Creamy Black Bean Soup

There have still been some chilly days here, so I thought I could squeeze in another soup dish before summer. I am so glad because this soup was sooooo good! It has great flavor and great consistency. You have to give this a try! Super easy and low in fat too! It's another great recipe from Our Best Bites.



1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 t kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t dry oregano leaves
1 bay leaf

extras: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc

1.Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

2.Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

3.Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup.

4.Place soup in a blender. Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters. Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

5.Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 cups soup.

Serve with buttered bread or warm tortillas! YUM!!