Bacon and Black Bean Soup

I love beans. Point. Blank. Period. I always like to keep canned beans in my pantry because they can lead to a quick, filling meal when you don’t have anything else to eat. My go-to’s are black, red kidney, and cannellini beans. (Others that I frequent are black-eyed peas, chickpeas, and lima beans.) If I had to, I would probably be satisfied with eating some form of bean at least once a day. They’re so versatile and can act as a great source of protein and fiber. Also, did I mention they’re CHEAP! I could probably write a sonnet about my adoration for the magical fruit, but I digress… The next time you’re looking for a quick, satisfying meal, I urge you to reach for the can of beans in your cupboard. And on the chance that there are a couple of extra fresh ingredients bouncing around in your kitchen, then you’ll surely want to keep this bacon and black bean soup recipe in mind. A few random pieces of fresh produce liven up this bowl of soup, and a few staple spices are added to help keep it interesting. Last—but not least—bacon. (Feel free to omit the bacon if you want to make a vegetarian black bean soup.) With or without the bacon, you’ll want to completely devour a bowl of this black bean soup.

Ingredients:

• 3 strips bacon, diced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced (seeds removed, if desired)
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• ground cumin
• chili powder
• 1 medium tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
• one 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• sour cream, for serving
• sliced green onion, for serving

Yield: 2 servings

Procedure:

1. Place the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
2. Add the onion, jalapeno, and about 1/2 teaspoon of each of the spices to the bacon fat and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
4. Add the rinsed black beans along with 1/2 can (about 1 cup) of water and about half of the cooked bacon and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Let cool slightly before blending until smooth. Add more water to adjust the consistency, as desired. Taste and adjust with more of the spices, as needed.
6. Serve topped with the sour cream*, green onion*, and remaining bacon.

*Note: To get the sour cream to drizzle into the bowl like above, simply thin it out with a little bit of water and drizzle away. And to get the slices of green onion to curl up, just put them in ice water for a few minutes before placing atop the soup. (Be sure to pat them dry with paper towels first.)