Saturday, August 18, 2018

SPICY VEGAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

This spicy vegan black bean soup is easy to make, incredibly filling and satisfying and has just the right amount of spiciness. It’s made with simple ingredients like onion, garlic, carrot, tomato sauce and black beans but still full of flavour and nutrition. Add some avocado to that and you’ve got a perfect meal in a bowl. This recipe is high in protein, complex carbohydrates and very low in fat. I blended mine for a creamy black bean soup but you can also leave it unblended if you prefer a chunkier soup.




This hearty soup is easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes making it a great recipe for quick weeknight dinners. It can also be made in advance as it keeps well and the flavours even improve the next day. This soup is low in fat, vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free and high in fibre, protein and iron.


Ingredients
  • 1 heaping cup diced onion (160 g, approx. 1 small or 1/2 a large)
  • 1 heaping cup peeled and diced carrot (160 g, approx. 2 medium)
  • 1 diced green pepper
  • 1 cup chopped celery (150 g, approx. 3 ribs)
  • 1/2 a jalapeno, de-seeded and minced (or a whole one for extra spiciness)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp each cumin, oregano and chili powder
  • 3-4 cups vegetable broth (start with 3 cups, add a bit if it seems to thick)
  • 1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce (any plain tomato pasta sauce works)
  • 1 19 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (330 g, about 2 cups cooked)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • squeeze of fresh lime juice





Instructions
  1. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bell pepper to a soup pot with a bit of the vegetable broth and cook for 5-10 minutes until starting to soften.
  2. Stir in the spices and cook for a few more minutes.
  3. Add the broth, tomato sauce and black beans and simmer lightly until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
  4. Scoop half of the soup into a blender and puree until very smooth.
  5. Pour it back into the pot and stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired.

Notes
Sub 2-3 chili peppers in adobo sauce for the jalapeno for more of a chipotle flavour.
Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add a bit more if it seems to thick, it just depends on the exact amount of veggies you use and how thick you want your soup.