Description
This soup is very flexible. You can spice it up. You can make it mild. You can make it on the stove top or an Instant Pot®. You can use dried, tinned or even frozen black beans. And once it’s in your bowl, you can enjoy it plain or piled high with garnishes. How you make it is up to you. Just make it.
Ingredients
Soup
1 tablespoon (15 mL) oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon (15 mL) dried cumin
1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried coriander
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) dried chili flakes OR 1 teaspoon (5 mL) chipotle powder*
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) fine sea salt
4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable stock
1 (14 oz / 398 mL) tin black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 ½ cups (350 mL) cooked or 1 cup (250 mL) dried beans)
1 (10 oz / 300 mL) jar roasted red peppers (about 4 small)
1 (28 oz / 796 mL) tin diced tomatoes
Garnish
3/4 cup (175 mL) roughly chopped cilantro, divided
1 (14 oz /398 mL) tin black beans, rinsed and drained (1 ½ cups / 350 mL cooked)
1 cup sour cream (optional)
lime wedges (optional)
tortilla strips (optional)
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté 5 minutes or until the onion becomes soft. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.
Add the cumin, coriander, chili flaks (or chipotle), and salt. Stir and cook for a minute until fragrant. Add the stock, beans, roasted peppers, and tomatoes (including the juice). The next step depends on the type of beans you’re using and your chosen cooking method.
STOVETOP:
Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes if using tinned beans. If using dried beans, cook for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender.
INSTANT POT®:
Set to “Soup” and pressure cook for 10 minutes if using tinned beans, 30 minutes if using dried beans.
Regardless of cooking method, use an immersion blender to purée the soup right in the pot. Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) cilantro leaves and blend to chop them into the soup. (If using a regular blender, purée the soup in batches and return to pot when done.) Stir in the second tin of whole beans for a mixed texture, and heat through.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with a swirl of sour cream. Sprinkle with reserved cilantro, a wedge of lime and some tortilla strips, if desired.
Notes
* I like a bit of warmth. Reduce the chili flaks or chipotle if you want a mild soup.
To make this soup vegan, use vegetable stock and skip the sour cream.
Keywords: black beans, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cilantro,