30-Minute Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 green bell peppers, stems and seeds discarded, finely diced
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced on a microplane grater
• 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, stems and seeds discarded, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• 1 chipotle chili packed in adobo, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can, optional
• 1 quart homemade or low-sodium canned chicken broth
• 2 cans black beans, with liquid
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt
• To serve:
• Roughly chopped cilantro leaves
• Mexican-style sour cream
• Diced avocado
• Diced red onion

Directions

1. Warm the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it ripples. Stir in the peppers and onions, and cook, stirring often, until they have softened without taking on color, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeño, cumin, and dried chili flakes; cook, stirring the whole time, until the mixture smells fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the chipotle and adobo sauce, if you are using them, just until mixed through.
2. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the beans with their liquid and the bay leaves. Turn the heat to high and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat until the soup is barely bubbling, cover the pan, and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Remove and discard the bay leaves. With a hand blender, blend some of the beans right in the pot, stopping when the soup has the texture you want. If you prefer, ladle 2 cups of the soup into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, beginning on low and then moving to high so the blender stays under control. Stir the puree back into the pot. Add salt to taste.
4. Spoon the soup into serving bowls and serve right away with cilantro leaves, sour cream, diced avocado, and red onion, diced, as desired.