Spicy Coconut Black Bean Soup

Mark and I never tire of the smooth, spicy flavor of this soup! The coconut milk gives it such a rich flavor that it almost seems a bit sinful, but it’s completely healthy! This soup will gain heat during the course of its life, so if you don’t like spicy food, go light on, or eliminate the cayenne.

Spicy Coconut Black Bean Soup

2T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1-2T fresh oregano, chopped (or 2-3tsp dried)
1 tsp sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2-3 carrots, diced
1 bell pepper (red or green), diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 whole sprigs cilantro
2 cans black beans
2-3 C vegetable stock or water (I use stock)
1 can coconut milk
Handful of cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil on medium high heat in bottom of pot. Add onions, sautee until translucent. Add garlic. Add oregano, 1 tsp. of salt, and cayenne. Sweat for 1 minute.

Add carrots, sauté for 2-3 minutes until carrots soften slightly. Add bell pepper, celery, and cilantro sprigs. Sautee for 1 minute.

Stir in beans and mix well. After combined, add all of the stock or water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium/medium low. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary.

After the beans have simmered about 7-10 minutes, add half of the coconut milk, adding more until you have a consistency and flavor you like. Simmer covered for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally and testing for seasonings, and adding more stock/water/coconut milk to taste.

The soup is ready when the beans are very tender and melt in your mouth (though technically you could eat it after the coconut milk has mixed in a heated through).

Add other vegetables if you’d like, and be careful with the cayenne – it gets hotter as you cook it, so don’t add too much in the beginning. If anything, add it at the end!

Natural Foods chef Aja Tahan Marsh’s food is inventive and vibrant, yet always approachable, with flavors ranging from the utterly familiar to the exotic. With a focus on slow food and sustainable products, Aja has a commitment to supporting local agriculture and businesses, working with high-quality, fresh, and in-season ingredients, including as many organic products as possible. Aja studied at the Natural Gourmet Institute for health and Culinary Arts in New York City and works as a personal chef and caterer in NYC.

Recipe found on GirlieGirlArmy.com