Black Bean Soup Two Ways

Soup can be a quick and hearty meal if you have the right ingredients and an immersion blender. It can be hard to find GF soup at the corner grocery store. (I know I've spent quite a lot of time standing in the soup aisle reading labels.) So knowing how to make your own is the answer for those times when only soup will do.

Here I detail two versions of Black Bean Soup, one basic and the other deluxe. Make the super simple soup first and use it as a base to make a hearty chile style a day or two later. Or, just make one or the other. Feel free to add or subtract ingredients depending on what you have on hand. I never make anything exactly the same way twice. While making the deluxe version of the soup, I took the opportunity of having the stove running and dishes dirty to make extra ground beef and vegetables to use at a later date in spaghetti sauce.

Super Simple Black Bean Soup

Ingredients
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can tomatoes (substitute tomato sauce if necessary)
approx. 1/3 cup salsa
garlic
cumin
chile pepper
paprika
salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot and heat over medium.

2. When bubbly, take off the heat and blend to desired texture using an immersion blender.

Serve warm and save the leftovers to make Black Bean Soup Deluxe.

Makes about 2 servings.

Black Bean Soup Deluxe

Ingredients
1 cup Leftover Super Simple Black Bean Soup (see above)
Vegetables such as zucchini, onion, tomatoes, corn (I used 2-3 medium zucchinis, half an onion, 6 roma tomotatoes, 1/2 cup frozen corn)
Ground Beef (about 1/2 lb.)
Canned beans such as kidney or pinto (optional)
garlic
cumin
chile pepper
paprika
salt & pepper

Instructions

1. In a pan brown ground beef. (Use this opportunity to cook more than you need and save the leftovers for another meal.)

2. Meanwhile, saute chopped vegetables and garlic in a large saucepan with low sides. (As with the beef, you can cook extra vegetables and freeze them for later.)

3. When everything is cooked through, set aside extra beef and vegetables you want to save for other meals. Add cooked ground beef to vegetables along with leftover Black Bean Soup and additional spices to taste.

4. Cook on medium heat until warm. Blend lightly with immersion blender, if desired.

Makes about 2 servings plus leftover ingredients.

Serve the Black Bean Soup topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream (or a substitute such as plain yogurt), avocado or salsa. Good accompaniments are tortilla chips, quesadillas or corn bread.