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Quickest, Easiest Black Bean Soup

December 30, 2019 By Chef Michelle Hauser MD Leave a Comment

black bean soup

I used to spend hours in the kitchen testing recipes and generally using cooking as a type of meditation. Now I have a toddler. My newfound appreciation for simple and quick meals led me to this creation. As a bonus, it is also super inexpensive to make, especially if you cook beans from dry. This is the classic trade-off between money and time. You choose the method that works best for your needs. I have recently been using the method at the end of the post to cook beans from dry without soaking and it yields great results with limited fuss. To make this soup a meal, consider adding a whole grain item such as griddle warmed corn tortillas, brown rice, or quinoa. To vary the flavor, dress it up (you eat with your eyes as well as your mouth), and add other interesting elements, consider some of the optional toppings.

How to cook beans without soaking:

  1. Rinse 1 pound of dried beans.
  2. Add bean to a pot and cover with water to 2 inches above the level of the beans.
  3. Bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until done. For beans, this means tender without being mushy, and done enough that interior is not overly starchy tasting. Cooking time will depend on the type and age of dried beans. Recently dried, small beans can take as little as 30 minutes to cook and older or larger beans can take as long as 2 hours.
  5. Once tender, add 2 tsp salt to the pot (optional) and simmer for 5 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and use as you wish.

 

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Quickest, Easiest Black Bean Soup

black bean soup
  • Author: Chef Michelle Hauser MD
  • Yield: 6 bowls or 11 cups 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 6 cups cooked black beans, drained (about 1 pound beans cooked from dry or 4 (15 oz) cans black beans)
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ancho or chipotle chili powder (or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper)

Optional toppings/additions: sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, sliced or chopped jalapeños, queso fresco, yogurt or sour cream (plain), corn tortillas warmed on a griddle or cooked brown rice.

Instructions

  1. Add 3 cups (or 2 cans) black beans, vegetable broth, tomatoes, cumin, salt, and chili powder to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
  2. Pour blended mixture into a 3-quart or larger saucepan with the remaining 3 cups (or 2 cans) beans. Heat, adjust seasoning to taste. 
  3. Serve alone or with optional toppings/additions.

Notes

  • Making this with beans cooked from dry costs much less than buying canned, but takes a bit more time and planning. It also cuts down on the amount of sodium in the final dish. If you are watching your sodium, consider cooking beans from dry.

Filed Under: California/New American, Dairy-free Recipes, Gluten-free Recipes, Recipe by Country/Region, Recipes, Recipes by Diet, Soups & Stews, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

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Chef Michelle Hauser, MD

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Michelle Hauser
Setting up for dinner at our SURG244 (Teaching kit Setting up for dinner at our SURG244 (Teaching kitchen elective for MD & PA students) final-beautiful cello accompaniment by one of our multitalented students. @stanford.med #culinarymedicine
Another fantastic end to a fantastic class! SURG24 Another fantastic end to a fantastic class! SURG244: Teaching Kitchen Elective for MD and PA Students is so inspiring. I am proud of all of my students. They’ve made so much progress over the quarter the food and insights into food and health tonight did not disappoint! Thank you all! #stanfordmedicine #culinarymedicine #foodasmedicine #foodismedicine #stanfordgensurg
Delicious dessert that are healthy, too! Banana Delicious dessert that are healthy, too! 

Banana bread (made egg- and nut-free), and the 3 pleasures—chocolate, fruit & nuts

#CulinaryMedicine #foodismedicine #bananabread #healthycooking #chocolate #fruit #nuts #eggfree #nutfree
Another amazing quarter! The students in the Stanf Another amazing quarter! The students in the Stanford Teaching Kitchen Elective for MD/PA Students never fail to impress. Here is the spread they put on tonight for their final. So humbled and grateful to be part of this journey. #CulinaryMedicine #foodismedicine #stanfordmedicine @stanford.med #teachingkitchen #deliciousandnutritious
It’s been a whirlwind here and I have not been g It’s been a whirlwind here and I have not been good about keeping up with pictures. BUT, Here are some mouthwatering examples of the delicious and healthy breakfast options we created in class this week. Buddha bowl with tofu scramble and lemon tahini dressing, a yogurt parfait, and steel-cut oats piled with toppings. #ChefInMedicine #DoctorIsInTheKitchen #TeachingKitchen #stanfordmedicine #breakfast #eatmoreplants #healthy #nutrition #culinarymedicinecurriculum @aclifemed @stanford.med
Cheesy plant 🌱 based fondue is a total hit with Cheesy plant 🌱 based fondue is a total hit with infants and big kids alike-Served with roasted potatoes, blanched broccoli and green beans, vegan meatballs, artisan bread and mango (which did not get dipped in fondue)

