Description
This hearty Black Bean Soup recipe combines smoky sausage with a flavorful blend of spices, bell peppers, and black beans simmered to perfection. With a creamy texture achieved by blending part of the soup, it’s a comforting meal perfect for any occasion and easily customizable with fresh toppings like cilantro and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 pound smoked sausage, ¼-inch-thick sliced
Toppings (Optional)
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Sour cream
- Minced red onion
Instructions
- Heat the oil and sauté vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until glistening. Add the diced red onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook while stirring until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more until fragrant and peppers are tender.
- Add liquids and spices: Pour in 4 cups of chicken stock followed by the drained and rinsed black beans. Stir in ground cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, chili powder, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the soup: Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and develop.
- Blend the soup for creaminess: Remove about one-third of the soup and let it cool slightly before blending until smooth. Return the blended portion to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup directly in the pot until slightly thickened.
- Add smoked sausage and warm through: Stir in the sliced smoked sausage and cook over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with fresh cilantro leaves, a dollop of sour cream, and minced red onion if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the smoked sausage and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- If you prefer a spicier soup, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chopped jalapeño.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated on the stovetop.
- For a gluten-free meal, ensure the smoked sausage is gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
