Black Bean Soup
by Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have
Black bean soup is a simple but so satisfying dish. You can make it with canned beans but it’s particularly good with home-cooked beans as the cooking liquid is a flavorful and rich broth for the dish.
Traditionally you might serve this with slices of avocado, crema or sour cream, cilantro and a little lime juice. Here I served it with pico de gallo which is a delicious alternative. You can simply top it with a few quick-pickled onions–nothing more than thinly sliced onions in vinegar–but you want something bright to complement the richness of the soup.
Serves 4-6
1 lb dry black beans, soaked for 6-8 hours or 3 cans black beans
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, minced (discard seeds and membrane to keep it milder)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoon fresh oregano (use Mexican oregano if you have it but any type is fine)
1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried or fresh sage (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground hot pepper (optional)
Salt
Before serving:
Fresh cilantro, green onions or quick-pickled onions sour cream or crema, sliced avocado and lime juice or pico de gallo
Warm tortillas or rice
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot for which you have a lid, over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots and saute for 7-8 minutes until softening. Add garlic, jalapeno and all herbs and spices and combine well and saute for another 5 minutes, taking care not to burn, turn heat down as needed.
2. Add drained beans to the vegetables, 2 teaspoons salt and enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, crack the lid and cook for about 45 minutes. Alternatively, if you’re using canned beans, add beans and liquid and much less salt and possibly a little water to create the right level of soupiness for your taste.
3. When beans are tender, taste and adjust seasoning to taste. Now you can remove 3 cups of soup and put in blender or food processor and blend and then return to pot to thicken the soup. You can also use a potato or bean masher or immersion blender to mash some of the beans directly in the pot. If using an immersion blender just do so briefly so you don’t blend up all the beans. You’re looking for a rich, silky soup with plenty of whole beans for contrast.
4. If the soup is at all watery continue simmering, uncovered, to reduce and intensify flavors.
5. Serve hot or warm with toppings of choice and with warm tortillas or over rice.
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