Do you love soup? Nothing beats a bowl of piping hot soup on a chilly winter day!

Most of us probably think of homemade soup as time-consuming and cumbersome to cook and instead opt for their canned cousins. They don’t have to be, and this hearty and flavorful black bean soup is a great example.

I started cooking soup about the same time I started reading labels. Most of what I found was quick and convenient but not very nutritious and filled with ingredients my body doesn’t need especially extra sodium.

Like my other recipes, my kitchen attention span is 30-45 minutes. This warm and smoky tasting black bean soup will be sitting on your table in about 40 minutes! Often I make a double batch as the flavors meld together in the refrigerator and are even better in a couple of days!

Black Bean Soup

2 Tsp olive oil
2 small sweet onions finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers seeded, finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
2 cups black beans or 1 15 oz can
2 cups veggie broth
1 Tsp cumin
1 Tsp coriander
1 Cup water
2 TBSP Apple Cider or dry sherry
1 Tsp lime juice
1/2 Tsp salt
Fresh Cilantro Chopped

Yogurt Sour Cream (Optional)

1/2 Cup almond milk or soy plain yogurt
1 TBSP Apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a nonstick medium pot heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion, jalapeno, and garlic until softened about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, broth, cumin, coriander, and water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the flavors are blended about 45 minutes.

Remove from the heat, stir in sherry, lime juice and salt. Let the soup cool slightly.

Use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender to puree. Pour back into pot and warm to serving temp. Serve topped with cilantro and sour cream.

An immersion blender might sound like an extravagant kitchen gadget. For several years I used a blender for one of my other favorite soup recipes. After burning myself putting the mixture into the blender, I broke down and looked for an immersion blender. It only cost $20, and with the $10 rebate, I felt a little foolish.