New Mexico 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.)

BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Put the beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 2-inches. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes; remove from the heat, cover and set aside for one hour. Drain and reserve.
• In a large soup pot heat the butter or oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and carrots, and saute until wilted and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and saute for 3 minutes more. Add the beans, hocks, water or stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cook until beans and meat are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn the soup off. Remove the hocks from the soup, set aside to cool. Remove the meat from the hocks, discarding the bones, fat and skin. Cut the meat into small cubes. Puree the soup, with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Heat the soup to a simmer with the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sherry. To serve, divide the soup among warmed bowls, and top with one or more of the garnishes, if desired.

MEXICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp, stirring frequently.
• Remove bacon and chop coarsely.
• Leave approximately 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in pan and add chopped bacon, onion, garlic, & bay leaf.
• When onion is tender, add tomatoes and seasonings and stir until aromatic.
• Add beans and broth.
• Cook at a slow boil until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours (you may also use a slow cooker on low-med heat for this last step).
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese on top.

CONTEST-WINNING BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mash 1 can black beans; set aside. In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion, red pepper and jalapeno in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, hot sauce, pepper, bay leaf, mashed black beans and remaining whole beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. , Discard bay leaf. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1-1/2 teaspoons green onion.

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.

BOBBY FLAY'S BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive in in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Add carrot, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
• Add wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.
• Add beans and reduce heat to medium.
• Add chilies and broth and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• Using a blender or food processor, puree half of the soup and return it to the pot.
• Bring to a simmer before serving.
• Top with garnishes such as finely chopped red onion, coarsely chopped avocado, diced tomatoes and sour cream.

CLASSIC BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, place beans and enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Heat to boiling; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. Drain beans; set aside.
• In 3- or 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook 3 cups onions and the bell pepper in oil 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add cumin, oregano and garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add drained beans, broth and water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Partially cover; simmer 1 hour 30 minutes or until beans are tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
• In blender, place half of bean mixture. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth. Return pureed soup to remaining soup in pan. Stir in lime juice, pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Serve with cheese, finely chopped onion, sour cream and cilantro.

MEXICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, mash beans slightly with potato masher. Stir in broth, salsa, lime juice, chile and cumin. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.
• Top individual servings with cheese. Serve with lime wedges.

VENEZUELAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir onion, leek, and garlic in the hot oil until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add water, black beans, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
• Discard bay leaves from the soup. Serve with croutons.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• This soup is preferably made at least one day in advance.
• Slice off and reserve the rind of the bacon. Cut the bacon into quarter-inch cubes. There should be about one and one-half cups.
• Put the bacon cubes and the rind into a heavy kettle or casserole and cook, stirring often, until rendered of fat. When ready, the bacon cubes should be well-browned and crisp.
• Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaf, garlic, thyme, three tablespoons of the cumin, black pepper and oregano. Stir to blend and cover the kettle or casserole closely. Cook about five minutes over moderately low heat. Do not allow the mixture to burn.
• Add the tomato paste and stir briefly. Add the chicken broth and bring to the boil.
• Rinse and drain the beans and add them to the soup. Cook, uncovered, over relatively high heat about two and one-half hours, skimming the surface occasionally to remove foam, scum and fat as it rises to the top. The soup is ready when the beans are soft and some of them have disintegrated because of the cooking heat and stirring.
• Stir in the lime juice, cayenne pepper, salt, cilantro and remaining cumin. Remove and discard the bacon rind and bay leaf.
• Ladle the soup into individual soup bowls. Serve the salsa and sour cream on the side, to be added at will. This soup is best served with jalapeno corn-bread muffins as an accompaniment.

EL PASO BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the onion, carrot and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in broth and refried beans; whisk until smooth. Stir in the beans, ham, parsley, cumin, chili powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and heat through.