Spicy Black Bean Soup and Give-Away

I don't think there's anything else that can warm you up from the inside-out like this soup. The aroma of black bean soup epitomizes comfort for me. It's an incredibly nourishing dish that costs little, keeps in the fridge for several days, and also freezes well.


The easiest way to puree this soup is with an immersion blender.  Before I bought one of these, I use to ladle the soup in batches into the blender which left me with many more dishes to clean and drippings all over the counter. This small appliance streamlines the process and I thought it would be fun to give one away, especially since it's the beginning of soup season. The Cuisinart has been getting the best reviews, so I thought it only appropriate to give away the best. All you have to do is leave a comment to this post between today, Oct. 16th  and Thursday, Oct. 22rd. I'll draw a name at random and announce the winner next Friday, Oct. 23rd. Good luck!

Spicy Black Bean Soup
Serves 6

2 cups black beans, soaked overnight, then drained
8 cups beef stock
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic
1 heaping tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 bunch cilantro, plus 2-3 tablespoons more for garnish
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
1 bunch green onions chopped
sour cream

Combine beans, stock, tomatoes, paprika, onion powder, garlic, sea salt and tomato paste in large pot. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 3 hours. Add cilantro, jalapeño and green onions to soup and let simmer for 5 minutes. Using a hand immersion blender, blend until smooth, or transfer to a blender in batches and blend until smooth. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro.