Bring on the Beans! – Black Bean & Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Tomato soup is our standard cold weather lunch fare on the weekends. Sometimes, it comes out of a can. But, as often as possible, we make a variation on tomato soup from scratch. Experimenting with different flavors and ingredients feeds our creative nature along with feeding our souls and bodies.

Eric has always been a fan of black bean soups. (I was much slower to accept any kind of bean, in any form!) Eventually, Eric won me over. Not only do I now eat foods with a variety of beans in them, I actually enjoy some of them! The one exception is (still) lima beans. I have yet to acquire a taste for that kind of bean. But, if anyone has an incredibly good lima bean recipe that they are sure would convert the non-lima bean eaters amongst us, send it along to me. I’m sure Eric would try it! Until then, this Black Bean & Tomato soup is keeping us nourished this bitter cold week!

Black Bean & Tomato Soup

Black Bean & Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream (adapted from cookinglight.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Yield: makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces pancetta, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 small)
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 14 ounces chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • lime wedges and additional cilantro, for serving

Doing the prep work first conserves time.

Preparation:

Cook the pancetta in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat until crisp.

Cook the pancetta.

Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 teaspoon of the drippings in the pan. Set the pancetta aside.

Set the crisped pancetta aside.

Add the onion and celery to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until the celery is tender.

Cook the onion and celery.

Stir in 3/4 teaspoon cumin, the chile powder, and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Add some cumin, the chile powder, and garlic to the veggies.

Stir in the pancetta, pepper, beans, tomatoes, and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer the soup for 10 minutes.

Stir in the pancetta, pepper, beans, tomatoes, and broth.

Using a wand blender, blend the soup until it is smooth. Keep the soup warm while preparing the Cilantro-Lime Cream.

Blend the soup until it is smooth.

Combine the sour cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, cilantro, lime zest, and juice in a small bowl.

Combine the ingredients for the cilantro-lime cream

Serve the soup with the cream, lime wedges, and additional cilantro.

Serve with the cream, line wedges, and additional cilantro.

Black beans are a wonderful addition to homemade tomato soup!  ~Linda

Black Bean & Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream (adapted from cookinglight.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Yield: makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces pancetta, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 small)
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 14 ounces chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • lime wedges and additional cilantro, for serving

Preparation:

Cook the pancetta in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 teaspoon of the drippings in the pan. Set the pancetta aside.

Add the onion and celery to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until the celery is tender. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon cumin, the chile powder, and garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the pancetta, pepper, beans, tomatoes, and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer the soup for 10 minutes. Using a wand blender, blend the soup until it is smooth.  Keep the soup warm while preparing the Cilantro-Lime Cream.

Combine the sour cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, cilantro, lime zest, and juice in a small bowl. Serve the soup with the cream, lime wedges, and additional cilantro.