Cumin Scented Black Bean Soup

This soup is perfect for making at the start of a super busy week. The onion mixture takes about 25 minutes to prepare and cook, and then you can add to a slow cooker with beans and water and leave the house to go about your day as your soup simmers away.  The addition of cumin adds a wonderful earthy-spicy background note that complements the black beans.

Nutrition Highlight: Black Beans

Decreased Cancer Risk

When the bacteria in your intestines feast on the soluble fiber in black beans, they produce butyric acid, a compound that is important for keeping the intestinal cells healthy and cancer free.  To help limit risk of cancer, it's recommended to enjoy 3 cups of beans per week, or about a 1/2 cup of beans a day.

Fiber is Fantastic

Eating a fiber rich diet is an important lifetime practice because one can get diverticulosis (out-pouchings of the colon which require surgery) as a middle aged adult if one's diet has consistently been fiber deficient.  Unfortunately, most Americans don't consume the recommended 25-35 g/day.

Fiber isn't a problem in many cultures because beans are a staple food.  For example,  black beans with eggs and corn tortillas is a common breakfast in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Cooking Tip

Wear disposable gloves while cutting chili peppers if you wear contacts.

There is a compound in chili peppers called capsaicin which is responsible for the heat in a pepper. If this compound gets in your eye, it can cause major irritation, even if you're touching your face or contacts several hours later. 

Cumin Scented Black Bean Soup

Printable Recipe

Great for lunch paired with an avocado-orange salad, crunchy celery, and warm cornbread.

8 ounces dried black beans  (or 3 c cooked)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed and roughly chopped

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

2 small shallots, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups chicken stock or water 

Garnish ideas: avocado, cheese, sour cream, onions, tomatoes, radishes, cilantro

• The night before, soak the beans by placing in a bowl covered with a few inches of water. In the morning drain the beans and set aside.

• In the pot you would like to cook the soup in, heat olive oil over high heat, or heat oil in a cast iron skillet if you're going to use a slow cooker.  Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the jalapeño, onion, and shallot, cook over high heat until some of the edges get dark brown and things soften. 

• Reduce the heat, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring so as not to burn the garlic.

•  STOVE: Add the beans and enough water to cover by about 2". Bring the beans to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2- 2 hours. The beans should be very tender.  
• CROCKPOT: Add beans and enough water to cover by about 2".  Add the onion mixture. Simmer in your crockpot on high for 6-8 hours.

• Remove from heat and blend everything with an immersion blender, adding stock or water to thin to desired consistency. Reheat to a simmer before serving. Garnish as desired.