February 16, 2016

Black bean soup

I hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day weekend.  After all the chocolate talk we've been indulging in, I'm ready to take a trip on the savory side.  Let's make soup!
Soup is one of those hearty, comforting things I enjoy all year round.  But when the temps drop, as it did this past weekend into negative territory, I really get the hankering to make and eat some.

I've rarely met a soup I didn't like.  It's hard to go wrong with you're starting with things like onions, carrots, and garlic.  So I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to soups.  For the most part, I'm looking for something simple, delicious, and nutritious that could fill in as a meal or be a great starter.  I keep an eye out for good possibilities and this latest soup caught my eye and comes from the current issue of Rachael Ray magazine.
This is a thick black bean soup that reminds me a lot of chili.  It's made with pantry staples like canned diced tomatoes and black beans, as well as fresh ingredients in the form of onions and carrots.  Flavored with garlic, chili powder and dried oregano, everything cooks together and then you take an immersion blender and blend about one-third of the soup to make a thick consistency.

This thick, creamy, satisfying soup was just what we needed over the past weekend with the freezing temps.  I wish I had some more left but we seem to plow through soup very quickly here.  Looks like I'll need to make more soon!

I didn't mention it in the recipe but I tossed a few extra spices into the soup.  It's fun to look in your spice cupboard and throw a few extra pinches of flavor into your soup. I added some paprika and cayenne, as well as a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Feel free to toss in a little ground cumin or other spices you enjoy.
This final soup is nice and hearty and my husband and I enjoyed it plain as well as with sandwiches.  If you'd like to include some toppings, the recipe suggests toasted corn tortillas (cut tortillas into thin strips, lightly spray with cooking spray and bake at 425 degrees for about 6-8 minutes until crisp) as well as a dollop of light sour cream. Both good ideas, I think...

Are you planning on making soup soon?  It always hits the spot!

Recipe:

Black Bean Soup
Adapted from March 2016 issue of Rachael Ray Every Day magazine

- Approximately 4 servings - 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 small/medium carrots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 to 15.5 oz.) low-sodium black beans, rinsed
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Salt and pepper, for seasoning

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions, carrot, and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6-8 minutes.  Stir in the chili powder and oregano.  Cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute.  

Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until liquid reduces slightly.  Add beans and stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often.  You want to give the soup a chance to thicken and for the flavors to meld.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Let soup cool for 5 minutes, then puree about one-third of the soup with an immersion blender, or in a blender.  Stir together and the soup is ready to serve.


30 comments:

  1. What a warming and delicious soup! It would be really nice to serve with some garlic bread for the lunch :-) Now my mouth is watering, Monica.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Garlic bread sure makes everything better! We just had some last night but with pasta...definitely wonderful with soup.

      Delete
  2. This bean soup looks awesome, Monica! I sure can have this for dinner every night! So comfy and cozy ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love easy to make soups and they are always easy to eat! ; )

      Delete
  3. Black beans are my favourite, this looks so hearty and warming.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love all kinds of beans, too. This one was definitely hearty and filling.

      Delete
  4. This soup looks so hearty and I love how the flavors are developed with a reasonably short ingredients list! Gotta try :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A relatively short ingredient list is really appealing to me, Medha. As you can imagine, it's great the next day but the flavors do meld and blending some of it up helps too.

      Delete
  5. I adore black bean soup and I love how thick and hearty this looks. Love the chunky carrots too! Where did that long weekend go?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I'm saying that for the whole winter! It's flying by for sure. Glad it's drying up here. Have a great rest of the week!

      Delete
  6. A comforting soup is what we all need after all the sweets we've eaten during Valentine's. And this soup is absolutely perfect!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes...I am enjoying my Valentine chocolates in the evening but we sure need a lot of hearty foods the rest of the time. ; )

      Delete
  7. I love black beans. This recipe sounds so delicious! Can't wait to try this out!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can't go wrong with all these wonderful vegetables, some spice, and the hearty texture. Hope you get to give it a go.

      Delete
  8. That sounds so good Monica! You guys are having such a cold winter so this would be so welcome. But even in this heat this looks delightful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The temps have been all over the place! It hit 50 yesterday after a few days of below-zero. The adventures of winter, all smoothed over with bowls of soup (and plates of cake)! ; )

      Delete
  9. A nice hot bowl of your delicious black bean soup would go perfect right now. It is not too cold in HK but super damp. You remember that I am sure. I have been emptying the de-humidifiers every 4 hours and they hold 2 liters.. Love the simplicity of this soup and I think I have everything in my pantry to make it too. bonus!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I bet the de-humidifier is a must-have! Damp is no fun at all.
      I was attracted to this recipe when I first noticed I pretty much had all the ingredients on hand to make it. It makes a good meal.

      Delete
  10. This soup looks so inviting ♥

    summerdaisy.net

    ReplyDelete
  11. Replies
    1. I like clear broth soups, too, but it won't fill me up the same. A chunkier soup is very satisfying, I agree.

      Delete
  12. We've been living on soup lately since it's been SO cold. Love how hearty and filling this soup is! It's the perfect meal to get cozy and warm up with! Hope you guys are staying warm! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It warmed back up here, Kelly. The weather is kind of topsy turvy. Hope you all stay warm and the slow cooker is being put to good use! : )

      Delete
  13. Love that you added extra spices! I like to do that too! Mmmmmm soups make me happy :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the fun of cooking, right...you can just toss in anything you like. I definitely add a pinch of a this and another pinch of that...more spices, the better, most of the time.

      Delete
  14. This looks so homey and comforting. Definitely perfect on a cold winter's day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always crave a hearty soup I can heat up for an easy dinner. : )

      Delete
  15. Monica I am like you! I love eating soups and I almost like every soup! This looks so good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was trying to think of the last soup I had and didn't really like and came up empty. That's a good thing!

      Delete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...