Black Bean Soup with Bacon

Sometimes I’ll start with a spoonful of cooked white rice in a bowl before ladling in the soup.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15  minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Make ahead: Can be made several days ahead and re-heated. Stir in the lime juice just before serving.

Tip: For chunky soup, add the 2nd can of beans after the soup has been pureed. If you prefer a smoother soup, add all the beans at once and puree until smooth.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 slices bacon, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth 

Juice of ½ a lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: 

Sour cream 

2 strips crisply cooked bacon, crumbled

Chopped fresh cilantro

Sliced green onions

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bacon and garlic; sauté until onions are soft. Stir in cumin and jalapeño. Add one can of beans, tomatoes with juice, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 15 minutes. Using a stick blender puree’ the soup (or transfer the soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to pot). Stir in remaining can of beans. Simmer about 15 minutes. Stir in lime juice; season to taste with salt and pepper.

To Serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with sour cream, crumbled bacon, cilantro and green onions.