The other morning, I got up at 5:45 to get ready for work, just like any other day. And like any other day, I packed my lunch and made breakfast. But I also completely made dinner BEFORE work- by mixing just a few ingredients in my Crockpot- in just FIVE MINUTES.
Behold: the amazing, the wondrous – not to mention healthy, delicious, and hearty – Smoky Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup!
As I was making this recipe, I realized something: I cook with a LOT of smoked paprika
I cannot tell you how happy I was to come home at 6:30- yes, more than 12 hours later- and have dinner ready to go. The smell of the house was incredible. All I had to do when I got home was mash the beans with a potato masher
While I’m on the subject: I know my recipe below says to cook the soup on high for 4 hours or low for 8. However, my work day is more like ten hours, plus commute time. At first, I wasn’t sure if my slow cooker
Recipe below. Enjoy!
| Smoky Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup | Print |
- 1 lb. dry black beans, presoaked and drained
- 1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery plus the leaves, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Cotija cheese, sliced avocado, sour cream, chopped red or green onions, hot sauce, or other fixings for serving (optional)
- Stir together all ingredients besides cilantro to your slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, or until beans are tender.
- Use a potato masher to mash the beans in the soup to thicken to desired consistency.
- Stir in cilantro.
- Serve with optional fixings.
Freeze the leftovers in an airtight bag or container for up to 6 months.
I'm Elizabeth, nice to meet you! I believe that eating healthy food should help relieve the stress of a busy lifestyle, not contribute to it. My recipes are made from healthy, whole ingredients and are freezer friendly, make-ahead, slow cooker, and/or quick & easy. It's real food, for busy people. 
I absolutely LOVE smoked paprika! And I love that you put it in black bean soup. Gonna have to give this one a try! :)
I put it in EVERYTHING. It’s the best way to get a natural smoked taste (without the use of liquid smoke or anything like that!).
Love it! Thanks for the recipe!!
The flavor of this soup was great, but FYI, the beans weren’t completely done after cooking for 9 hours on low. Just wanted to give others a heads-up.
Thanks for letting us know, Becky! Slow cookers can vary- older models especially sometimes cook at a lower temperature than others. The good thing about a slow cooker is that you really can’t overcook things so it’s easy to add a few hours to the cooking time even if you don’t know if you are going to need it!