Spicy Southwestern Pumpkin Soup with Black Beans
Mmmm…. slightly sweet pumpkin flavor melds with warming spices and fresh lime. This is a soup full of flavor and makes a meal in and of itself. Adjust the amount of chiles if you’re looking for a spicier punch! Serve with a simple salad for the perfect, colorful fall meal.
Ingredients
- 2 c black beans cooked
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 2 chiles (or 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes) seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 t smoked paprika
- 2 t ground cumin
- 4 c pumpkin (or any winter squash) roasted
- 4 c vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 t maple syrup
- 2 bell peppers of any color chopped
- juice of one lime
- salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the black beans by first soaking overnight and then cooking until tender. For more information on this process, check out our tip in Cooking Fresh Dried Beans.
Roast the pumpkin in a 375-degree oven for about an hour. Simply chop the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and place face down in a baking dish with a little water.
Heat the olive oil in large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until softened. Then add the chiles and garlic and continue to cook for another couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spices and continue to cook. Add the pumpkin, stock, and maple syrup, stir well and bring to a boil. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in your food processor to your desired consistency, adding small amounts of extra stock if needed. With the soup back in the pot, stir in the black beans, and red pepper and continue to simmer until the peppers are tender. Finally, stir in the lime juice and salt to taste.
For serving garnish the bowl with freshly chopped cilantro, a lime wedge, some queso fresco and maybe a spoonful of fresh salsa if you’d like.
photos: CCF staff