Something in the combination of dreary winter days and being a vegan (albeit temporarily) has me craving soup. The good thing about soup is that usually it doesn’t take a lot of work to make a recipe vegan. Swap out chicken broth for veggie broth, don’t use meats and avoid cream soups. Easy stuff.
One of my favourite soups is Black Bean Soup. It’s not secret that I love beans. I could (and kind of have been) eat them every day. Rice and Beans is always a favourite of mine and Black Bean Soup is like Rice and Beans but dare I say… better?
This is the type of soup that is better the day after. When I first tried it I was disappointed because the “broth” didn’t have a lot of body to it. It was mainly just water with a hint of flavour. However, when I brought it for lunch the next day the consistency was thicker.
The soup had great flavour the following day. I loved the spiciness of the chipotle and the extra kick from the cilantro. The cocoa powder seemed like a bit of a pointless addition. It may have added some body to the sauce but it didn’t impart a particular flavour to the soup overall, which I’m fine with, not sure how much of a cocoa flavour I would want in my soup. I also skimped on the orange juice because I ran out. Again, it didn’t really have a big impact on the final product.
I’m definitely adding this one to my soup rotation and I’m so happy that I have two frozen portions of this in my freezer for future lunches.
On a side note… for a more complete meal added about a 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of brown rice to your bowl of soup. SO yummy that way. It gives the soup just that extra bit of heft to make it extra filling.
Chipotle Black Bean Soup
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 2 cups chopped red onion
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano, or 3 tablespoons fresh
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 chopped canned chipotle chilies
- 1/8 cup adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
- 12 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups (dry) black beans, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- sea salt, to taste
Soak the black beans overnight or 6–8 hours prior to cooking.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, peppers and garlic; sauté until the onion is translucent. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the oregano, cumin, chipotle chilies, and adobo sauce; sauté for 1 minute. Add the cold water, bay leaf, and beans. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender.
Stir in the cocoa powder, orange juice, cilantro, scallions, and salt; continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
From The Whole Foods Market Cookbook
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