Japanese Black Bean Soup Recipes

BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pan. Add the onions, garlic cloves and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown.
• Add the black beans, chicken broth, oregano, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
• Purée the soup using a hand-held immersion blender until very smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, you can use a standard blender to puree the soup in batches; see note.) Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and freshly chopped cilantro.
• Note: If using a standard blender, purée the soup in batches, being careful not to fill the jar more than halfway. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open and loosely cover with a dish towel to allow the heat to escape. Pour the blended soup into a clean pot.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. (It may thicken up a bit while in the freezer; if so, just thin it out with a bit of water or broth while reheating.)

FAST AND DELICIOUS BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Mix in 1 can black beans and chicken broth.
• In a blender, puree remaining can of beans until smooth. Mix into the pot. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Mix in ham, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Garnish with Cheddar cheese and sour cream to serve.

JAPANESE BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Most times I can't find chicken broth so I use 2 cans of chicken noodle soup strained so you just have the broth, with water added to equal 5 cups.
• Put everything in a big pot and cook until the veggies are tender. Put 2/3rds of the soup in the blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into the pot. Add the refried beans as the last step. Why last? They tend to settle on the bottom and can burn. Stir and smash the congealed beans until they are no longer one huge clump o'beans.
• Variations I have tried include adding salsa, spooning it over rice or mashed potatoes, topping it with sour cream and green onions or just adding some chopped onions on top. Definitely a crowd pleaser!

BEST BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. Put on a teakettle of water to boil, and keep hot.
• In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pour in wine and let simmer until pan is almost dry and vegetables are coated. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, just until softened, 2 minutes. Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.
• Add beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are just softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours. Add salt and pepper and keep cooking until beans are soft.
• Meanwhile, make the pickled onions, if using: In a bowl, combine sliced onions, lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Let soften at room temperature until crunchy and tart, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry in paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, chop coarsely before serving.
• Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
• Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.
• Serve in deep bowls, garnishing each serving with sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro leaves, sliced chiles and avocado as desired.

QUICK AND EASY BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place bacon in a cold pot. Turn heat to medium, cook and stir until the bacon is cooked but not crisp.
• Stir in onion; cook and stir for 5 minutes, until the onion turns translucent and golden.
• Stir in garlic; cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock, turn heat to medium-high. Stir in oregano, cayenne and salt. Add black beans and water. Return to a simmer.
• Simmer on medium-low, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes. While it's cooking, mash about half the beans to thicken the soup.
• Stir in black pepper and cumin. Add salt to taste.
• Make the relish by stirring together minced green onion, sambal paste, and lime juice.
• Serve garnished with relish, chopped green onions, and sour cream.

EASY AND SUPER DELICIOUS BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Thoroughly mash black beans in a small bowl. Stir salsa into the beans; transfer mixture to a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Pour vegetable broth into the saucepan; stir. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces slightly and thickens to your preferred texture, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Season the soup with salt. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the soup and stir to melt. Continue to cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Divide between 2 bowls and top each portion with a dollop of sour cream.