Black Bean Soup

“This is a fabulous base recipe (reason for four stars – it would have been a bit bland without my additions). I added a few things, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. I subbed rabbit stock for beef (personal preference and it was what I had), added 1/4 t. cayenne, 1-2 t. cilantro, and 3 cloves of minced garlic. I used a good medium salsa, and the result was that this soup had quite a kick! Sour cream toned it down a tad, and I served it over sweet, whole wheat cornbread. The result? Perfection! Or nearly. I’d like to try it with fresh cilantro sometime, and another reviewer suggested lime juice… bet that would be yummier still! Oh, and I did add some cornstarch to it at the end, as I think I put more liquid in than was called for (I didn’t really measure). Next time I’d like to throw in some frozen corn too. This one’s definitely a keeper, if I’m already planning my next attempt. :)”

“I thought this recipe was phenomenal, however, I added a few extra things that I think add an awesome punch to this soup. I used 1 can refried beans instead of mashed black beans as per another reviewer, and to that I added key lime juice, fresh cilantro, chili powder and cayenne (We like the spice!), creamed corn and green chiles. To the onion and broth I added minced garlic. I served it with sour cream, shredded monterey jack cheese, fresh cilantro and crispy tortilla strips that I whipped up. It was AMAZING! I think the key lime juice adds a TON of flavor! Thanks for the basis of a great recipe!!!”

“This was a huge hit with everyone.I added fresh squeezed lime juice (1/2 lime), 1 tsp. cilantro, some frozen corn, and 2 cloves of garlic.Definitely go with medium salsa – hotter if you want some spice.”

“This tastes fantastic, and was easy to make.My only real modifications were adding some frozen corn to the mix, and using the crock pot to took it.The crock pot worked like a charm set to high for about four hours, with all the ingredients mixed in.Definitely use a medium or hot salsa, depending on your tastes; it benefits from the extra kick, even if you normally don’t like things too spicy.”

“This is absolutely delicious & very simple! I added fresh garlic and put grated cheddar on top instead of sour cream. My husband loved it too so I will definitely make it again.”

“easy, delicious. My teenage boys even loved it. (One can of black beans I substituted a can of refried black beans to make it even quicker for me.)”

“I’ve been searching for a recipe that turns out like Panera’s Black Bean Soup – this is it!I used vegetable broth, and refried black beans for 1 can of the beans.The salsa I used was the fresh kind from Costco.I did have to add some cornstarch dissolved in water to make the soup thicken.Thanks for the recipe!”

“This was so easy and quick to make- very delicious :DI ended up using chicken broth instead of the beef broth and substituted one of the cans of black beans with refried black beans and everything thickened and turned out just nicely.I can only imagine how much better it would have tasted using some fresh salsa and adding in cilantro- mmmm….5/5”

“This recipe is an absolute winner! I added other ingredients as suggested by others (e.g., corn, garlic, celery, lime juice). I also substituted the beef broth for veggie broth. It is really good all by itself, however, the optional sour cream does kick up a notch. This is definitely one of my favorite soups. Thanks for the recipe, Wendy!”

“Wow, for something so simple, this is seriously amazing! I followed the very good advice of the other reviewers and added the juice of one lime, fresh cilantro, a small can of chopped green chiles, little sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, and about a tsp of garlic powder. I also used a can of sweet corn and a can of refried black beans instead of mashing up a third can of beans myself. I love cheese but I prefer this soup without cheese, with just a drop of sour cream. I think the cheese would make it too rich. The texture and thickness was perfect – if you follow the recipe, adding corn starch is totally unnecessary. This soup is DELISH! Will definitely make it often!”

“This is first recipe for soup that I actually liked. And of course I add some tabasco sauce to it. thanks for a good recipe”

“I have made this recipe for the last 2-3 years and it has become a winter staple in our Minnesota home. I often soak beans and use a whole 16 oz. bag. Otherwise, I use two cans black beans and one can refried black beans. I also add brown rice and frozen corn. This is my husband’s absolute favorite…love it!”

“For being so simple, this is very yummy!You have to use a good quality salsa, though.I used 2 cups of broth and skipped the rest of the liquid (just my preference).I garnished with light sour cream, red onions and crumbled queso fresco.Yummmm! Thanx for sharing!”

“This recipe is fabulous.Most black bean soups have that gritty texture that my family doesn’t like.This one was a hit!”

“Good base recipe. If you like some fight in your beans, used soaked rather than can beans.”

“Could have been a little thicker…definitely needs medium or hot salsa and salt if you use homemade broth and beans like I did. Should have added some of the things that were listed by others.”

“Omigosh! I am so glad I chose this recipe to try. OUTSTANDING! It truly deserves 10 stars. Thanks for sharing!”

“This has become a base recipe for one of my most popular dishes. I’ve added carrots, red bellpeppers, celery, pinquito beans, sausage, and the kitchen sink. It’s one of my son’s favorites and has been since I made it this way originally. Thanks for a great staple!”

“This was good but I didn’t follow the recipe exactly and had to add a lot of spices so I’m not giving it a star rating yet.Instead of salsa I used a can of Rotel tomatoes.I think this may have contributed to the blandness once the soup had simmered.I ended up adding a couple different kinds of chili powder, garlic powder, dried cilantro, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.We mixed in sour cream and crushed tortilla chips in our bowls and really enjoyed the finished product.I know I’ve made a soup recipe similar to this one before and used salsa and never needed to add all that other stuff – next time I’ll make sure I have salsa in the fridge!”

“Excellent soup!I made a few additions for flavor and personal preference:I added three chipotle chiles in adobo sauce along with some adobo sauce into the recipe and four garlic cloves (I got the idea from recipe #316834 – Black Beans in Chipotle Adobo Sauce).I was looking to match a soup we get at Whole Foods which has a thicker consistency, so I added about a tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of flour just before the soup was finished.”