Green Recipe Of The Month: Savory Black Bean Soup

Are you still cold, too? Someone told me that it is spring, but I get all confused when I read stories of snow in April like the mid-west recently experienced.

That used to not matter to me much, but now that I have traded my west coast roots for a more four season environment, everything I do has more purpose. I wear a coat not as a fashion statement, but because it’s cold. I wear shoes, not because they match my outfit, but rather because it’s cold. I eat soup, not because I absolutely love soup and could eat it 365, but because it’s cold.

As I started digging through some old time favorite recipes, I came across quite a few that just made my mouth water. Each recipe I read brought memories of savory spoonfuls I just had to have now, so I grabbed a few, pulled out the soup pot and “got to cooking.”

Soup is a comfort food that can calm a very hungry tummy or soothe a delicate stomach on a day when you are not feeling too well. A recipe can be quick and easy or require a lot of chopping, simmering, and patience for just one tasty spoonful. Making soup is also green because a soup is also a great way to salvage produce that has begun its journey to the end of its life span. Nothing brings life to a piece of wilted spinach like a great tasting soup.

This Black Bean soup recipe is a staple in our home. There is enough chopping to keep you busy, but not too busy where you’re spending the day in front of the stove. I double most of the soup recipes I make and this one freezes well for an easy defrost on those days when I just don’t feel like cooking.

Ingredients
1 TBSP crushed cumin seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. salt
1 TBSP vegetable or canola oil
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
2 TBSP sherry
32oz. vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 (15oz.) cans low or no-salt black beans, drained
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 TBSP dried)

How You Put it Together
easy black bean soup
Warm the oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
Chop onions, carrots, garlic, and celery and set aside.

easy black bean soup
Measure and crush cumin seeds inside a plastic bag or in between a material that will allow you to crush the seeds without loosing any of the crushed pieces. If you use a plastic bag, then save it because you are going to want to make this soup again.

easy black bean soup
Once oil is heated, add the onions, carrots, garlic, celery, dried oregano, and crushed cumin seeds and sauteé for about 4-5 minutes.

easy black bean soup
Slowly add in the water along with the salt, vegetable broth, and black beans.
Stir.
Once the soup starts to boil, reduce the temperature to low, cover, and cook for 35-45 minutes more.

easy black bean soup
Chop bell pepper and parsley and set aside.

easy black bean soup
While still hot, place 2-3 cups of the soup in a separate bowl, and pureé one cup at a time for about 10-15 seconds each.
Return pureéd soup to the pot and stir well until blended.

easy black bean soup
Add the bell pepper, fresh parsley, sherry, and hot sauce and cook on medium heat for another 5-10 minutes.

easy black bean soup

Serve in individual bowls and top with sour cream and cilantro for added flavor.

An original 5 Minutes for Going Green post. Do you like to eat? I sure do. Let me captivate you in my kitchen. Stop by the Captivated Kitchen, pull up a chair, and let me show you what I’m serving this week.

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3 Responses to Green Recipe Of The Month: Savory Black Bean Soup
  1. Yanic A.
    April 28, 2009 | 5:19 am

    This recipe looks SO good! This is a definite must-try next grocery shopping trip!
    Thanks!

  2. Jennifer @ Captivated Kitchen
    April 28, 2009 | 11:00 pm

    Yanic,

    The soup is delicious and makes up really easily. I hope you enjoy it.

  3. […] from Captivated Kitchen posted her own black bean soup recipe at 5 Minutes for Going […]