As I sit here, looking for the right words to tell you about this soup. I glance out the window and see the snow angrily falling. What a perfect dish to serve after a long bout of snow shoveling! Black bean soup, with it’s Cuban flair, thick and creamy, bursting with warm spices. You can add smoked meat, such as ham or bacon if you prefer but if you do, I suggest omitting the salt as there is loads of salt in ham and the chicken stock. You can always add more salt after cooking. I like to add a handful of shredded cheese and a sprinkle of chopped red onions on top of my bowl of soup, or a dollop of sour cream, sprinkled with chopped cilantro.

I prefer a thick and creamy soup, so I take a potato masher and smash some of the beans until I’ve reached the desired consistency. Now I’m sure you’ll notice my photo looks like I mutilated my soup and you’re right, I did. I had just bought myself an immersion blender and figured I’d try it instead of a potato masher. Well, I had no idea what a powerful little gadget I had in my hand. Wowsa! It was creamy for sure.

You can make this soup in the slow cooker as well. I would still saute all the veggies first, as it really brings out the flavor. But I do admit, I was in a hurry once and just tossed everything in the slow cooker, left it on low overnight and it turned out as tasty as ever.

Black Bean Soup

Recipe by Diane BeckerCourse: Soups

Servings

servings

Ingredients

1 pound black beans (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small green pepper, finely diced
1 small red pepper, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
16 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
8 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash of Tabasco sauce

Directions

Place the beans in a large pot. Fill pot with water (about 2 inches over the beans), cover and let soak overnight.
In the morning, drain and rinse the beans and set aside.
In your large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onions, green and red pepper and celery. Saute for 8-10 minutes or until soft. 5. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
Add all the spices and saute for 1 minute to “toast” the spices.
Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 3-4 hours (or until beans are soft and tender), stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaf .
10. If you prefer a thicker soup, smash some of the beans with a potato masher or immersion blender.
11. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.