Ingredient and Equipment Notes
Blender – Part of the magic of this soup is watching it transform from brothy to rich and creamy by blending part of it until smooth. I use my blender, and I feel I get a smoother and more desirable consistency using a blender as opposed to any other method, but if you’d rather, you could use an immersion blender. Beans – Use Great Northern or Cannellini beans. Most canned white beans will work great, those are my favorites. Bacon and Ham – These help give this soup a hint of smokiness. Since different brands vary in how salty they are, I have kept the additional salt low. Make sure to taste your soup before serving and add additional salt as needed. Smoked Paprika – You can find smoked paprika in the spice aisle of the grocery store. Trader Joes regularly carries it. It’s quite different than using normal paprika, the smoked version has an amazing smoky flavor to it and also adds some beautiful color. Liquid Smoke – I included this as an optional ingredient, in case you may not have it on hand, but when I make this soup I always add the liquid smoke at the end. If you’ve never used this before, you find it in small bottles usually near the bbq sauces (often on the top shelf). It is literally what it sounds like- actual smoke, but in liquid form, and it’s a great way to add flavor to dishes.
Instructions
Serving Suggestions
You definitely can’t go wrong eating this soup with a good grilled cheese sandwich! It’s great with Easy Homemade Breadsticks, garlic bread made with Homemade Garlic Bread Seasoning or these Quick & Easy Garlic-Parmesan Rolls.
Can I make this ahead of time? Of course! Allow the finished soup to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat small portions in the microwave, or reheat the whole batch on the stovetop. Can I freeze this black bean soup? Yes! Soup in general makes a great freezer meal and this one is no different. For easy reheating, freeze individual soup pucks in silicone muffin trays or my favorite Souper Cubes, then store in a zip top bag in a freezer. Pull out as many as you need for a serving and heat in the microwave or on the stove top.
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