Black bean soup with bacon and a splash of Sherry is truly a magical combination. Serve this as an appetizer or light main course.

Black bean soup in a black bowl, with sliced bread on the side.

The road to my husband's culinary heart is not a difficult one to follow. Contented sighs and groans of satisfaction are guaranteed with any meal that involves Mexican flavors, such as Rick Bayless' Smoky Peanut Mole with Pork Tenderloin, or black beans. While living in New York City, we ate a couple of memorable meals at Danny Meyer's acclaimed restaurant, Union Square Cafe. While this recipe is my own, I did borrow one of Union Square's serving ideas for their black bean soup. When the soup is brought to the table, a shot of sherry is offered. Stirred into the soup, the fortified wine lends a heady aroma and luxurious flavor. However, if you prefer to abstain, this soup is filled with layers of flavor that are sure to satisfy.

When I mentioned to my husband that I was going to make one of his favorites for dinner, his comment was, "How about with bacon?" Knowing that I am responsible for the majority of bacon consumption in our house, he knew this request would light up my eyes light a Christmas tree on a snowy night. The bacon is crumbled on top of the soup and an extra layer of smoky, salty flavor is achieved by cooking the vegetables in a couple of tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Besides some simple vegetable chopping, this soup takes very little effort to make. The vegetables are cooked until soft, then the black beans and broth are stirred in. The soup is then left to bubble away happily on the stovetop for half an hour. After a quick puree, it is ready to serve. If the soup is your main dish, serve with a green salad and a crusty loaf of bread to round out the meal.

How to make black bean soup

Place strips of bacon in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Set aside to drain on a piece of paper towel. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.

Strips of bacon, black beans, red jalapeno and cumin on a black surface.

Pour the reserved bacon fat into a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add celery, red jalapeno pepper, and green pepper.

Chopped onion and green pepper in a skillet.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softening, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ground cumin and black beans, and stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, partially cover the saucepan, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Only skip this step if you enjoy decorating your ceiling with hot soup. Using an immersion blender (or a blender or food processor - you will have to do this in batches), puree the soup until almost smooth. Be sure to leave some small pieces of black beans for texture.

Immersion blender in a saucepan full of broth and black beans.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream, bacon, and cilantro. If desired, pour a small shot (1 to 2 teaspoons) of dry sherry into each bowl and allow each person to stir it into the soup.

Black bean soup in a black bowl with a glass of sherry beside it.

Other bean soups

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Black Bean Soup with Bacon & Sherry

Black bean soup with bacon and a splash of Sherry is truly a magical combination. Serve this as an appetizer or light main course.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soups

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bean Soup, Black Bean Recipes

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Cooling Time: 10

Total Time: 1 5

Servings: Servings

Calories: 212kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

6 strips bacon
1 small yellow onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
2 celery stalks chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped red jalapeño pepper seeded & membranes removed, if desired
½ green bell pepper chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cans (14 ounces each) black beans drained & rinsed
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 teaspoons dry sherry
Sour cream and minced cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place strips of bacon in a large nonstick skillet and set over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Set aside to drain on a piece of paper towel. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
Pour the reserved bacon fat into a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add celery, red jalapeno pepper, and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softening, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add ground cumin and black beans, and stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, partially cover the saucepan, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or a blender or food processor - you will have to do this in batches), puree the soup until almost smooth. Be sure to leave some small pieces of black beans for texture.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream, bacon, and cilantro. If desired, pour a small shot (1 to 2 teaspoons) of dry sherry into each bowl and allow each person to stir it into the soup.

Notes

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the built-in recipe card calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

Nutrition

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Comments

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

How to make black bean soup

Other bean soups