Copycat Panera Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup in white bowl with chips and parsley.

5 from 4 votes

Copycat Panera Black Bean Soup

Love the flavor of the black bean soup from Panera? Want to enjoy it at home? Now you can with this simple Copycat Panera Black Bean Soup recipe! It has all the same flavors and takes only 30 minutes to make!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Alison Corey

Equipment

stock pot

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion diced
2 carrots peeled and diced
3 celery stalks diced
1 red bell pepper diced
½ tsp salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup vegetable stock
45 ounces black beans 3 (15 ouce) cans do NOT drain and rinse the beans

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Dice the red pepper. Dice the onion, Peel and dice the carrots, and dice the celery.
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the red onion, carrots, celery, and red pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
Add the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir to evenly coat the vegetables. Then add the tomato paste. Stir to combine. Add in the vegetable stock and cook for 5 minutes.
Do not rinse or drain the beans from the cans. Add the black beans, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Serve warm with tortilla chips and fresh herbs (optional.)

Video

Notes

Tips for Making Copycat Panera Black Bean Soup

Wash, and chop all the vegetables before you fire up the pot. This way all the vegetables will cook at the same time.
Do not drain the liquid from the cans of black beans. This liquid is a natural thickener for the soup, without the need to add cornstarch.
If you like a creamier black bean soup, use an immersion blender to blend some or all of the beans to create a puree.
This soup has a mild flavor. If you need more spice or flavor consider adding a teaspoon of cumin, a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or 1 tablespoon of chili powder.
Serve warm. Top with cilantro or parsley, and serve with a side of tortilla chips. Dress up your soup with sliced avocado, a dollop of vegan sour cream, a touch of fresh lemon juice, or a lime wedge.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, and heat on the stove until warm.

Nutrition