Black Bean and Tomato Soup
This is a modified version of a recipe found online. Either canned or cooked black beans can be used. This soup freezes well and can be easily doubled or tripled for future use.
This is a modified version of a recipe found online. Either canned or cooked black beans can be used. This soup freezes well and can be easily doubled or tripled for future use.
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans undrained
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans undrained
- 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile pepper
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt (optional)
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Carbohydrate 40.1439905826612 g
- Cholesterol 2.627625 mg
- Fat 1.00835709411709 g
- Fiber 14.7019522815131 g
- Protein 14.5025601688602 g
- Saturated Fat 0.459430841419869 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (388g)
- Sodium 1023.17384386668 mg
- Sugar 25.4420383011481 g
- Trans Fat 0.0876152337558996 g
- Calories 232 calories
Step-by-step
- Place 1 can black beans and chicken broth into a blender. Cover and puree until smooth.
- Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir remaining 1 can black beans and liquid, tomatoes, yogurt, lime juice, cumin, red pepper flakes, and pureed beans into onion mixture; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Garnish with cilantro to serve.
While a standard puréed black bean soup relies on a heavy stock and a long simmer of whole legumes to build body, this variation introduces diced tomatoes and green chiles to sharpen the profile with acidity and heat. Traditional Latin American bean preparations often build flavor by slowly rendering salt pork or frying aromatics in lard. Here, the technique shifts entirely, utilizing cooking spray to soften the onion and garlic without adding heavy saturated fats from animal oils. Mincing the garlic finely ensures it disperses evenly through the base during the initial five-minute sauté without burning against the dry surface of the saucepan.
Textural contrast forms the core mechanical strategy of this preparation. Blending a single fifteen-ounce can of black beans with chicken broth creates a natural starch suspension that acts as a thickening agent, eliminating the need for flour or cornstarch slurries. Leaving the second can of beans completely intact preserves individual bites, establishing a dual-texture format where smooth purée and firm legumes coexist. When combining these elements, bringing the mixture to a rapid boil before reducing the heat ensures proper starch gelatinization from the puréed beans.
Simmering the covered pot on low heat for twenty-five to thirty minutes allows the cumin and red pepper flakes to fully hydrate and bond with the natural bean starches. Stirring occasionally during this window prevents the dense bean solids from settling at the bottom of the pan and scorching against the metal. Acid incorporation requires careful timing; adding the four teaspoons of lime juice near the end of the cooking process preserves the volatile citrus aromatics that would otherwise dull under prolonged exposure to heat.
Storing this preparation actually improves the overall taste as the starches continue to absorb the surrounding broth over a twelve-to-twenty-four-hour window. The finished soup can be safely refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days or transferred to freezer-safe bags for long-term preservation. Freezing causes the bean starches to release some bound water upon thawing, so whisking the contents vigorously over medium heat during reheating restores the original emulsion.
