Best Black Bean Soup
Updated Nov. 22, 2024
- Total Time
- About 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1small (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo (see note)
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 2carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2onions, peeled and chopped
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- 1cup red wine
- 2jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1pound dry black beans (do not soak)
- 2quarts mild vegetable or chicken stock
- 1tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 2bay leaves
- 1tablespoon kosher salt
- 1teaspoon ground black pepper
- Red wine vinegar, to taste
- 1small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes
- Salt
- Sour cream or Mexican crema
- Whole cilantro leaves
- Thinly sliced fresh chiles
- Sliced avocado
For the Soup
For the Pickled Onions and Garnishes (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
300 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 806 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. Put on a teakettle of water to boil, and keep hot.
- Step 2
In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Step 3
Pour in wine and let simmer until pan is almost dry and vegetables are coated. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, just until softened, 2 minutes. Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.
- Step 4
Add beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are just softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours. Add salt and pepper and keep cooking until beans are soft.
- Step 5
Meanwhile, make the pickled onions, if using: In a bowl, combine sliced onions, lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Let soften at room temperature until crunchy and tart, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry in paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, chop coarsely before serving.
- Step 6
Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
- Step 7
Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.
- Step 8
Serve in deep bowls, garnishing each serving with sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro leaves, sliced chiles and avocado as desired.
- If chipotle chiles are unavailable, use 1 tablespoon each ground cumin and ground coriander. Add to vegetables at the same point in the recipe, in Step 3.
Private Notes
Comments
To be honest, my Latin American friends and I have giggled a lot about Bittman's recipe. This is how a French-trained chef might make black bean soup, but this is how you make it for real from Brazil to Guatemala, where black bean soup is part of everyday cuisine: black beans, a full head of garlic (remove at end), lots of fresh thyme, bay leaves, and then salt and pepper to taste. That's it. No red wine or carrots -- get out of here with that! ;-)
Why puree an entire 7 oz. can of chipotle chiles in adobo if you only need two tsps? I would use one with some adobo and freeze the rest in a ice cube tray, for other uses.
I soak the beans overnight in a dark lager, usually Dos Equis, which adds additional earthy flavors.
I really wish that you had indicated that (1) only 2 tsp. would be needed in the ENTIRE recipe, and (2) the black beans needed to be soaked in advance; I had to cook mine for four hours before they were edible.
Skip the wine! I've made this several times without wine with delicious results. Last time I had an open bottle of red, so included it as directed. Big mistake--my beans didn't cook properly. I made it edible with my immersion blender (which I usually don't bother with) but will not make the same mistake twice!
It might not be Mexican, it uses chipotle, but there is mono mention of Mexican in the description. I don’t know how many times I have made this soup. Following the recipe to the T, except I use cans of beans. I serve it to guests , a specially on days that I am feeling “cooked out”. It looks festive and guests feel treated nicely and are surprised by the presentation and taste. It’s healthy, comforting and delicious. Red wine, bring it on! Adding red wine is not very gourmet in France, it’s a technique used by peasants and elites alike. It’s a big boel of comfort.