Depending on the day, I find myself either wanting to invest all of my energy into being as festively creative as possible or wanting to escape the holiday busyness to instead seek quietness and simplicity. I struggle with finding balance. I’ve been baking up lots of Christmas goodness in the kitchen this past week, but I need a little break so today I’m going to tell you about this Black Bean soup. It has nothing to do with holidays or Christmas, but it is still a very wonderful recipe. My kids told me to write a post about this soup because they adore it so much. It starts off with a simple yet flavorful black bean soup, and then it can be dressed up and customized with a variety of toppings. The beans are first cooked and seasoned with a small portion of ham and then they are partially blended together to form a creamy, hearty, and satisfying soup. Perfect for gatherings since the soup can be made ahead of time and then everyone can add toppings to their own liking. Add a green salad, some salsa and chips, and dinner is complete!

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

For the beans:

1 pound dried black beans
4 ounces nitrate-free ham steak
2 bay leaves
5 cups water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, choppped (about 3 cups)
1 large carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lime juice

For garnishing:

lime wedges
diced jalapeño
chopped cilantro
minced red onion
avocado
sour cream
grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Instructions

For the beans:

In a large pot, add the beans, ham, bay leaves, water, and baking soda. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, stir in salt, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Do not drain. Discard bay leaves. Remove ham and dice into 1/4-inch cubes. Set aside.

For the soup:

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, carrots, celery, and salt until lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Lower the heat and add the garlic, red pepper, and cumin and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Stir in the beans, cooking liquid, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Transfer 1 1/2 cups beans and 2 cups liquid into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Stir mixture back into the soup. Alternatively, an immersion blender can be used to achieve desired consistency.
Mix cornstarch and water and gradually stir into the soup. Bring back to a boil to thicken. Turn off heat. Stir in lime juice and reserved ham. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve with garnishes.