Soup Sundays - Black Bean Soup
I know, for someone who is "on the fence" when it comes to soup, I certainly have a few recipes to share, don't I?
This is an excellent soup to make when I'm on a Pantry/Freezer Challenge, except the last time, I was surprised when I went to make this and could NOT find a single can of black beans? What the heck??
Ahem. It would seem that Sonny Boy had been doing his own meal prepping and was putting together the fixings for knock off Chipolte Burritos using brown rice (pantry) corn (pantry) and ... you guessed it, black beans (pantry). I couldn't be mad at the kid, you know? ;-) So there was an Aldis trip bright and early that morning ... and, of course, I spent more than I planned (but only because I got sucked in to the cheeses, the zucchini, veggies, and so much more!)
This time around, I checked to make SURE I have a few cans of black beans in the pantry, and yes, there are 8 cans. Oh. That would be because of the recent Hurricane Matthew scare we had. I also have a box of Minute Rice. You know, black beans and rice are pretty damn easy to make and filling to boot ... just a tip on hurricane stuff ...
Ok. Back to the soup. This stuff was pretty spot on this time around. I've made it several times in the past and thought, myself, it was 'ok'. This time? Oh yeah ... I added a can of tomato sauce and THAT gives it the extra zing I've been looking for! Not to mention, it makes the soup a little more darker looking and not a funky brown color ;-)
Here's what you need:
1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
32 oz carton of beef broth
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 tbs cumin
1/2 tbs chili powder
dash of A1 Bold and Spicy sauce
Ready to get this soup cooking? Let's go!
In large dutch oven style pan, cook bacon til just crispy.
Toss in the onions and garlic and saute til soft.
Add all the beans, broth, and the cumin and chili powder. Add the dash/glop of A1 (this is optional but I think it's what really gave it the kick!) and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and add the tomato sauce. Allow to simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom is not sticking/scorching/whatever!
After 20 minutes, take an immersion blender, or masher OR just remove half of the beans to a food processor/blender/bullet and puree. This will give the soup some 'depth' or thickness :) Add back to the remainder of soup (hey, be careful, the stuff HAS been simmering for over 30 minutes by now so it's HOT). *IF you use a blender, take the little insert out of the lid and toss a towel over the opening so the steam can escape!
Serve it up with some sour cream, cheese, more diced onions (or green onions!) and tomatoes (and guac if you are Princess).
I'm so glad that this time, I froze half of the batch in a large ziploc bag (lay flat so it freezes flat and will thaw quicker) so I can just grab for a quick side of soup one night!
This is an excellent soup to make when I'm on a Pantry/Freezer Challenge, except the last time, I was surprised when I went to make this and could NOT find a single can of black beans? What the heck??
Ahem. It would seem that Sonny Boy had been doing his own meal prepping and was putting together the fixings for knock off Chipolte Burritos using brown rice (pantry) corn (pantry) and ... you guessed it, black beans (pantry). I couldn't be mad at the kid, you know? ;-) So there was an Aldis trip bright and early that morning ... and, of course, I spent more than I planned (but only because I got sucked in to the cheeses, the zucchini, veggies, and so much more!)
This time around, I checked to make SURE I have a few cans of black beans in the pantry, and yes, there are 8 cans. Oh. That would be because of the recent Hurricane Matthew scare we had. I also have a box of Minute Rice. You know, black beans and rice are pretty damn easy to make and filling to boot ... just a tip on hurricane stuff ...
Ok. Back to the soup. This stuff was pretty spot on this time around. I've made it several times in the past and thought, myself, it was 'ok'. This time? Oh yeah ... I added a can of tomato sauce and THAT gives it the extra zing I've been looking for! Not to mention, it makes the soup a little more darker looking and not a funky brown color ;-)
Here's what you need:
1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
32 oz carton of beef broth
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 tbs cumin
1/2 tbs chili powder
dash of A1 Bold and Spicy sauce
Ready to get this soup cooking? Let's go!
In large dutch oven style pan, cook bacon til just crispy.
Toss in the onions and garlic and saute til soft.
Add all the beans, broth, and the cumin and chili powder. Add the dash/glop of A1 (this is optional but I think it's what really gave it the kick!) and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and add the tomato sauce. Allow to simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom is not sticking/scorching/whatever!
After 20 minutes, take an immersion blender, or masher OR just remove half of the beans to a food processor/blender/bullet and puree. This will give the soup some 'depth' or thickness :) Add back to the remainder of soup (hey, be careful, the stuff HAS been simmering for over 30 minutes by now so it's HOT). *IF you use a blender, take the little insert out of the lid and toss a towel over the opening so the steam can escape!
Serve it up with some sour cream, cheese, more diced onions (or green onions!) and tomatoes (and guac if you are Princess).
I'm so glad that this time, I froze half of the batch in a large ziploc bag (lay flat so it freezes flat and will thaw quicker) so I can just grab for a quick side of soup one night!
Thanks for sharing this. It looks really good. I love the idea of freezing some for a easy meal later.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's so good when it's defrosted which is really important if you ask me ;-)
DeleteWhat a great sounding soup!
ReplyDeleteI would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
I make black bean soup too but my version is much different. Love the bacon - I will have to try this. Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday!
ReplyDeleteI love black bean soup and this recipe sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteLove your flavor builder w/A1 (of course I love A1 also!!) - recipe sounds delish, thanks for sharing with us at #FoodieFriDIY!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulously hearty soup, perfect for this time of year! Love all the wonderful layers of flavour you have built up. Thank you so much for sharing it with us at Hearth and Soul.
ReplyDeleteYummy. I haven't made black bean soup for a long time...so long I don't think I remember what recipe I used but this sounds like a fun one. Thanks so much for sharing with us. I love the addition of bacon.
ReplyDeleteSee you at FF.
Hearty, easy, and perfect for a Sunday dinner. The bacon is a delicious addition to a classic recipe.
ReplyDelete