The best black bean soup is thick, hearty, and well-seasoned to complement its natural earthiness. The black beans should be tender but sturdy. And when it comes to the best black bean chili, it should be smoky and rich—not a bland, murky mess of textures and flavors. At the end of the day, we’re looking for quality ingredients and a balanced salt level. That shouldn’t be hard to do, right? Right?!
During my time at Sporked, I’ve realized that I have a bone to pick with soup brands. Not all soup brands, okay, but a good majority. (Yes, Campbell’s, this applies to you.) Soup is, theoretically, not that hard to package and sell. You take quality ingredients, a nice mix of herbs and spices, some cream or stock or whatever liquid you want, and voila. The possibilities are pretty endless. And yet: So many different canned soups, dry soups, deli soups, you name it—they just get it wrong. Too often, it seems like soup cans are where brands dump their leftover ingredients and worst scraps of meat. Which is a shame, because making soup at home can be a hassle and canned soup should be an ideal shortcut!
Basically, I’m trying to incite a grocery store soup revolution here, and that’s because finding the best black bean soup was unexpectedly difficult. From cans to ready-made deli options and fancier glass jars, I rounded up as many black bean soups as I could find—which wasn’t that many, sadly—and tried them all. Right now, I can only recommend two options for the best black bean soup to buy. I’m sorry. Viva la soup-olution.
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- Dr. McDougall’s Vegan Black Bean & Lime
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Dr. McDougall’s Vegan Black Bean & Lime is a dry soup that you reconstitute by adding hot water, kind of like instant ramen. After tasting a series of disappointing black bean soups, my expectations were pretty shot here. I thought, no way is a rehydrated black bean soup going to lift me out of my depression. But man oh man, I love it when I’m wrong. The lime-infused broth brings a bold and zesty twist that adds so much depth. While some people may have a hard time getting past the crushed rehydrated black beans, that bright flavor makes up for any textural pitfalls. Managing editor Gwynedd Stuart actually buys these for her own quick lunches and throws some greek yogurt and shredded cheese on top. Stunning.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Pacific Foods Harvest Black Bean Chili
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Pacific Foods, you little gem, you. What a delightful can of black bean chili you’ve put out into the universe. This soup is deep and savory without tasting too salty, which is a rarity in the canned soup world. The ingredients taste quite fresh, and they’re texturally perfect; the corn is crisp and plentiful, the red peppers aren’t overcooked, the farro grains have a satisfying chew, and most importantly, the black beans hit that sweet spot of being soft and tender without falling apart. Nothing about this soup feels lazy, cheap, or unhealthy. (I refuse to look at the nutrition facts to confirm or deny that statement, okay? Reality is an illusion. Denial is the only way we survive and evolve.) We already loved their tomato soup, and now we can say that Pacific Foods makes the best black bean chili you can buy, too. Pass me the guac, stat.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
Runner-Up
Best of the Best
Other black bean soups we tried: Goya Black Bean Soup, Progresso Southwest-Style Black Bean Protein Soup, Amy’s Kitchen Black Bean Vegetable Soup, Zoup Fresh Soup Company Black Bean Chili Made With Savory Veggie Broth, Whole Foods Kitchen Black Bean Soup
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!