Here’s a hearty Black Bean & Corn soup infused with southwestern spices that’s loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals, and is a great source of complete plant based protein. It’s a delicious, nutritious, meal that’s vegan, gluten free, budget-friendly and easy to make.
Flavor
This soup has a classic Southwestern flavor with its mix of beans, corn, red bell peppers, and onions. Generously seasoned with ancho chili, Mexican oregano, garlic, cumin, coriander, cilantro, and a hint of lime for a bright, zesty finish.
Incorporating the bean broth and pureeing a portion of the mixture makes it rich and satisfying, without adding dairy, or gluten.
Nutrition
This highly nutritious soup, is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, low in fat, and relatively low in calories.
The combination of beans and corn makes it an excellent source of plant based protein. Beans are rich in the amino acid lysine, but low in methionine. Corn, on the other contains methionine but is lower in lysine. When consumed together, they provide all essential amino acids, forming a complete protein, comparable to what you’d find in animal sources.
- Black Beans – Rich in fiber, and minerals (iron, potassium and magnesium). It’s also an excellent source of plant based protein. However it is low in methionine making it an incomplete protein.
- Corn – A good source of complex carbohydrates for energy, that is high in fiber, vitamins (beta-carotene, B6, folate), and minerals (magnesium and potassium). It is also a is a good source of methionine, which is lacking in black beans.
- Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Garlic – Rich in minerals and vitamins (especially C), antioxidants and prebiotics.
- Olive Oil – Provides healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.
Instructions
This soup is quick and easy to make.
First – gather black beans, vegetable broth, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, coriander, chili sauce, lime, and optional cilantro.
- Heat medium-large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Chop onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and cilantro stems. Juice lime.
- Sauté onions and bell peppers in pot with olive oil until soft.
- Add garlic, spices, chili sauce, and chopped cilantro stems. Cook until fragrant.
- Add vegetable broth and black beans with bean broth.
- Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
- Remove about 1/2 cup of the soup.
- Puree with a blender, food processor, or blender until smooth. Be careful of steam escaping from the blender or food processor.
- Add pureed soup, corn and lime juice to the pot.
- Bring to simmer.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with cilantro leaves and lime.
Black Bean & Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can low sodium black beans with broth ¾ cup dried beans cooked
- ½ cup corn
- ½ medium yellow onion
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- ¾ teaspoon ancho chili sauce
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 small bunch cilantro optional
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon fresh lime juice
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- If you are using dried beans, cook them and save the bean broth.
- Gather black beans, 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth, ½ medium yellow onion, ½ red bell pepper, garlic, oregano, ½ teaspoon chili powder, cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ¾ teaspoon ancho chili sauce, lime, and optional cilantro.
- Heat medium-large pot or dutch oven over medium heat
- Chop ½ medium yellow onion, ½ red bell pepper, and 2 clove garlic.
- (Optional) Pick the leaves from the cilantro. Refrigerate the leaves.Chop the stems
- Squeeze ¾ teaspoon fresh lime juice.
- Sauté onions and bell peppers in pot with olive oil until soft.
- Add garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, ¾ teaspoon ancho chili sauce, and optional chopped cilantro stems. Cook until fragrant.
- Add black beans with bean broth and 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth.Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
- Remove about 1/2 cup of the soup. Puree with a blender, food processor, or blender until smooth. Be careful of steam escaping from the blender or food processor.
- Add pureed soup, ¾ teaspoon fresh lime juice, and ½ cup corn to the pot.Bring to simmer.Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with cilantro leaves and lime.
