Black bean soup

A simple and tasty soup recipe that's made out of inexpensive pantry staples! Make with dried or canned black beans, in a slow cooker or on a stove top, and top with whatever you have on hand. Sure to be a family favourite.

• 1 tablespoon oil
  
  
• 1 onion
  
  
• 3 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder)
  
  
• 2 carrots
  
  
• 2 540 mL cans black beans
  
  
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or 4 cups  of water and 2 bouillon cubes)
  
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  
  
• 1 tablespoon cumin
  
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
  
• 2 bay leaves (optional)
  
  
• Optional toppings: lime juice, sour cream or greek yogurt, grated cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, hot sauce

1. Peel and dice onion and carrots. Mince garlic. Drain and rinse canned beans.
   
   
2. Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and garlic, and cook until softened, around 5 minutes.
   
   
3. Add beans, broth, and seasonings, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for around 15 minutes.
   
   
4. Enjoy as is, or puree soup for a creamier finish (see tips for instructions). Ladle into bowls, top with desired garnishes, and enjoy!

• It's easiest to puree soup with an immersion blender, but you can use a standard blender instead. Remove the soup from the heat, and carefully ladle it into your blender, being sure not to fill the blender more than halfway. Remove the plastic cap from the lid to allow the heat to escape, and cover the hole with a dishtowel. Puree in batches, pouring the blended soup into bowls or a clean pot.
  
  
• This recipe can be made in the slow cooker; just put all the ingredients in the slow cooker, and let cook on low until flavours are completely combined.

• You can use 1 lb (454 grams) or dried beans instead of canned in this recipe. Just soak your beans overnight, and add them to the pot at the same time you'd add the canned beans. Increase the simmering time to 2-3 hours, until beans are tender. If using a slow cooker, just add dried beans instead of canned to the slow cooker, and expect to cook for 8-10 hours.
  
  
• Feel free to experiment with the seasonings; oregano, coriander seeds, and cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes are all popular additions.

• Cover soup and keep in fridge for 4-5 days.
  
  
• Soup freezes well; it's a good idea to make a double batch and freeze half for later! Cool completely and ladle single portion sizes into freezer safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe adapted from the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore

Food is Too Expensive! was funded by the City of Saskatoon through our Healthy Yards partnership, the Cyril Capling Trust Fund of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and the Department of Plant Sciences. Focus group research to inform this work was collected by CHEP. Thank you all for helping us make healthy food more accessible!