Black Bean & Squash Soup (Vegan)

I had 3 cups of pureed butternut squash to use up (leftover from roasting a large squash for the pumpkin cake recipe), and a desire to make a hearty vegetarian soup. This was the result! It has several surprise flavors, including orange juice, smoky chiles, chunks of sweet potato, and just a hint of ginger. I made it while visiting my family in Iowa and promised to post the recipe for them. Unfortunately, I did not measure several of the ingredients as I threw them in, so the spice measurements are estimations – have fun experimenting! I hope you all enjoy this satisfying soup.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 large celery stalks, diced

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped

Dash of cinnamon

1 T ground coriander

2 tsp. ground cumin

Chipotle chile powder (it’s spicy – start with a dash and add more to your taste)

2 tsp. smoked paprika

3 cans of black beans (14 oz.)

3 cups of pureed butternut squash

1 bay leaf

1 tsp of freshly grated ginger

5 cups of vegetable stock

1 ½ T dried marjoram

2 tsp. dried oregano

Black pepper to taste

4-5 handfuls of cherry or grape tomatoes

1 cup of orange juice? Or to taste (I did not measure it!)

1 cup fresh parsley & cilantro, minced

Heat 1-2 T of olive oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the cinnamon, coriander, cumin, chile powder, and paprika and stir. Toss in the celery, carrots and sweet potatoes, stirring to coat with spices. Let the vegetable-spice mixture cook for a few minutes. Add the vegetable stock, black beans, bay leaf, marjoram, oregano, black pepper, pureed squash, and ginger. Cook covered for 30 minutes, simmering on medium-low heat.

Add the tomatoes and orange juice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes uncovered. Remove the soup from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Serve with the fresh herbs mixed in.

This is incredibly comforting on a cold winter day! Enjoy.