Court & Whit's Trader Joe's Black Bean Soup
- Courtney & Whitney
- Nov 2
- 2 min read
Why it's on our list
When we were young, broke and living together in LA in our 20's, we often relied on Trader Joe's Black Bean Soup (AKA BBS) in a can. Seriously, we probably ate it 3 times a week! One Sunday during our weekly trip to Trader Joe's, we received the heartbreaking news that our beloved BBS had been discontinued. OUTRAGED, we made it our mission to bring it back by writing letters, sending emails and accosting store managers. unfortunately, our cries fell on deaf ears and we had to accept defeat. To this day, we still peek into the soup section with a glimmer of hope that it might return to the shelves.
Twenty years later, we finally decided to take matters into our own hands and recreate a version that we can incorporate into our weekly meals. Packed with fiber, protein and tons of flavor, this recipe is not only super healthy but also incredibly easy to make! Our secret ingredient? Momma Ashley's Pinch of Texas Ancho Chile Smoked Blend. We used her delicious spice mix generously, and it delivered the perfect blend of Mexican spices - all in one easy-to-use seasoning.
The result? Absolutely phenomenal! And, best of all, it's simple to throw together!
Ingredients:
1 white onion
2 limes cut in 1/2
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
1 small bunch of cilantro, stems and leaves separated
1 TLBS tomato paste
3 cans of black beans drained and rinsed
1 heaping TLBS of Ancho Chili Smoked Blend (Pinch of Texas)
1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth,
1 can full fat coconut milk
salt and ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Dice the white onion, seed and mince the jalapeno, and mince the garlic. Separate the cilantro stems and leaves.
In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and minced jalapeno. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and a heaping tablespoon of Ancho Chili Smoked Blend. Cook for 1-2 minutes to deepen the flavors.
Pour in the drained and rinsed black beans, chicken or vegetable broth, and the juice of 1 lime (cut the lime in half and squeeze). Stir well.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Stir in the can of full-fat coconut milk.
Puree the soup by carefully pouring it, in batches, into a blender or using an immersion blender to blend until smooth
Taste the soup and add salt and ground pepper as desired. Adjust seasoning to your preference.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with chopped cilantro leaves, Cojita cheese and picked onions (optional) and serve.
Directions for Quick Pickled Onions
Thinly slice one quarter of a white onion and place in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lime and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir and set aside until ready to use.
Comments