BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH APPLE:
Soup for breakfast!
I am sharing my favorite vegan soup recipe. And, YES! I eat soup for breakfast. Especially this one. It is full of protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, immune supportive herbs, and flavor. The black beans help to stabilize blood glucose levels throughout the day, even more so if paired with another source of protein such as a tofu scramble, eggs….or bacon!
This giant pot of soup easily serves 8. You can freeze half, up to 3 months, for a future breakfast or supper.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb dried black beans (about 2 cups)
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
7 cups vegetable stock
½ tsp dried red pepper flakes (I use only a pinch)
1 ½ tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp ground allspice
5 fresh bay laurel leaves, or 3 dried
3 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith or Newton Pippin, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼ inch dice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 ½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
TO MAKE:
- BEANS. Bring water to a boil in a large (6 to 8 quart) soup pot. Pour in the beans, remove the pan from heat, and let the beans soak for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse them thoroughly with cold water.
- SIMMERING THE SOUP. Rinse and dry the soup pot and place it over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and celery; cook, stirring often, until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, vegetable stock, red pepper flakes, ginger, allspice, and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and gently simmer until the beans are very soft. 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- FINISHING THE SOUP. Stir in the diced apples, thyme, rosemary, salt, black pepper, vinegar, and syrup; simmer the soup until the apples are very soft but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if needed. For a creamier texture, partially mash the beans with a potato masher or handheld immersion blender. Serve the soup in large warmed bowls.
For the Love of Soup,
Dr. Willi
P.S. While attending Bastyr University for medical school, I worked at The Herbfarm in Woodinville, WA. Upon joining their team, I was given two autographed cookbooks written by their chef at the time – Jerry Traunfeld. This recipe is directly from The Herbfarm Cookbook. Thank you for the lovely gift, Jerry!
