Smoky Black Bean Soup

I came up with this recipe about a year ago, and have made it several times since. It is one of my favorites because I love black beans, and the seasonings in this soup make these humble beans taste even better.

Smoky Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black beans
4 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp agave nectar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp liquid smoke flavor
2 tsp vegetable bouillon
3/4 cup corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
1/2 cup fresh chopped spinach (frozen would work, too)
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Soak your beans in water over night. If it is warm, you may want to soak them in the fridge so they won't start fermenting or doing anything weird.  If you forgot to soak them, you can always boil them and then take them off the heat and let them sit for a couple of hours.

Start by cooking the beans until they are tender. 

On the stovetop: 
I don't add much at this point just keep the beans covered with water at a low boil until they are tender. Stir occasionally and add water as needed so they don't burn or stick to your pan. This can take a long time so be prepared for the down time.

In the pressure cooker:
Put the beans, 1 tbsp of oil and 4 cups of water in your pressure cooker. Secure the lid and bring the contents to a boil. When the pressure release valve starts letting out steam, reduce the heat to medium low and let the beans cook for another 30 minutes.

You could also start with canned beans if you prefer.

Once your beans are cooked you can build the soup. 

Start heating the olive oil in the bottom of a large stockpot over medium-low.  Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and let that cook until the onions have started to soften. This takes about 5 minutes. Then add the spices which are: oregano, cumin, cayenne, agave, vinegar, liquid smoke and bouillon. Finally add your beans and the liquid they cooked in.

Let the flavors blend for about 20-30 more minutes. 

Finally, add the corn and spinach and let them heat through. I like the spinach to be bright green and not cooked down much. Taste to adjust the seasoning, this is where I added the 1/2 tsp salt. I love salt, so you may want to start with half that and see what you think.

This soup was such a hit that we just had it two weeks in a row. My son eats it up, veggies and all and I kind of wanted to lick the bowl.

For 5 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 295 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  186 Calories from Fat  33

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  3.6g 6%

Saturated Fat  0.6g 3%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  244mg 10%

Potassium  684mg 20%

Total Carbohydrates  30.9g 10%

Dietary Fiber  6.9g 28%

Sugars  2.2g

Protein  9.4g

Vitamin A 7% • Vitamin C 6% Calcium 7% • Iron 16%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet