30 Minute Easy Black Bean Soup

I LOVE making soup! This soup is easy, and quick. For more flavor development, you can cook it for longer time. I like to garnish it with cashew sour cream, avocado and green onion. YUM. Black beans are such a versatile bean. I use them in desserts, dips and so on...They give you a healthy punch of fiber and protein. ENJOY! KALI OREXI! Which means happy eating in Greek :) 

Easy Black Bean Soup

·       3 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed

·       3 celery ribs with leaves, chopped

·       2 large carrots chopped 

·       1 large onion, chopped

·       1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

·       1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       1 Tbsp Tomato paste

·       4 garlic cloves, minced

·       2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) vegetable broth

·       1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices

·       1 Tbsp ground cumin

·       1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

·       1/4 teaspoon pepper

·       1 bay leaf

·       1 teaspoon lime juice

·       1/4 cup chopped green onions for garnish

1) In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion, carrots, red pepper and jalapeno in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

2) Mix tomato paste with 3 Tbsp of water and incorporate into saucepan. Cook for one minute.

3) Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, hot sauce, pepper, bay leaf, black beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

4) After 20 minutes, take an immersion blender or potato masher and mash some of the black beans up. You want about 50% of them mashed and the other 50% to half structure still.

5) Discard bay leaf. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream (I like to use lime cashew sour cream-recipe to come) and 1-1/2 teaspoons green onion.