Despite the ridiculous heat wave the Midwest is experiencing, I still have been wanting a bowl of black bean soup. This afternoon, I braved the eighty degree heat (it's even hotter inside our apartment!) to cook up a big pot. Luckily, the recipe didn't take long at all, so I didn't have to sweat to death. Hopefully this will be helpful for someone who is not super warm and sweaty!
I got the basic recipe idea from a Food Network recipe but changed it a bit, as described below.
Ingredients:
- 8 strips of bacon, cut into tiny pieces (nearly the size of the onion pieces)
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 12 fluid ounces of chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
- 1 tablespoon of A1 sauce
- 1 tablespoon of chili powder
- 5 tablespoons garlic powder
- 4 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
- sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Suggested garnishes:
- cilantro
- sour cream (or greek yogurt!)
- cheddar cheese
- green onions
First, I threw the bacon pieces into a large pot on medium heat, then let them do their sizzling thing for a few (four?) minutes. Second, I added the diced onion, stirred it a bit, and let the mixture sizzle for another four minutes. Next, I stirred in the chicken stock, ketchup, A1 sauce, chili powder, and garlic powder. Then, I added the black beans, stirred, adjusted the heat to a simmering temperature, and let the soup simmer for fifteen minutes. Next, I blended some of the soup with an immersion blender to thicken it up. Finally, I added the lime juice and pepper.
Go ahead and choose any number of the suggested garnishes. I love adding greek yogurt because I am obsessed with its creaminess and protein-power. This is a pretty simple soup to make, but it will be amazing after an intense yoga sesh. So much protein! So much fiber! So much yummy!
Note that you can make this vegan pretty easily. Omit the bacon, use vegetable stock rather than chicken stock, and don't garnish with any dairy products. If you want, you could use non-dairy yogurt. I believe that A1 is vegan, but I am not a vegan-expert so you should check for yourself.
Now, I am off to a barbecue!! I'll be bringing a delicious broccoli salad! I'll have to write about that sometime. Unlike the soup, the broccoli salad is seasonally appropriate! (and still delicious DUH!)