Healthy Black Bean Soup Recipes

This is a zippy Southwestern-flavored black bean soup. We make it with canned beans so it comes together in minutes. If you have leftovers, pack them up in individual serving containers for lunch the next day.

In this healthy vegetable chowder recipe, heavy cream is replaced with milk and flour-thickened vegetable broth and we keep sodium amounts reasonable with lower-sodium broth. By making your own creamy vegetarian chowder, you'll save up to 300 calories, 20 grams of saturated fat and 500 milligrams of sodium per serving compared to many store-bought or restaurant chowders.

Serve this zesty bean and barley soup garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired.

Fresh orange and lime juices provide a citrus tang that balances the earthy, rich black beans and the light spice of smoky chipotle (actually dried and smoked jalapenos). To serve alongside, doctor up your favorite cornbread recipe with added corn kernels and Cheddar cheese baked in.

Who wouldn't want to eat their vegetables when they're tucked into a fragrant broth with bits of tasty chicken and spiked with a shot of fresh lime and cilantro? This healthy chicken vegetable soup seems even richer with the smoky flavor from roasted poblano peppers and garlic. Serve this healthy chicken soup recipe with tortilla chips.

This will probably be the most hauntingly delicious black bean soup you've ever tasted. The coffee adds a slightly toasty, woodsy background note. The optional ham hock adds smoky, salty ham flavor. Serve with a mixed green salad or a grilled cheese sandwich with pickled jalapeños. Recipe by Joyce Hendley for EatingWell.

Posole, originally from Jalisco, Mexico, is traditionally served around Christmastime. It's so tasty and--with a few convenience items like canned hominy and chili powder--easy to make that we like it any time of year. Shredded cheese, cilantro or thinly sliced radishes are traditional toppings for this stew.

In New Mexico and Arizona, posole is usually made with homemade pork stock and served at celebrations. For a quick weeknight meal, choose chicken and spice it with ground red chile and toasted oregano.