This recipe uses canned beans, which can be high in sodium. Be sure to rinse well to remove over ⅓ of the sodium indicated on the label. If you want to add some spice, serve this with hot sauce on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin or chili powder (or combination)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Plain yogurt or low-fat sour cream for topping
Directions
- Sauté the onion in olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- After 2 minutes, add the cumin or chili powder.
- Add one can of beans and broth or water. Cook for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, stir occasionally.
- Remove from heat and use a hand blender to puree ingredients or transfer to a blender and puree.
- Add the second can of beans to the pot and cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until bubbly.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve topped with yogurt or low-fat sour cream.
Nutrition Information per Serving
(Based on using chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper)
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Vegetables: ¾ cup
- Fruits: 0 cups
- Calories: 160 calories
- Carbohydrates: 27 grams
- Fiber: 11 grams
- Protein: 11 grams
- Fat: 2 grams
- Sodium: 467 mg
Rate this recipe!
(8 votes, average: 4.38 out of 5)
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Ouchhhh !!! that’s so much carbs and more than 400 sodium is considered high !
Thanks for your feedback, Janet! Though this recipe has less sodium than a prepackaged black bean soup, there are modifications that you can make to reduce the sodium level further. Using black beans you’ve prepared from dry instead of canned black beans will go a long way to cut the total sodium in the recipe. Making your own beans (i.e. cooking dry beans) is delicious and surprisingly simple. Check out these pointers to help you get started. Additionally, consider using low/no sodium chicken broth to help reduce overall sodium in this (and all) recipes. You can also replace broth with water to reduce sodium further.
In regards to carbohydrates, the carbs in this recipe come from the black beans – a healthy source of carbohydrates and protein. Our Carbohydrate Choice Continuum provides a great overview of carbohydrates and how not all carbs have the same nutritional value – some we want more of (i.e. beans, vegetables, and whole grains) and some we want less of (i.e. highly refined grains and added sugars). To learn more about carbohydrates and how ‘Not All Carbs Are Created Equal’, I highly recommend this free webinar from our friends at Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less.