Andouille and Black Bean Soup

This simple, easy (and fast!) black bean soup comes together with canned black beans, but  you can slow it down—and make it even better—by cooking the black beans from scratch. But when time is short, canned black beans work just fine. (Be sure to drain and rinse them well before using.) This soup is on the table in about a half hour.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
• 12 oz andouille sausage, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
• 3/4 cup chopped red onion
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2-1/2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed

Andouille Sausage

Prepared Sausage

Prepared Vegetables

Rinsed Beans

Preparation

1. Heat a soup pot or large saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the andouille and cook, stirring several times, until browned and just cooked through, 6-7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Sausage Beginning to Cook

Cooked Sausage

1. If there is less than 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, add a little more. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring a few times, 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the cumin and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute.
3. Add the broth and beans and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until all the vegetables have softened, 5-6 minutes.
4. Return the andouille to the pan and add the parsley. Cook 5 minutes.

Vegetables Added

Softened Vegetables

Spices Added

Cooked Soup

Divide the soup among bowls and serve hot.

Andouille and Black Bean Soup