Easy Black Bean Soup Recipe

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Add the jalapeno, celery, and carrots. Continue to cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. In the last two minutes stir in the minced garlic and water (or broth), mixing well to combine. Cover, and allow vegetables to steam for 2-3 minutes.
Once vegetables have softened (the celery typically takes the longest), add the black beans. I added three cans of black beans with all the liquid. The other two cans were drained, but not rinsed.
Add the salsa (or diced tomatoes) and season with ground cumin, salt, pepper, and fresh lime juice. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent the beans from burning to the bottom of the pot.
Serve warm topped with additional salsa, hot sauce, sour cream (non-vegan), cheese (non-vegan), avocado, or crushed tortilla chips.