Recipe by Cody Owens
The humble black bean soup may not win any beauty contests, be featured on the cover of Vogue, or be photographed with one of the Hadids vacationing on the Amalfi Coast. In fact, some people have said some pretty mean things about beans over the years.
They’re wrong.
Beans have suffered from bad PR for far too long, and it’s time we did our part to change that. They need our help just as much as we need them.
So let us all unite around this noble cause with a simple recipe that uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. I’m firmly in the camp that believes soup is a year-round food, so while this makes for a comforting fall meal, I’ve enjoyed it whenever and wherever the craving strikes.
It’s been rumored that black bean soup and I even vacationed together on the Amalfi Coast last summer. But I digress; here’s the recipe.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, zested and juiced
½ red onion, diced
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped (stems and leaves separated)
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 (15-ounce) cans black beans, two drained and two undrained
Vinegar pepper sauce or apple cider vinegar, to taste
Directions
- In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, and cilantro stems (reserving the leaves for garnish). Cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and lime zest. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add all four cans of black beans, including the liquid from the two undrained cans. The bean liquid helps thicken the soup as it cooks.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes. As the soup cooks, periodically mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to create a thicker, creamier texture.
- Remove from heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon of cold butter, the juice from half the lime, and a few dashes of vinegar pepper sauce (or apple cider vinegar) to taste.
- Garnish with the reserved cilantro leaves before serving.
Pro Tip: Serve with a scoop of white rice for an even heartier meal.
