INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup water (or 2 tablespoons olive oil; if not oil-free)
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/3-1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped, to taste (optional)
- 2 medium-sized carrots, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (or any color)
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
- 1 15 oz. can organic sweet corn, drained and rinsed
- 3 15 oz. cans organic black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- sea salt & pepper, to taste
- toppings: avocado, crushed tortilla chips, jalapeño, cilantro, dairy-free cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the water (or oil, if preferred) in a soup pot or large dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic, with a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
- Stir in the jalapeño, carrot, red bell pepper, cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes. Cook until vegetable are soft, about 7-9 minutes.
- Pour in the beans, corn and broth. Bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans are soft and the broth has lots of flavor, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Using a hand immersion blender, blend about half of the soup, still leaving whole beans in tact. Blend more for a smoother texture or less for a chunkier texture, depending on preference (this step is optional; you can also blend half in a regular blender, making sure to let out the steam, to prevent a soup explosion as it gets very hot. Pour it back into the soup pot).
- Stir in lime juice and cilantro and taste test to see if it needs more salt or pepper. Adjust accordingly.
- Serve with your favorite toppings!
NOTES
- For an even heartier soup, add in brown rice or quinoa!
- Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen.