Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Dice the onion and green bell pepper. Mince the garlic and jalapeño (if using). Rinse and thoroughly drain the canned black beans. Roughly chop the fresh cilantro.
  2. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and green bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Add the minced garlic and jalapeño (if using) to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, and dried oregano. Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly, to toast the spices and enhance their flavor.
  4. Add the rinsed and drained black beans, vegetable broth, undrained diced tomatoes, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld and deepen.
  5. Carefully remove and discard the bay leaf from the soup. Using an immersion blender, blend about 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup directly in the pot until it reaches a creamy, desired consistency, leaving plenty of whole beans for texture. Alternatively, carefully transfer half of the soup to a standard blender, blend until smooth, and then return it to the pot, stirring well to combine with the unblended portion.
  6. Stir in the fresh lime juice and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Ladle the velvety black bean soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh cilantro, if desired, before serving hot.