Holy smokes (literally), you guys! This Smokey Black Bean Soup with Cilantro Creme is my favorite soup at the moment. It’s also been a crowd-pleaser on the new S.O.U.P. Cleanse menu and for a good reason – it’s abso-fricken-lutely delicious! It’s loaded with protein-rich black beans, complex carbohydrates in the form of sweet potato, and healthy fats from cashews. Talk about a balanced meal. Plus, if you’re a fan of smokey flavor, this soup is right up your alley. It contains a dash of liquid smoke and a bit of smoked paprika for the perfect kick.
Recipe by @chefannethornton
Ingredients
Smoky Black Bean Soup
Serves 4
1 tsp olive oil or avocado oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cooked black beans
3 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3–4 cups Pacific low sodium vegetable stock, depending on how thick you want your soup
Cilantro Cashew Crema
3 cups of cashews, soaked
½ cup of lemon juice or lime Juice
2 cups cilantro
1 T olive oil or avocado oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 cup of water
1 tsp salt
Directions
In a large pot over warm up the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, a pinch of salt and stir for 3 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Then add the sweet potato, black beans, and all the spices. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let sit for about 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are cooked through.
Scoop out 2 cups of the sweet potato and black beans and set aside. Let soup cool and then using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor blend the remaining soup together.
Turn the heat back on and add back in the reserved sweet potato and black beans for some chunks
Combine all the ingredients for the cilantro cashew crema into a Vitamix and blend until smooth.
Finish the soup with the cilantro cashew crema and chopped avocado. Enjoy!
