Black Bean Pumpkin Soup Recipe

This black bean pumpkin soup is a thick, cumin-scented fall soup built almost entirely from pantry staples: three cans of black beans, a can of pumpkin puree, canned tomatoes and beef broth. The beans are coarsely pureed before they go into the pot, and the soup is left to simmer without a lid until it thickens enough to cling to a spoon. The pot makes about 9 cups, enough for 6 bowls.

The recipe is a pared-down take on a Gourmet Magazine soup. Diced cooked chicken replaces the ham of the original, white wine stands in for sherry, the shallots are left out and a single yellow onion carries the base. The tomatoes are drained, chopped finely and stirred in at the very end instead of being pureed, so the finished soup keeps a little texture.

The original is finished with sherry vinegar and garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and sour cream. All three are optional, and the soup holds up well without them. It also keeps and reheats well, thickening a little more overnight, so it is a good soup to make a day ahead.

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Coarsely pureed black beans simmered with pumpkin puree, cumin, beef broth and white wine until thick, then finished with diced chicken and chopped tomatoes. Makes about 9 cups.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• Three 15.5-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed (about 4 1/2 cups)
• One 14.5-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes drained and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 cups beef broth
• One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree about 1 3/4 cups, not pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 pound cooked chicken diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons sherry vinegar optional
• Sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

Method

 

1. Use a food processor to break the black beans down to a coarse puree, with some small pieces of bean still visible.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy 5- to 6-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic along with the cumin, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion has softened and is starting to brown.
3. Tip in the bean puree, followed by the beef broth, pumpkin puree and white wine, and stir until everything is evenly blended.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 25 minutes, stirring now and then and scraping the bottom so the thick soup does not catch. It is ready when it has thickened enough to cling to the back of a spoon.
5. Stir in the diced chicken and chopped tomatoes, plus the sherry vinegar if using. Simmer for about 5 minutes more, stirring, until the chicken is heated through to 165°F. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
6. Ladle into bowls. Toasted pumpkin seeds and a spoonful of sour cream are optional toppings.

Notes

The Gourmet original calls for ham and sherry; this version uses cooked chicken and white wine instead, and omits the shallots.

Draining the tomatoes, chopping them finely and adding them in the last few minutes, rather than pureeing the whole can, leaves some texture in the soup.

The vinegar and both garnishes can all be skipped; the soup is complete without them.

Use plain pumpkin puree, not sweetened and spiced pumpkin pie filling. About 1 3/4 cups of homemade pumpkin puree can replace the can.

Dairy-free option: cook the onion mixture in olive oil or a non-dairy spread instead of butter, and leave off the sour cream garnish.

Storage: cool the soup and refrigerate it within 2 hours; it keeps for 3 to 4 days. It freezes well for up to 3 months. The soup thickens as it stands, so thin it with a little broth or water and reheat until steaming hot. Add the garnishes after reheating.

Inspired by a recipe from Gourmet Magazine, November 1996.