Caribbean Black Bean Soup, one of our all-time favorites in this house. I have modeled it after two of my favorites, and made it my own. As all of my soups are, this soup is oil free, with no need to sauté the veggies as an added step. You can if you wish to, but not necessary. If you like to sauté-go crazy, just skip the oil. To do so, add a little bit of water as you’re sautéing. This prevents the veggies from sticking, but doesn’t add any unnecessary fats (I prefer to eat my fats in their whole form of avocado, olives, and nuts-don’t you?).
The ingredients in this soup are power packed with nutrients. Black beans, are loaded with magnesium, fiber, potassium, and plant-based protein for tissue repair. Garlic and onions are powerful antioxidants for fighting cancer, peppers and orange juice add in Vitamin C to provide antioxidants to boost immunity, and carrots add in their own boost of Vitamin A and additional fiber.
Black beans are inexpensive and easy to cook at home. To make your own beans, simply soak overnight or for 8 hours, drain, and place into a pressure cooker for 12 minutes once they’ve come to pressure. Or, bring to a boil on the stove, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 1 1/2 hours until tender. You can do this in the same pot you’re going to make your soup in for less mess. Or…you can use canned beans. I prefer to make our own, as this cuts down on cost, waste, and exposure to BPA-lined cans. However-canned beans are WAY better than no beans, and awesome to have on hand for last minute dinner ideas. I usually make extra beans when I’m making, and freeze what I don’t use. This lets me cook less, and still have beans on hand for last minute ideas. I do the same for when I make soup. Cook a big batch once, freeze, and then you have meals on hand for quick weeknight dinners!
I usually make this a dinner by making a big salad and corn muffins or pumpkin muffins. I also recently served this with my massaged kale salad! I usually triple or quadruple this recipe, as it’s a family fav.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dried beans, soaked and rinsed, or 6 cups of cooked beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (or diced, but I used previously frozen shredded)-if you don’t have any, or not in season, feel free to omit
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 pint or 15 oz. can of stewed tomatoes, alternatively 2 cups of fresh tomatoes
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp corriander
- 1 3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne (depending on your heat preference, start easy)
- 1 cup orange juice
Instructions:
- Cook soaked beans in a pressure cooker by covering with water and bringing to pressure. Once at pressure, cook for 12 minutes, allow pressure to drop. Alternatively, cover soaked beans with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about 1 1/2 hours
- Add in remaining ingredients into beans. If needed add additional liquid. Simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors have blended, about 30 minutes. If needed, add additional water
- Using a stick blender, blend some of the soup, keeping a good amount of texture.
- Serve with your favorite salad and bread! Also makes a great appetizer!
Nutritional Benefits:
- High in fiber! Great for digestive health, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure
- No cholesterol or added fats-great for heart health and diabetes
- High in plant-based protein-great for healing and repairing tissues
- Packed with potassium, 999 mg, important for kidney and nervous system function, as well as lowering blood pressure and regulating heart rate
- Good source of plant-based iron and calcium, 28% iron, 12% calcium DV
- Excellent source of Vitamin C, 102% DV-antioxidant that helps with immunity
- Excellent source of Vitamin A, important for skin, eye, hair health, and bone and dental strength, as well as decreasing blood pressure
- 2 cups dried beans, soaked and drained, or 6 cups of cooked beans, rinsed and drained
- 4-6 cups water
- 2½ cups chopped onion
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2½ cups shredded zucchini (or diced, but I used previously frozen shredded)-if you don't have any, or not in season, feel free to omit
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 pint or 15 oz. can of stewed tomatoes, alternatively 2 cups of fresh tomatoes
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp corriander
- 1¾ tsp kosher or sea salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ⅛-1/4 tsp cayenne (depending on your heat preference, start easy)
- 1 cup orange juice
- Cook soaked beans in a pressure cooker by covering with water and bringing to pressure. Once at pressure, cook for 12 minutes, allow pressure to drop. Alternatively, cover soaked beans with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about 1½ hours
- Add in remaining ingredients into beans. If needed add additional liquid. Simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors have blended, about 30 minutes. If needed, add additional water
- Using a stick blender, blend some of the soup, keeping a good amount of texture.
- Serve with your favorite salad and bread! Also makes a great appetizer!
The Carribean Black Bean Soup is so delicious ! Used two cups of dried beans and it left the soup a lighter color than I expected. Spices added just the right amount of flavor. Topped it off w a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.
So glad you enjoyed it Karen!
Delicious!!! Thanks for all the wonderful recipes Jessica!
Thanks so much Genevive! Glad you like them 🙂 Please share with others!