Crock-tober: Black Bean Soup

I LOVE most foods, but when I think of one simple thing I could eat as a meal, it would be black beans. In fact, I think most meat entrées pair nicely with a trio of black beans, salsa, and a smattering of sour cream. So I thought I’d find an interesting black bean recipe that goes well with these foggy days we’ve been having. After a quick Google search I found a great recipe to make Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup.

This soup is a total winner. I’ve shown two recipes—one directly from the Internet which is about 8 portions too big for this single diner, and one I amended from this recipe for one person. In the smaller recipe I skipped the carrots (not a fan) and used canned beans (I am lazy.) The “para uno” version turned out FABULOUSLY!

Black Bean Soup—Serves 9 (!)

• 2 cups dried black beans (1 pound), sorted and rinsed
• 10 cups water
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
• Sour cream, if desired
• Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions:

1. Heat beans and water to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
2. Drain beans. Place beans and remaining ingredients except sour cream and cilantro in 6-quart slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 10 to 12 hours.
4. Serve soup topped with sour cream and cilantro.

This full, 9-serving recipe pic is from BettyCrocker.com. I didn’t make this one, and if you do please let us know how it turned out!

Black Bean Soup—para uno

• 1-–540ml can black beans drained and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1–398ml can diced tomatoes
• 1 red onion medium chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic (from a jar)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp chili pepper (or to your taste)
• 1 handful (or your preference) chopped cilantro
• 1 dollop (or, again, your preference) sour cream

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in your slow cooker except sour cream and cilantro.
2. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours.
3. Dish up and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

My amended Black Bean Soup recipe—no carrots, canned beans.