Chipotle Black Bean Soup
The smoky, spicy almost chocolate-like flavor of this soup comes from chipotle chilies, an ingredient that is very popular in the Southwest. Chipotle chilies, which are smoked jalapeños, can be found dried, pickled or canned in thick adobo sauce. This recipe calls for unsweetened cocoa, which adds a warmth to the complex flavor of this soup. Enjoy it with corn bread to buffer the chilies.
Serves 6 to 8
1/8 cup cold-pressed olive oil or refined coconut oil
2 cups chopped organic red onion
1 medium organic red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium organic green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloveso organic garlic, minced
1 tablespoon organic dried oregano, or 3 tablespoons fresh
1 tablespoon organic ground cumin
3 chopped canned chipotle chilies
1/8 cup adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
12 cups purified water
1 organic bay leaf
2 cups (dry) black beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon unsweetened organic cocoa powder
3/4 cup organic orange juice (freshly squeezed is best)
1/2 cup organic minced fresh cilantro
6 organic scallions, thinly sliced
sea salt, to taste
Soak the black beans overnight or 6–8 hours prior to cooking.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, peppers and garlic; sauté until the onion is translucent. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the oregano, cumin, chipotle chilies, and adobo sauce; sauté for 1 minute. Add the cold water, bay leaf, and beans. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender.
Stir in the cocoa powder, orange juice, cilantro, scallions, and salt; continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
Nutrition Info
Per Serving (1 cup): calories 60; calories from fat 15; calories from saturated fat 0; protein 2g; carbohydrates 9g; total fat 2g; saturated fat 0g; cholesterol 0 mg; sodium 10 mg; 25% calories from fat