A comforting soup that is easy and affordable to make, great to incorporate vegetables into, and still an awesome source of flavor and protein.
By Aaron Hutcherson
I love beans. 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. 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! 
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 pieces of fresh produce liven up this bowl of soup, and a few staple spices are added to help keep it interesting.
Bean and Bacon Soup
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
A comforting soup that is easy and affordable to make, great to incorporate vegetables into, and still an awesome source of flavor and protein.
Ingredients
- 3 strips bacon, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, 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
Instructions
- 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.
- Add the onion, jalapeño, and about 1/2 teaspoon of each of the spices to the bacon fat and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve topped with the sour cream*, green onion*, and remaining bacon.
Notes
Bacon may be omitted to make it vegetarian.
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.)
- Category: Side, Main
