My Favorite Black Bean Soup!

I LOVE a good black bean soup! I found a recipe awhile back that I have been tweaking and make for a lot of parties and functions I have at my house. It is always a big hit and I always get asked for the recipe. So I thought I would finally write it down in a post and share it here since I just made it the other day and have it fresh in my mind.

I like to use dry black beans for this but canned will work. Just rinse them first. We bought a ton of dry black beans from the farmers market this summer. They store well for a long time and we enjoy them all winter long. Beans are such a great and healthy source of protein and fiber! 

Recipe:

a lot of black beans! If you use dry then wash them and pick out the stone like ones. I like to cook my dry beans with a little broth, a lot of water (keep them covered in liquid) and seasonings (garlic, onion, pepper, etc) in the crock pot over night. I make a lot at one time so I can use them for different recipes. If you use canned then I would say around 4 cans!

1 large can of crushed tomatoes. Sometimes I will take fresh that I have blanched.

about 4 cups of broth (I have used veggie as well as chicken and they are both delicious)

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil 

1 onion (you can chop this but I like to grate my onion in recipes with a cheese grater to avoid chunks that my kids will pick out)

1-2  stalks of celery, finely chopped

1-2 carrots, finely chopped. you could also grate these.

garlic! I like a lot! good immune boosting properties and makes things smell and taste delicious. I like to buy fresh that is already minced in the jar. Saves me some time and I find I use it more frequently when it is so convenient.

chili powder (if you like it hot then use a lot - if not, then tone it down. )

1 TBS of ground cumin 

a dash of black pepper

a dash or two of garlic powder or garlic salt (easy on the salt as this will have a ton of flavor on its own)

Optional: 1-2 TBS of chia seeds. These are packed with nutrients, fiber and omegas. They expand in liquid to help you feel full. I usually add these to most recipes, esp. soups and smoothees!

Note: I do not like to measure things so that is why some of my instructions are vague. And also why I am terrible at baking. lol you can get away with not measuring with cooking so use your best judgement and play around with the ingredients  to make it work for your taste.

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery and carrot until it starts to get softer but not mushy. Add garlic during last minute or two so it doesn't burn.

Stir in broth and about half of your beans. Add seasonings and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a blender, blend the rest of your beans with your tomatoes until smooth. This will be your heavenly sauce mix!!

Stir into boiling soup and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the better the flavors will mesh together. Make sure you cook it long enough for your veggies to not be crunchy. 

And…... enjoy!!!! You can add a dab of plain greek yogurt (healthy alternative to sour cream) to each bowl if you like. So good!!!

Do you have a  favorite soup recipe to share? I am always looking for new ideas in the kitchen. 

let me know what you think once you try this. 

Thanks and stop and visit me on Facebook soon! Would love to connect with you there and share more healthy living and recipe tips.

~Rebecca~