Creamy Black Bean Soup

Recipe makes 11 cups, or 6 to 8 servings.

This past week we came across a new vegan e-book that had several recipes for black bean soup, but we weren't really sold on any of them.  The idea of a creamy black bean soup got us excited, but the recipes didn't really do it for us, so what's one to do but make up their own recipe.

Our recipe at The Mint Bunny has a little bit of everything going on.  We added some smoke through the paprika and liquid smoke, salt and umami from the Worcestershire sauce, freshness and brightness from the cilantro and lime juice, and creaminess from the puréed black beans and cashew sour cream.  As with most soups, it's best after a night in the fridge, since the flavors are allowed to spend time with each other.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 stalks celery, minced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 bay leaves

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire
(up to) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Half or full batch of cashew sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Before you start, prepare your cashew sour cream.  [Side note:  Only a half batch will be used in the soup.  If you want additional sour cream to dollop on each bowl of soup, make a full batch to guarantee that you have enough].

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the olive oil, followed by the onion, celery, green pepper, and red pepper.  Sauté for five minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.  Then stir in your cumin, paprika, and bay leaves; cook for one more minute.  Deglaze the bottom of the Dutch oven with the diced tomatoes and then add the vegetable stock, black beans, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  Let the soup simmer for roughly 30 minutes.

Add four cups of your soup to a high-speed blender, followed by the cilantro, lime juice, liquid smoke, and a half batch of cashew sour cream.  Blend on low, and gradually increase the speed to high and blend for 30 seconds, or until smooth.  Add puréed soup back to the Dutch oven, and stir.  Taste for seasonings and add more salt and/or pepper if needed.

Serve with avocado slices, cilantro, a dollop of cashew sour cream, and or tortilla chips.