I read somewhere that the secret to good soup is salt. Personally, the secret to good anything is salt, so this idea really worked for me. In all seriousness though, this recipe uses water instead of stock, which is typically high in sodium, so it’s important to taste and season often throughout the cook. Don’t be shy!
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained & rinsed
Serving Suggestions
- white rice
- Pickled Pico
- avocado
- Greek yogurt
- fresh cilantro
Method
In a dutch oven or a large skillet, preheat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the carrot, celery and onion, season with salt and cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional minute. Add the spices and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Deglaze the pan with white wine, add the vinegar and reduce by half. Stir in the water and tomatoes and season with salt. Bring to a bubble and then taste. The broth should taste good! Add more salt or spices if needed.
Finally, add the beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning once more before serving. You probably need to salt again, and that’s okay! Serve immediately over rice or on its own with your choice of toppings.
