bean & corn soup

It has been kind of nice going thru the old website, looking for stuff I want to make sure I reblog over here. I’m discovering some stuff I hadn’t thought of in awhile, and recipes I haven’t made lately, such as this Bean & Corn Soup. I’ve often said, recipes tend to be more like guidelines for me. A dish rarely turns out the same twice because I may sub one thing for something I don’t have, or decide to try a different spice combination. And that’s kind of what happened here.

The original version of this was meatless, and it definitely could be, beans on their own are filling, full of fiber, some decent protein. With the proliferation of InstantPot and other pressure cookers, you can cook your own dry beans even easier than ever, and I do so rather frequently for batches of refried beans and such. Sometimes, I used canned though. Just remember, one can is about equal to about a cup and a half of cooked beans.

If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer the vegetables, beans and broth to a blender or food processor to puree BEFORE heating the broth/beans. Work in small batches as needed. Reserve some of the sauteed veges and mix back in after blending if you want a chunkier soup.

I typically use serrano peppers for this, but I don’t keep them on hand, so I have subbed jalapeno. And feel free to use more or less depending on your preferences. The chorizo is optional, but I really do like the extra spicy kick it can add. Or, try adding your own shredded chicken or pork, or leave out the meat and serve as a side with a meat entree.

This will make 3-4 decent, meal sized servings, or 4-6 servings as a side dish.

I prefer frozen corn over canned, but 1, 15oz can can be substituted. Better yet, cut fresh corn off one ear, cooking slightly in a heavy skillet before adding to the soup. If you don’t have any on hand, you can skip it, but I like both the color and the flavor it does add.

Bean & Corn Soup

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INGREDIENTS  

• 1/2 medium sweet onion chopped
• 1 stalk celery finely sliced
• 1/2 medium green or red bell pepper chopped
• 3 whole serrano peppers finely sliced
• 2 cloves fresh garlic chopped
• 3 cups pinto beans cooked, divided
• 2 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 small lime juiced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 medium roma tomato diced – OPTIONAL
• 1 9-10 oz Mexican chorizo OPTIONAL

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Heat a Dutch oven or other medium pot over medium heat, add about a tablespoon of oil and heat until warmed. Add the onion, celery, and peppers, stirring frequently and saute until the onion just starts to soften. About 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the chorizo, if using, stir frequently to break up as it cooks. When it looks nearly done stir in the garlic. Let cook an additional 2-3 minutes, still frequently stirring.
• Add the broth and half of the beans, then using an immersion blender, blend to puree the beans and vegetables.
• Add the remaining beans and corn, stir and set heat to low. Stir in spices, lime juice, and diced tomato (if using). Simmer for 5-10 minutes until thoroughly heated before serving.

NOTES

Serve with a variety of garnish options and let everyone add their own. Garnish Suggestions: chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, sour cream or Greek yogurt, guacamole, shredded cheese, broken up tortilla chips.