Description
This hearty Black Bean Soup combines smoky bacon, fire roasted tomatoes, and a blend of spices to create a comforting and flavorful meal. Pureed black beans thicken the soup, while fresh lime juice and cilantro add a bright finish. Perfect as a cozy dinner served with your favorite toppings like sour cream, cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 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 the remaining 2 1/2 cans of black beans in a colander and set aside both the puree and whole beans.
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large pot over medium heat and add chopped bacon. Cook until crisp, tossing occasionally. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté Vegetables and Spices: To the same pot with bacon fat, add onions and diced bell pepper or poblano pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Beans: Stir in the remaining chicken broth (3 cups), the rinsed whole black beans, pureed black bean mixture, and fire roasted diced tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Simmer 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 allow flavors to meld.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the cooked bacon, fresh lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Serve the soup warm, topped with your choice of sour cream, shredded cheese, diced avocado, diced tomatoes, extra cilantro, and tortilla chips if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- To make this soup spicier, add chopped jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper when sautéing vegetables.
- Black beans can be cooked from dry if preferred, but canned beans save time.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level more easily.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freezes nicely for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
