Search
by Ingredient

Black Bean Soup#1

Empty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty star

Submitted by brigid

Rich black bean soup simmered with bacon, ham, brown rice, cumin, and garlic, then blended smooth and finished with sherry. A big-batch crowd pleaser.

This is a serious batch of black bean soup. Dried beans soaked overnight, simmered for hours with bacon, diced ham, brown rice, and a mountain of aromatics (eight onions, seven garlic cloves, seven stalks of celery), then blended smooth and finished with sherry and white wine.

The bacon and ham build a smoky, meaty backbone that you can’t replicate with vegetable stock alone. Cooking them with the vegetables before the beans go in renders the fat and infuses the base with flavor from the start.

Brown rice pulls double duty here. It adds body to the soup and thickens it naturally once everything gets blended. Combined with the pureed beans, the result is a velvety texture with real substance.

After blending, the soup returns to the pot for a long, gentle reheat with sherry and white wine stirred in. That low simmer lets the alcohol cook off while the wine’s acidity brightens the deep, earthy flavor of the beans.

Pro Tips

  • Soak the beans overnight and rinse well before cooking to reduce cooking time and improve digestibility
  • Blend in batches and vent the blender lid to avoid hot soup erupting
  • The cumin and cayenne build slowly during the long simmer, so taste before adding more at the end
  • This soup freezes beautifully, so portion extras into containers before adding the sherry

Variations

  • Garnish with sour cream, diced onion, and a squeeze of lime
  • Add smoked turkey legs instead of ham for a different smoky flavor
  • Leave half the soup unblended for a chunky-smooth texture

Ingredients

2 907.2
POUNDS G BLACK BEANS
½ 118
CUP ML SUNFLOWER OIL
½ 226.8
POUND G BACON
½ 226.8
POUND G HAM
diced
8 8
EACH ONIONS
chopped
7 7
CLOVES CLOVES GARLIC
peeled and minced
7 7
STALKS EACH CELERY
with leaves
3 710
CUPS ML BROWN RICE
uncooked
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML CAYENNE PEPPER
1 15
TABLESPOON ML SEASONED SALT
vegetable
4 20
TEASPOONS ML CUMIN
ground
¼ 59
CUP ML WHITE WINE *
1 237
CUP ML SHERRY *
6 6
QUARTS QUARTS CHICKEN BROTH
or 3 bouillon cubes and water *

Directions

Wash black beans, cover with water and allow to soak overnight; rinse; drain; set aside.

Pour oil into large soup pot.

Add bacon, ham, onion, garlic and celery. Cook at high simmmer until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

Add beans, rice, seasonings, and broth to soup pot.

Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 2½ to 3 hours.

Let soup cool; put through a blender a little at a time until smooth.

Return to soup pot; reheat on low about 45 minutes, adding wine andsherry.

Ladle into bowls.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

Comments


 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 819g (28.9 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 1683 34% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 63g 98%
Saturated Fat 14g 68%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 4275mg 178%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 68%
Dietary Fiber 30g 120%
Sugars g
Protein 153g
Vitamin A 9% Vitamin C 41%
Calcium 24% Iron 62%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, High Fiber
 
More health news

Email this recipe