Packed with spicy flavor, hearty enough for a meal, and easy enough for a weeknight! The best part: this spicy black bean soup comes together in just over thirty minutes.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 (14 ounce or 400 gram) cans black beans, drained and lightly rinsed
- Hot water, as needed
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Toppings of choice, such as cilantro, scallions, hot sauce and avocado
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Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat.
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When the oil is hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Sweat the veggies for about 5 minutes, until the pepper is soft and the onion is translucent.
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Add the garlic, jalapeño pepper, cumin and ancho chile powder. Cook everything for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
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Stir in the broth and beans. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a simmer.
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Lower the heat and allow the broth to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans soften up a bit. Add water to the pot as needed if it becomes too dry.
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Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup. Alternatively, transfer it in batches to a blender or food processor, and then return the blended portion to the pot.
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Thin the soup with as much water as you like, then reheat it if necessary.
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Remove the soup from the burner and stir in the lime juice, salt and pepper.
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Ladle into bowls and top with toppings of choice. Serve.