Four cans o’ beans. That seems like a lot of beans, doesn’t it? Well, guess what? That’s only going to be about $4. I even found 6 ounce cans of black beans for 78 cents each- whadda deal! I know I post a lot of soups on here, but I love soup so I don’t care! Its my blog isn’t it?
This is a really hearty and delicious soup- and one of my personal favorites since I was a little girl. My dad and I always shared a love for this soup at Mexican restaurants, and it wasn’t long until I wanted to make it for dinner myself. This soup is filled with protein, fiber, and iron (my personal favorite micronutrient- I’m a nutrition nerd maybe?)This soup is also very easy to make- besides maybe the fact that you have to blend it, but I bet it would be good in whole bean form too! I enjoyed this soup on a rainy Washington fall night, and it tasted delicious. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 large carrots, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
4½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 (15-ounce) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Ideas for garnishes: diced avocado, extra cilantro, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, tortilla chips…
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, celery and carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft- about 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the broth is flavorful and the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes.
Puree about 4 cups of the soup at a time in a blender until smooth (warning- HOT!!) Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in the cilantro, vinegar/lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Done!