Black Bean and Bacon Soup
During November and December, I feel like the Internet is overrun with treat recipes (and my real life is overrun with treats as well) and what I really need is actual real food.
I made this recipe fairly often YEARS ago, and then hadn’t made it in probably four years. Last week, when all of Bart’s family was in town, I made a giant pot of it and Bart took one bite and said, “I LOVE this soup. You haven’t made this in forever.”
That’s the kind of reaction you like when you made such a huge batch that there were lots of leftovers.
I put it all together early in the day and then just let it simmer for the whole afternoon while we headed out on some adventures, and it was delightful to come home, whip up some biscuits, and have dinner ready to go for a crowd of thirteen.
Plus, since you’ve had some real food, you can definitely enjoy a plateful of goodies brought over by your kind neighbors/co-workers/self.
bean and bacon soup
Black-Bean Soup
Perfect hearty and simple soup for fall and winter (and reheats really well, so it's great to make ahead!)
Ingredients
- 12-16 ounces bacon chopped
- 3/4 cup celery chopped
- 3/4 cup onion chopped
- 3/4 cup carrots chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno chili minced, seeds removed
- 4 cups 2 cans cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
Instructions
-
Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until cooked but not quite crispy, about 8 minutes. Do not drain.
-
Saute the vegetables, garlic and chili with the bacon and then add the beans, broth, chopped tomato, vinegar and cumin.
-
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer soup, stirring occasionally, about 1-2 hours.
-
Before serving, process in a blender or with an immersion blender until mostly smooth.
-
Salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
(adapted from It's So Tasty Too)
Ok, I feel really stupid, but are the black beans mentioned in this recipe? It's obvious they are in the picture, but I've read through it several times and don't see them!
I was thinking the same thing!
Yikes! You are both right. Fixed now!
Yes, me too:) and my 5yo son is looking over my shoulder telling me to make it… on the meal plan for next week?
thanks for fixing it! we'll definitely be adding it to the rotation soon!
Hi! This sounds delicious but you left out the beans from the recipe! Oops! Can you let us know how many you used? Thanks!
You're right! I just fixed the recipe and it's supposed to be 4 cups of cooked black beans.
Thanks! Definitely trying.
Since our entire house is black bean obsessed… I feel like we should be having this for dinner every night.
I'm sorry, but when do you add the beans? I'm not seeing that step.
After the vegetables are sautéed, along with the broth and tomato. Good luck!
You never drain out the bacon fat, correct?
Correct!
This recipe inspired me to actually cook a real meal! While Blakely is on a 9 day work trip. (I'll accept my pay in the back now please) So delicious! And I think you may have made this for us in Texas? So it made me all sorts of nostalgic 🙂
I once owned an immersion blender. Someone gave it to me for my wedding. It broke the second time I tried to use it and I never replaced it. BUT! I am totally loving the idea of this soup. mmmmm. I love, love black beans. They are my favorite legume. 😉 Does it turn out thick or runny?
Hmm… That does sound good, and I don’t even like soup. But I don’t have an immersion blender either. I wonder if the kids would think that was an exciting Christmas present?
I love my immersion blender dearly! Your black bean soup recipe sounds good and I will have to try it. Love that we are in soup weather here.
Oh, also – do you have freecycle in your area? A few times I’ve been in need of a specific something and have requested and received it almost instantaneously. This is something that could be easily sanitized and reused.
The immersion blender is maybe my very favorite kitchen tool. It makes life so easy. And I use it for lots of things beyond soup, including whipping slightly chunky crepe batter into a smooth consistency in 5 seconds flat. And thanks for posting the recipe. 🙂
Well I’m glad you left behind your food processor:) I completely understand what you’re going through. I pretty much want every small kitchen appliance and gadget on the market.
Yum!!!
I never knew we “needed” an immersion blender until last fall, when butternut squash soup became our go-to meal. The immersion blender makes it so much easier to make! I hope you can find one you love.
Mmmmm…. my soup-making fingers are trembling just thinking about this soup!~
I’m glad you love the soup. It is amazing. Next you need to try the Chicken Enchilada. I have like 4 amazing soup recipes that all require an immersion blender and I don’t own one either. It really is a sad thing. If you do splurge, I have to say the “Kitchen Aid” brand is wonderful.
An immersion blender has been at the top of my wish list for a long time now. Thanks for the recipe.
PS: Acid (tomatoes) added to beans while they are cooking slows the cooking time and/or can make the beans stay tough. It is a good idea to until the last 1/2 hour or so to add the tomato.
I would probably use a can of tomatoes, juice and all. I don’t care for cooked tomato skins, so I would peel a fresh tomato. (Pour boiling water over it to split the skin for easy peeling.)
I bet this would freeze well and/or be wonderful done in the slow cooker and/or be even tastier the second day.
Can you tell I’m excited about this recipe?!
Yes, you need an immersion blender, and I highly recommend the inexpensive, Alton-Brown-approved model we have. We use it more than we use our normal blender, and I daresay that I eat much more soup than I drink smoothies and the like.
Do it, do it, do it. (Or at least ask for one for Christmas!)
Thank you for the recipe. And don’t feel bad about the blender coveting. I want one, too. I’ve heard they’re super helpful for making baby food. I did all mine in the blender, which was easy, too, but anything that saves a few minutes is a good thing.
I love soup season! I definitely need to try this recipe. It sounds delicious!
A) I love soup. B) I love making soup. C) I think this soup sounds FABULOUS and shall be trying it soon. D) I had no idea an Immersion Blender existed, and now it has sky-rocketed on my “Want!” list. So thank you for that. 😉
This sounds wonderful, so I will make it. However, I doubt I’d bother to blend it. Just “makes for” more dishes to wash.
Oh, a pastry cutter (I have a deep U shaped one) or a mixer would work to blend this.
Also, don’t bother to soak beans. Sort, rinse, bring to boil, and then turn down the heat to let them simmer. Easy. No pouring off leached vitamins and minerals, either.
Immersion blenders are totally worth it – especially if you get the kind that has some extras so that it works pretty much as a regular blender. My mom has one, and I use it for soups, but also for chopping nuts (for cakes or dinner or whatever), for crushing bananas for banana bread, for making salsa…
seriously, go buy one.
Immersion blenders are totally worth it. I think they are pretty cheap as appliances go (I think we got ours for about $30?). They are fun and very easy to use and clean. They are helpful for ANYTHING you would blend, but I have only used ours on soups. Soups that I would not have made if I did not have an immersion blender because it is just too annoying any other way (both because of the transferring and the cleaning of the blender). So, for me, totally worth it.