Black Bean Soup With Lime-Pickled Red Onions
Prep Time
80 minutes
Number of Servings
4
Ingredients

Soup

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • [q:3/4] cup diced celery
  • [q:2 1/2] tsp finely chopped garlic
  • [q:2 1/2] tsp ground cumin
  • [q:1 1/4] tsp oregano
  • [q:3/8] tsp chipotle chili powder plus more for a spicier taste
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed well and drained
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock (can use vegetable stock as well), plus more if needed
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

Garnish

  • 1 large red onion
  • [q:1/4] cup lime juice
  • Kosher salt
  • [q:1/2] tsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro, plus 2 tsp more for garnish
  • 2 ripe avocados, cut into [q:1/2] inch cubes
Directions
  1. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute more. Stir in cumin, oregano, [q:3/8] teaspoon chipotle chili powder, and [q:1/2] teaspoon salt. Stir 1 minute more. Add black beans, chicken broth or vegetable stock, and cinnamon sticks.
  2. Bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until soup has reduced by about a third (to about 8 cups) and has thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Season soup with salt to taste, and with [q:1/8] teaspoon chipotle chili powder if you’d like more heat. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks. (Soup can be prepared one day ahead. If preparing ahead, cook to this stage; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often. If soup is too thick, thin with more broth.)
  3. For the Lime-Pickled Red Onions, peel and then halve onion through root end. Cut each half crosswise into very thin slices to yield [q:1 1/2] cups. Transfer onions to a medium nonreactive bowl and toss well with lime juice, salt, sugar, and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Marinate onions for 30 minutes; they will still be crisp. (Onions can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Keep covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.)
  4. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with pickled onions (spooning a little of the marinating liquids along with them), diced avocado, and a sprinkle of cilantro. Pass extra onions in a bowl.
Nutrition Info
598 Calories, 28 g Protein, 83 g Carbohydrates, 20 g Fiber, 20 g Total fat (3 g sat, 12 g mono, 2 g poly), 123 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Folate, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Potassium, [nutrition:4] Vitamin B3 (niacin), Magnesium, Phosphorus, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B6, C, Calcium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), E, Pantothenic acid, Zinc