Black Bean Soup with Cilantro Lime Cream

Ok, a little disclaimer before I post this "recipe".... it's not a recipe at all. Just a guideline, you could say. But a friend had black bean soup while we were out together the other day. Our conversation went something like this:

me: That soup looks so yummy! Such a good day for black bean soup, think I'll make some for dinner. 

friend: Oh, yeah? Do you have a good recipe?

me: Well, I have a good idea of what stuff I throw in the pan.... 


So I tried to pay attention to measurements while making this. But seriously, you can't mess up black bean soup. Almost anything would be good in there.

Black Bean Soup

2 T olive oil
2 or 3 cans black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 or 2 cans veggie broth
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped ( I got a big bag of colorful baby bell peppers super cheap at Winco so I chopped up a few of those for some color)
1/2 to 1 sweet onion (depends how onion-y you like it. Or how big the onion is.)
1 can diced green chiles
3 or 4 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 can diced tomatoes (I was out of these, so I used a can of Embasa salsa from the hispanic foods aisle)
Cilantro Lime Cream (see below); shredded sharp cheddar; chopped fresh cilantro; chopped avocado, to top soup

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat; add onion, peppers and garlic....

Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add green chiles, cook a couple minutes more.

Add beans (I used 2 cans), corn, tomatoes, cumin and chili powder, cook 3-4 minutes. 

Add broth (I used 1 can, and my soup was nice and thick), simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, partially puree the soup to your liking. (That step is optional, I just love it a little bit creamy)

Top with cheddar, fresh cilantro, avocado and Cilantro Lime Cream (recipe follows)

Cilantro Lime Cream

1/2 container sour cream

juice of 1 lime

big handful coarsely chopped cilantro

Combine ingredients in bowl; puree using immersion blender. (you could also use a blender or food processor)

This cream is fantastic on any mexican dish: soup or chili, burritos or enchiladas, quesadillas.... It's a nice tangy way to cool down a spicy meal. Yum.