Black Bean Soup

It’s been terribly cold and rainy, so I wanted to make something for dinner that was simple but tasty.  I ended up making this easy black bean soup recipe, and my entire family thought it was delicious and comforting, and thought it paired nicely with a Mexican wedge salad and some cornbread.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• ½ red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp oregano
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
• 5 cups of chicken broth OR vegetable broth
• 3 (14-oz) cans of black beans, rinsed & drained, (divided)
• 1 bay leaf
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (combined with a bit of cold broth or water and mixed thoroughly into a slurry), optional if a thicker soup is desired

Serving:

• Cilantro, chopped
• Cotija cheese, shredded
• Sour cream
• Avocado, diced
• Hot sauce

How to Make a Black Bean Soup:

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and carrots, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, and red pepper flakes along with the garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Add the broth, half of the black beans, and bay leaf, and season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste. Cook over medium-low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove the bay leaf, and blend the soup using an immersion blender or blender.

Add the remaining beans, along with the cornstarch slurry if you desire a thicker soup. (Be sure the soup is boiling when adding the cornstarch.)

Taste and re-season, as needed.

Garnish the soup with chopped cilantro and shredded cotija cheese and serve with sour cream and avocado, if desired. Enjoy.