Southwest Black Bean & Corn Soup

Easy, low-fat vegetarian, gluten-free Southwest Black Bean Soup is colourful, spicy and satisfying.

Overflowing with ingredients typically associated with the American Southwest like corn, black beans, bell peppers, lime juice, tomatoes and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Your taste buds will appreciate this pleasantly spicy and subtly smoky soup full of lively flavours.

While I’m not vegetarian nor gluten free, I’m always experimenting with those types of recipes and this one-pot healthy and well balanced meal hit the jackpot! It has tons of flavour, lots of texture, and is quick to make even on a weeknight. It’s also fun to eat since it can be served taco style; your family can get creative and pile their bowl high with toppings!

This soup is low in fat and super nutritious, without compromising on heartiness. You can feel good knowing you’re getting a full dose of protein and fiber from something that tastes so good!

Soup ingredients

This recipe is filled with pantry ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand:

• Onion and garlic
• Celery and red bell pepper
• Frozen corn kernels
• Vegetable broth and lime juice
• Diced tomatoes and tomato paste
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• Black beans
• Bay leaf, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt and pepper
• Cooked rice, shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sliced green onions, sliced hot peppers, lime wedges, sour cream, cilantro (for toppings)

How to make

This soup comes together quickly and easily in one pot with only a little effort spent on the chopping. It doesn’t need hours on the stove to simmer so you’ll appreciate that on a busy weeknight.

• Sauté onion, garlic, celery, bell peppers and corn kernels in a large Dutch oven
• Add vegetable broth and seasonings
• Simmer covered for 20 - 25 minutes just until the vegetables are tender

How to serve

Ladle soup into bowls. Place the topping ingredients in small bowls and let everyone garnish their own bowls.

Best soup tips:

• Have all the soup and topping ingredients prepared before starting
• When it’s in season, use fresh sweet corn kernels removed from the cob
• Can be made ahead and reheated, just wait and prepare the topping ingredients until needed
• Can be frozen in an airtight container for 3 months (without topping ingredients), simply thaw, reheat and serve with topping ingredients
• To make the soup vegan, eliminate the shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream options for toppings
• Adjust the spice level to your taste – but don’t skip the total amount of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce as that’s what gives this soup its unique deep smoky flavour

Chipotles in adobo sauce

Chipotles in adobo sauce are smoked and dried jalapeños that are re-hydrated in a sweet and tangy puree of tomato, vinegar, garlic and spices. They come in a small can that’s packed with spicy heat and lots of smoky flavour.

Look for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in the Mexican section of your grocer. When you open the tin, finely mince the entire contents (by hand or with a mini food processor). Reserve leftover puree in a small mason jar and store in the refrigerator. You can also freeze small portions of the puree in ice cube trays then remove them and store the cubes in a zipper bag in the freezer.

I highly recommend making this soup! It makes a healthy light meal that’s full of southwest flavours. You’ll hope for leftovers, so you can pack a serving of the soup for lunch the next day!

Recipe