Black Bean Soup
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Black bean soup is an easy, warm-you-up meal for enjoying at home or taking on the go. This post is sponsored by Stanley.
After nearly a year, I feel like we’ve gotten the hang of this remote-living life. Sure, it took moving across the country to get to that point, but we’re on a roll now.
Being at home has its advantages, like being able to cook dinner for the family without feeling rushed.
However, it also means that we need to find ways to get out of the house, and in wintertime that equals plenty of time in the snow!
I don’t know about you, but I forgot just how much sledding and snowball fights work up an appetite. Why reach for a granola bar when you can grab something hearty and warm?
Fortunately we can just grab one of our Stanley stainless containers and fill it up.
My kids love beans, which means it is really easy for me to make a meatless meal that can take on a variety of flavors.
One of their favorites is black bean soup. We’ve taken to making it constantly, especially if we have plans to go camping or want to romp around outside.
Our Stanley containers keep the soup (or coffee, or anything else) warm for hours, and because they are made of durable stainless steel, the containers can handle a tumble off the picnic table or my kids dropping them on the ground.
How to cook dried beans
I use my electric pressure cooker whenever I cook beans. It’s quick and easy and it means I don’t have to remember to soak the beans the night before (since I never do).
In an electric pressure cooker, it takes about 45 minutes total. Mine has a special “bean” button that sets for 30 minutes. The other 15 minutes is for bringing the cooker to pressure. Once cooked, you can simply keep them warm in the cooker until you’re ready to make the soup.
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, I recommend soaking the beans overnight, which reduces cooking time. Then, add the beans to a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until tender.
The amount of time depends on the type of bean you’re using and how old they are, but will take approximately 60 minutes for black beans.
Dried beans versus canned beans
If you’re skimped for time, you can use canned beans in this recipe. This recipe uses 2 cups of cooked beans, so you can swap in one 19-ounce can.
You can also use two 14.5 ounce cans and just have a little extra bean goodness!
Black bean soup toppings
Almost anything goes for topping this soup. If you’re out and about, you can pack a few different items into small reusable pouches and let everyone choose their favorite.
My older son and I go for pickled onions, jalapeño, and avocado, while my younger son always wants cheese on his.
Chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, or crispy tortilla strips would all be great options as well.
We enjoyed this soup while sitting around our winter backyard bonfire. The Stanley food jar kept it warm for hours while we were outside. I can’t wait to take it on our next camping trip!
Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon epazote or Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cooked black beans, with cooking liquid
- Optional toppings such as pickled onions, jalapeños, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, or sour cream
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pot set over medium-high heat. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, then stir in tomatoes.
- Stir in spices and mix well, cooking until fragrant.
- Add beans and their cooking liquid and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove 2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender, then return to the pot and stir well. Simmer another 5 minutes and serve.
This soup looks so good! We love anything black bean around here. So smart to put it in the food jar to stay warm.