Roasted Red Pepper & Black Bean Soup

Last week we opened a jar of roasted red peppers to make Smoky Sausage & Rice Soup & a can of chipotle in adobo to make Shortcut Tacos al Pastor. So I knew when I was coming up with this weeks menu I wanted to make something that would use both of those things. We also had a ton to dried black beans on hand from our last CSA delivery. I decided these would make a fabulous soup together.

I wanted the roasted red pepper to be the star of the broth of this soup instead of making a a black bean soup with some red peppers in it. The chipotle in adobe added a fabulous flavor & scent to the soup though be careful it also adds a lot of heat. Using dried beans instead of canned means they didn't get all mushy in the soup & added a nice texture.

Roasted Red Pepper & Black Bean Soup

1 c dried black beans
1/2 T olive oil
1 c red onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz roasted red pepper, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 - 1 chipotle pepper in adobe (more or less according to the heat you like)
1/2 t dried oregano
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, chopped
salt
2 c chicken broth
sour cream

Pick through the beans for any stones & place in a pot with a lid. Cover with boiling water about 1 inch above the beans. Let sit until twice in size, at least an hour or two.

In a soup pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion & garlic & cook until very tender. Stir in the peppers, oregano, parsley & a good pinch of salt. Cook or about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth. Using a blender or immersion blender process until smooth.

Stir in the soaked beans & bring to a boil. Cover & reduce heat. Simmer for about 1 hour or until beans are tender. Use a fork to smash some of the beans if you wish to thicken it a bit more.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.

2 main dish servings