ($0.68)
- 4 cups chopped kale ($1.49)
Instructions
- Peel and dice the butternut squash.* Dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
- Add the olive oil along with the diced onion and minced garlic cloves to a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.
- Next, add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to the pot. Stir well and cook the spices with the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
- Now add the diced butternut squash, drained black beans, and fire-roasted tomatoes to the pot. Then pour in the chicken broth. Stir everything together.
- Place a lid on the pot and bring the soup up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer for 25 minutes.
- During the last 2-3 minutes of cook time, remove the lid and add the chopped kale to the pot. Stir the kale into the soup and keep the lid off.
- Remove the soup from the heat and serve with your favorite toppings like cilantro, jalapeno, or creamy avocado (optional). Enjoy!
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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how to make Butternut Squash and Black Bean Soup – step by step photos
Peel and dice 2 lbs butternut squash into ¾ inch cubes. Dice 1 onion and mince 3 garlic cloves.
Add 1 Tbsp of oil along with the diced onion and minced garlic cloves to a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.
Next, add 1 ½ tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper to the pot. Stir well and cook the spices with the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
Now add the diced butternut squash, drained 15 oz. can black beans, and the 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes to the pot. Then pour in 4 cups chicken broth. Stir everything together.
Place a lid on the pot and bring the soup up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer for 25 minutes.
During the last 2-3 minutes of cook time, remove the lid and add 4 cups chopped kale to the pot. Stir the kale into the soup and keep the lid off.
Remove the soup from the heat and serve with your favorite toppings like cilantro, jalapeno, or creamy avocado (optional). Enjoy!
This homemade butternut squash black bean soup is the perfect cozy meal for fall and winter. And it couldn’t be any easier to make!
This sounds delightful and I cannot wait to try it!
Quick question: can I do it in the crockpot? If so, how long would you guess?
Please and Thanks!
looking forward to making it regardless :)
We never tested it in the slow cooker, Kate, so I’m not sure! I would hate for the squash to get mushy, but otherwise it seems like a good candidate. If I were trying it I would still sauté the onions, garlic, and spices, then transfer it to the crockpot on high for four hours (or low for 8 hours). If you do try it let us know how it goes!
The calorie count reflects the flavor profile: watery, bland and totally lacking in substance. A single can of beans doled out between 6 servings is especially not enough protein to power a two year old. I’d add 3x the beans but blend at least half of those so that the soup has some sort of body to it.