Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Name: Vegetarian Black Bean Soup
Yield: Serves 6 (Makes about 9 cups)
Cuisine: US & Canada, Southwest (Tex-Mex)
Ingredients: 1 pound, dried black beans (2 cups), rinsed and picked over; 1 ounce, dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced; 2 , bay leaves; 5 cups, water; 1/8 teaspoon, baking soda; 1 teaspoon, table salt; 3 tablespoons, olive oil; 2 , large onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups); 1 , large carrot, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup); 3 ribs, celery, chopped fine (about 1 cup); 1/2 teaspoon, table salt; 5 - 6 medium cloves, garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 1/2 tablespoons); 1/2 teaspoon, red pepper flakes; 1 1/2 tablespoons, ground cumin; 6 cups, vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons, cornstarch; 2 tablespoon, water; 2 tablespoons, lime juice, from 1 to 2 limes; , lime wedges; , minced fresh cilantro leaves; , red onion, finely diced; , avocado, diced medium; , sour cream

18 comments

Appears in Cook's Illustrated January/February 2005, America's Test Kitchen TV

We wanted a soup that had a strong flavor; a rich, dark broth; and perfectly cooked beans.

SERVES6 (Makes about 9 cups)

has video

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For a black bean soup recipe that would produce an attractive, dark-colored soup full of sweet, spicy, smoky flavors, we went with dried beans, which release flavor into the broth as they cook, unlike canned beans. Furthermore, they proved ...

This is a members' feature.