Description
A hearty and flavorful Black Bean Soup featuring pureed and whole black beans, smoky bacon, sautéed vegetables, and a blend of spices. This comforting soup is topped with fresh lime juice, cilantro, and optional garnishes like sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips for a perfect, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 (14.5 oz) cans black beans, divided
- 6 slices (7 oz) bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped (1 3/4 cups)
- 1 medium red bell pepper or 1 large poblano pepper, seeded, stemmed and diced small
- 4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp chili powder (regular or Ancho)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Toppings (optional)
- Sour cream
- Shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese
- Diced avocado
- Diced roma tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Puree the Beans: Place 1 1/2 cans of drained black beans in a food processor along with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Pulse until well pureed. Rinse the remaining 2 1/2 cans of black beans in a colander and set all beans aside.
- Cook the Bacon: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp, tossing occasionally. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté Vegetables and Spices: Add chopped onions and diced bell pepper or poblano pepper to the pot with bacon fat. Sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic, chili powder, and ground cumin, sautéing for another 1 minute to release the flavors.
- Add Liquids and Beans: Pour in the remaining chicken broth (3 cups) followed by the rinsed black beans, pureed black bean mixture, and fire roasted diced tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and to blend the flavors.
- Finish and Serve: Stir the cooked bacon pieces, fresh lime juice, and chopped cilantro into the soup. Serve warm, topped with desired optional garnishes such as sour cream, shredded cheese, diced avocado, diced tomatoes, extra cilantro, and tortilla chips.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Adjust the chili powder and cumin according to your preferred spice level.
- To make the soup thicker, blend more beans or simmer longer uncovered.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Rinsing canned beans reduces sodium and improves the soup's texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