#chefinmedicine #Kidseathealthy #funandhealthy #kidfood #everyonefood #Culinarymedicine #foodismedicine @aclifemed #lifestylemedicine
Figs from the neighborhood-urban foraging #figseas Figs from the neighborhood-urban foraging #figseason #yum #figs #chefinmedicine #urbanforaging #fruit #summerfruit
Veggies and kids: fruit rainbow, polenta sun, bro Veggies and kids: fruit rainbow, polenta sun,  broccoli and cauliflower trees, new colors and textures, kiddo eating the first cherry tomato she grew with me in the garden. Gotta make veggies fun! #cookingwithkids #chefinmedicine #fruitandveg #healthykidsfood #healthykids #playwithyourfood
Stanford Scope covering the culinary med course #c Stanford Scope covering the culinary med course #culinarymedicine #stanford #nutrition https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2022/05/27/nutrition-meets-health-through-culinary-medicine/
Made in a cooking class with my patients today: Ch Made in a cooking class with my patients today: Chana masala and roasted cauliflower with cumin & coriander; fruit chaat #IndianFood #culinarymedicine #chefinmedicine #chanamasala #fruit chaat #foodismedicine
Mise en place for chana masala with my patients to Mise en place for chana masala with my patients today— Clockwise from the top: garam masala, turmeric, asafoetida, ground cumin, salt, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, bay leaf, whole cumin seeds, red chili powder (rashampatti) is in the center. #foodismedicine #culinarymedicine #chefinmedicine #indianfood #chanamasala
Gorgeous Buddha Bowls and Steel Cut Oats from toda Gorgeous Buddha Bowls and Steel Cut Oats from today’s Teaching Kitchen course for MD & PA students-photo by the talented @soulfoodsalon (who frequently joins the course as volunteer faculty-thank you!) @stanford.med @chefinmedicine #culinarymedicine
Stanford MD & PA students graduate from the teachi Stanford MD & PA students graduate from the teaching kitchen with honors-so much delicious food shared at the final potluck tonight. Everything had a story, showcased a lesson from the course and students reflected on what they learned that would most help them counsel patients on dietary changes. #culinarymedicine #stanfordmedicine @stanford.med #meded #teachingkitchen @soulfoodsalon #worldflavors #unapologeticallydelicious #healthycooking
Fruit forward desserts prepared by Stanford MD & P Fruit forward desserts prepared by Stanford MD & PA students-SURG 244 The Doctor is In (the Kitchen)—teaching kitchen elective. So delicious 😋-thanks to Drs. Elizabeth Shepard, Sue Kim, and Christopher Gardner along with Lindsay Kennedy, PA and for volunteering to share the overlap of their work and culinary medicine with the students! #CulinaryMedicine #FoodIsMedicine #Dessert #TeachingKitchen #FruitForward #DessertFlip #Nutrition #MedicalEducation #MedEd #stanfordmedicine
The Dietary Spectrum: When Food Becomes Medicine-- The Dietary Spectrum: When Food Becomes Medicine--Keynote presentation filled with tips on guiding patients to make dietary behavior changes. #LM2021 #nutrition #foodasmedicine #behaviorchange #obesitymedicine #culinarymedicine lmconference.org/2021/LM21/index.asp
Just finished a fantastic session with @spiceboxtr Just finished a fantastic session with @spiceboxtravels on implementing culinary medicine in clinical practice! Check out the rest of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine 2021 Annual Conference for a recording and other lifestyle medicine CME opportunities. #LM2021 @aclifemed #CulinaryMedicine #LifestyleMedicine #ObesityMedicine
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