This is one of the first recipes that I actually ever made up myself. This was years and years ago, so over time, it has evolved. It’s nostalgic for me, so of course it’s one of the first soups I make every year when the weather starts to cool down!
This soup begins with very simple ingredients, but finishes with all these layers of flavor. And the fact that is SOUPER easy to whip up makes me love it even more!
Here’s what you need:
Start by sautéing the onion, carrot and chilis and garlic.
I always start with the thing that is going to take the longest to cook, which in this case would be the carrot, then I build on that. As the carrot is sautéing, I dice the onion then toss it, then the poblano, etc…
No need to worry about precision here with your knife cuts. This whole thing is going to be puréed in the end so just give them a quick chop and toss them in.
Once the veggies are tender, add the spices, canned tomatoes, beans, broth, bay leaf and a good pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, then turn to a simmer. Let the soup continue to simmer for a half hour as all the flavors marry together.
Keep checking your broth for seasonings.
This is a big pot of soup, so it will need a good amount of salt. Give it a taste, and if it is bland, add a pinch.
Before you purée, remember to fish out the bay leaf! The last thing anyone needs are shards of dry leaves in a silky smooth soup!
Purée the soup.
I prefer to use an immersion blender for this. But if you don’t have one, you could just carefully transfer the the soup (most likely in batches) to a blender or food processor to purée. Taste it and add more salt if necessary. If the soup is still quite thin, let it simmer a bit longer to thicken up. If it’s too thick, add bit more broth or just some water.
One thing I really love about this recipe is that it gets better with time. The longer the flavors have to marry, the better it tastes!
This delicious soup is great to go in a thermos for a healthy, flavorful lunch, or loaded with toppings like my Roasted Green Chili-Tomatillo Salsa, pico de gallo, avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream and cotija cheese!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Hearty Black Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 poblano pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stock
- salt to taste
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- Heat a large pot on medium heat and add olive oil. Sauté the onion, poblano, jalapeno, carrots, and garlic for a few minutes with salt until slightly tender. Add the drained beans, tomatoes, broth, spices and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer and allow to cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Remove the bay leaf and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve with pico de gallo or salsa, sour cream, cheese, avocado and chips.