Black Bean Soup
Black Bean Soup + Cilantro-Lime Yogurt
Adapted from Bon Appetit.
This healthy and hearty Black Bean Soup is perfect for wintry days. Garnish with Cilantro-Lime Yogurt, and perhaps some avocado slices and sprigs of cilantro for a bright finish. This soup is even better the next day, and freezes well.
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 pound dried black beans (approximately 2 cups)
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium-size red onions, chopped
1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (add more if you want it spicy)
Juice of 1 lime (reserve 1 tablespoon for yogurt topping)
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation:
- Soak beans in water overnight. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Add onions and both bell peppers and sauté until beginning to brown, about 15-20 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt; stir a few more minutes.
- Add 6 cups water, beans, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and let cook for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until beans are tender.
- Transfer 4 cups of the soup (about half of it) to a blender. Purée until smooth and return to the pot of soup. (You may need to purée the soup in smaller batches — don’t fill the blender more than half way at a time and hold the lid while blending so that it doesn’t splatter up and burn you.) Stir in lime juice, and salt & pepper to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of Cilantro-Lime Yogurt (see recipe below).
Cilantro-Lime Yogurt:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
½ teaspoon cumin
Dash of salt and pepper
Mix together all the ingredients and let chill until soup is ready to serve.
