Vegetarian Black Bean Soup
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 7, 2019
Yield
Serves 6 (Makes about 9 cups)
Ingredients
Beans
1 pound dried black beans (2 cups), rinsed and picked over1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced2 bay leaves 5 cups water â…› teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon table saltSoup
3 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups)1 large carrot, chopped fine (about ½ cup)3 ribs celery, chopped fine (about 1 cup)½ teaspoon table salt 5 - 6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 ½ tablespoons)½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin 6 cups vegetable broth 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoon waterGarnishes
2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1 to 2 limeslime wedges minced fresh cilantro leaves red onion, finely dicedavocado, diced mediumsour creamBefore You Begin
Dried beans tend to cook unevenly, so be sure to taste several beans to determine their doneness in step 1. For efficiency, you can prepare the soup ingredients while the beans simmer and the garnishes while the soup simmers. Though you do not need to offer all of the garnishes listed below, do choose at least a couple; garnishes are essential for this soup, as they add not only flavor but texture and color as well. Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days; reheat it in a saucepan over medium heat until hot, stirring in additional vegetable broth if it has thickened beyond your liking.
Instructions
- Place beans, mushrooms, bay, water, and baking soda in large saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; using large spoon, skim scum as it rises to surface. Stir in salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer briskly until beans are tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours (if necessary, add another 1 cup water and continue to simmer until beans are tender); do not drain beans. Discard bay.
- Heat oil in 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking; add onions, carrot, celery, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic, pepper flakes, and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans, bean cooking liquid, and vegetable broth. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 30 minutes.
- Ladle 1 1/2 cups beans and 2 cups liquid into food processor or blender, process until smooth, and return to pot. Stir together cornstarch and water in small bowl until combined, then gradually stir about half of cornstarch mixture into soup; bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to fully thicken. If soup is still thinner than desired once boiling, stir remaining cornstarch mixture to recombine and gradually stir mixture into soup; return to boil to fully thicken. Off heat, stir in lime juice; ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately, passing garnishes separately.
for the beans
for the soup
to finish the soup
Yield
Serves 6 (Makes about 9 cups)Ingredients
Beans
Soup
Garnishes
Ingredients
Beans
Soup
Garnishes
Ingredients
Beans
Soup
Garnishes
Why This Recipe Works
For a black bean soup recipe that would produce an attractive, dark-colored soup full of sweet, spicy, smoky flavors, we went with dried beans, which release flavor into the broth as they cook, unlike canned beans. Furthermore, they proved to be a timesaver: We discovered that it was unnecessary to soak them overnight or to use the "quick soak method" to make them tender. We also found that we didn't need from-scratch stock for our black bean soup recipe; we maximized flavor by using a mixture of water and canned vegetable broth enhanced with porcini mushrooms and seasonings.
Before You Begin
Dried beans tend to cook unevenly, so be sure to taste several beans to determine their doneness in step 1. For efficiency, you can prepare the soup ingredients while the beans simmer and the garnishes while the soup simmers. Though you do not need to offer all of the garnishes listed below, do choose at least a couple; garnishes are essential for this soup, as they add not only flavor but texture and color as well. Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days; reheat it in a saucepan over medium heat until hot, stirring in additional vegetable broth if it has thickened beyond your liking.
Instructions
- Place beans, mushrooms, bay, water, and baking soda in large saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; using large spoon, skim scum as it rises to surface. Stir in salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer briskly until beans are tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours (if necessary, add another 1 cup water and continue to simmer until beans are tender); do not drain beans. Discard bay.
- Heat oil in 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking; add onions, carrot, celery, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic, pepper flakes, and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans, bean cooking liquid, and vegetable broth. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 30 minutes.
- Ladle 1 1/2 cups beans and 2 cups liquid into food processor or blender, process until smooth, and return to pot. Stir together cornstarch and water in small bowl until combined, then gradually stir about half of cornstarch mixture into soup; bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to fully thicken. If soup is still thinner than desired once boiling, stir remaining cornstarch mixture to recombine and gradually stir mixture into soup; return to boil to fully thicken. Off heat, stir in lime juice; ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately, passing garnishes separately.
for the beans
for the soup
to finish the soup
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