Every Sunday in October is soup day for me, and then I'll share my soup of the week with you here on the blog every Friday. It'll be like the Soup of the Day in some cozy little diner, only weekly and virtually.
This week's soup recipe was unearthed as I organized my dusty office. I had forgotten all about this gem from my lovely neighbor. It came from one of her favorite vegetarian cookbooks, and it was a hit. It's vegan (unless you can't resist some sour cream and shredded cheddar on top, which I couldn't), very easy to make, and oh so tasty.
Before we begin, a word about soup pots...I use this dutch oven, and I love it. (I have the 7- quart, but it looks like it only comes in a 5.5- quart now, which is plenty for most things.) It heats very evenly and I use it for everything from soups and sauces to pasta dishes and meat. It can go from the stovetop to oven and holds up to high heat. The enamel coating is better because metal can make sauces and soups with a tomato base taste tinny.
Vegan Black Bean Soup (adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home)
- 3/4 C sun dried tomatoes
- 1 1/2 C finely chopped onions
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 jalepeno minced
- 1/4 t cayenne
- 2 T olive oil
- 1t ground cumin
- 1/3 C water
- 2 (14 oz) cans of diced tomatoes (I used the fire roasted ones)
- 2 (16 oz) cans of black beans (undrained)
- 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
- avocado, shredded cheddar, tortilla strips or sour cream for topping (optional)
In a soup pot, saute the onions, garlic, jalepeno, and cayenne in the oil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent. Add the cumin, water, and tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
Chop the sun dried tomatoes. Add them and the beans to the soup and cook for 5-10 minutes longer, until the onions are tender. Stir in the cilantro and remove the soup from the heat. Puree half of the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. If the soup is too thick, add some water or tomato juice. Reheat gently. Serve with toppings of your choice.
