It’s spring in Boston! Meaning it’s moving to be consistently above freezing during the day. Here’s a bright, vibrant soup to transition from those cold, bundled up winter days to I-just-need-a-light-jacket. Black Bean Soup is a pantry staple. Chances are you have a can of black beans or a bag of dry black beans sitting around in your pantry. Add some veggies and spices, top with avocado, Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and some lime juice for a colorful, light, yet filling soup.
Ingredients (serves 6 with 1½ c servings).
- 1 package (16 oz) dry black beans
- 1 T light olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced *
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 4 c vegetable stock
- 1 jalapeño, deseeded and minced
- 2-3 t chili powder
- 2-3 t cumin
- Salt to taste
- 1 lime, juiced
* Note: if you want a sweeter, less traditional take on black bean soup, swap 1/2 of a bell pepper with 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced.
Directions.
- Prep and soak black beans according to package directions. (Be aware that this may be involve overnight prep.)
- In a large soup pan, add oil, garlic and onions. Sauté 2-3 min. Add peppers and carrots. Cook veggies until just soft, about 5-7 min.
- Pour in vegetable broth and stir in jalapeño, black beans, cumin, and chili powder. Bring soup to a bowl and reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 30-45 min, stirring occasionally.
- Adjust spices, salt, and lime juice to taste.
- Dish up 1½ c servings. Top with avocado, Greek yogurt or sour cream (skip to be dairy-free), cilantro, hot sauce, and/or extra lime wedges.
- Enjoy hot!
Nutrition for 1 serving (1½ c) without toppings.
315 calories • 3.2. g fat (9%) • 55.9 g carbs (69%) • 17.7 g protein (22%) • 13.3 g fiber • 7.9 g sugar • 36.8 mg sodium
* These are estimates based off specific products I used and how I entered ingredients in a fitness tracker. This is completely subjective and used to give a rough nutritional estimate.
