Description
A hearty and flavorful Black Bean Soup featuring a blend of black beans, smoky bacon, fresh vegetables, and spices, simmered to perfection and served with optional delicious toppings.
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
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese
- Diced avocado
- Diced roma tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Puree Beans: Place 1 1/2 cans of drained black beans in a food processor along with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and pulse until well pureed. Rinse remaining 2 1/2 cans of black beans in a colander. Set all black beans aside.
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, tossing occasionally. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving rendered bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté Vegetables and Spices: Add chopped onion and bell pepper or poblano pepper to the pot and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin and sauté for 1 minute longer. Stir in the remaining chicken broth (3 cups).
- Combine Ingredients and Simmer: Pour in the remaining chicken broth, the rinsed black beans, the black bean puree mixture, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Final Touches and Serve: Stir in cooked bacon, fresh lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with your choice of optional toppings such as sour cream, cheese, avocado, diced roma tomatoes, additional cilantro, and tortilla chips.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level in the soup.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Adjust chili powder and cumin amounts to your preferred spice level.
- Pureeing some beans gives the soup a creamy texture without using cream.
- Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For added heat, sprinkle chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce when serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
