Black Bean Soup
Back in college, a great local cafe stayed opened into the wee hours ladling up their version of this stuff. The first time I slurped some of it down after midnight, I decided to make black bean soup my own tradition. Mine is hearty and smoky, and if it's lying around, I'll also throw in a can of beer for good taste and in keeping with the spirit of a good night on the town. Like the onion soup, you'll want to make this ahead of time so you're not faced with the prep-work when you and your friends just want to kick back and chow down after a long night. Using smoked bacon makes all the difference in the world because those beans are just begging for that rich, smoky flavor.
Equipment
- 1 Large Heavy Pot (Dutch Oven) Essential for even heat distribution and simmering.
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For stirring and scraping.
- 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
Main
- 10 slices bacon finely chopped
- 2 medium onions chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 6 garlic cloves pressed
- 1 14 1/2-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 4 15 1/2-ounce cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch cilantro
- juice of 1/2 lime
- Thinly sliced scallions for garnish
- Sour cream for garnish
- Grated cheddar for garnish
Instructions
- Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.
Notes
The key to this robust black bean soup lies in building layers of flavor. Render the bacon slowly over medium heat to extract maximum fat and crispness, which forms the aromatic base. Don't rush the onion and garlic; cooking them until translucent and fragrant respectively sweetens the onions and mellows the garlic's bite. For a truly deep, smoky flavor, consider using smoked paprika in addition to or instead of some chili powder. The recipe mentions adding beer; a dark lager or stout would complement the smoky notes beautifully. Remember, soups often taste better the next day as flavors meld. Adjust consistency with extra broth or water if it's too thick, and ensure proper seasoning with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Fresh cilantro and lime juice brighten the rich soup significantly.