Smoky Black Bean Soup with Lime and Cilantro
A thick, cozy black bean soup built on carrot, celery, red pepper, toasted cumin and smoked paprika, finished with lime, cilantro and creamy avocado.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 6
Toasting the cumin seeds in the oil and cooking the tomato paste until it darkens build the deep, savory base that this soup relies on, and the orange juice adds a gentle sweetness that rounds everything out. Blending only half keeps the texture hearty. It thickens as it sits, so loosen leftovers with a little water when reheating, and it freezes well for up to 3 months. Skip the sour cream for a fully vegan bowl.
Method
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper and salt and cook, stirring often, for , until soft and lightly browned at the edges.
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Add the cumin seeds and toast for , until fragrant. Stir in the ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and tomato paste and cook , until the paste darkens.
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Add the black beans, water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for .
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Remove the bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to purée about half the soup right in the pot, leaving plenty of whole beans for texture. (Or ladle 3 cups into a blender, purée, and stir back in.)
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Stir in the orange juice, lime juice and black pepper. Simmer , then taste and add more salt if needed. Add a splash of water if the soup is thicker than you like.
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Ladle into bowls and top with avocado, a spoonful of sour cream, the cilantro and a lime wedge.
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