Gingery Black Bean Soup

servings
4 servings
prep time
15 minutes
cook time
30 minutes
Thick and hearty black bean soup garnished with feta cheese and fresh basil leaves.

A comforting bowl of gingery black bean soup. The rich, dark soup is contrasted with white crumbled feta cheese and vibrant fresh basil leaves on top.

Summertime calls for easy recipes with great flavors. This particular black bean soup recipe was inspired by a look around the kitchen to see what I had to make for lunch. My recipes come from variations of others I’ve tried and my own imagination. The chipotle, cumin and chili powder were a nod to a Mexican recipe, but the fresh ginger was added to give a fresh bite and complementary spice. The feta was a substitute for Cotija. It was simple and delish.

This recipe will stand up to experimentation. If you keep it simple and use fresh simple ingredients, you really can’t go too far wrong

Ingredients

  • •45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil
  • •1 large red onion, chopped
  • •A large knob of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • •4 cloves garlic, minced
  • •Half a red chili, sliced
  • •10 ml (2 teaspoons) ground cumin
  • •5 ml (1 teaspoon) bourbon-smoked chili powder
  • •283 grams (10 ounces) canned stewed tomatoes
  • •425 grams (15 ounces) canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • •473 ml (2 cups) chicken broth
  • •About 60 ml (1/4 cup or a small handful) fresh chopped cilantro, to taste
  • •A couple of sloshes of chipotle hot sauce
  • •Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • •About 120 ml (1/2 cup) crumbled feta, to taste

Preparation

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until softened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, and fresh chili. Add the cumin and chili powder, and stir until fragrant, about 1 more minute.

  2. Add the tomatoes, black beans, and chicken broth. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

  3. Add cilantro and hot sauce to taste (begin with less than you think you will need). Using a hand (wand) blender, blend to the desired texture (leave slightly coarse). Season with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with more chopped cilantro and hot sauce, if desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish each with crumbled feta.

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About the author

Catherine is a retired restaurant owner. Her favorite pastimes include lingering over worn cookbooks then heading to the farmers’ market. Her passion was her French farm-to-table bistro, in a century old bank building north east of Toronto, named 1847. Restored in Art Deco, it had a tin ceiling, a vault for intimate dining, craft beers and good wine, local blues on the patio on summer nights, and good food made from scratch. Five years ago, she sold the business and retired. She lives in the country with her husband and two dogs.

Catherine Sims

Catherine Sims

Contributor

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