Black Bean Soup
Servings 4
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
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
Instructions
- 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.