Southwest Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
Are pumpkin soups starting to all look the same? How about a Southwest Pumpkin Black Bean soup with beans, red peppers, rice and chili spices!
I love pumpkin soups. But after a while they start to look the same. Pumpkin with curry, pumpkin with coconut, pumpkin with curry and coconut… Why not one with a Southwest flair? Pumpkin Black Bean Soup?
Since I started taking some classes this fall, I am trying to cook… compactly. That is, can I make a dish that is simple, but has it all together (that is, protein, veggies & starch). Of course it has to have great flavor too!
With pumpkin, red pepper, beans and rice (beans + rice = complete protein) plus a bit of spice, this Southwest Pumpkin Black Bean Soup checks all the boxes!
Of course pumpkin (or any winter squash) is a nutrition powerhouse. Add red pepper and black beans, and you are meeting the old nutrition maxim of eating a rainbow.
But this Southwest Pumpkin Black Bean Soup has other attributes as well. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, people will be convening here from near and far—and a healthy snack will be waiting in the wings.
This year we have guests traveling from 3 states, with arrivals stretched from Tuesday night to Thursday (in the morning’s wee hours). Knowing that a tired college student will have something healthy and tasty when they step in the door makes me feel like a good mom.
Yes, Happy Thanksgiving! And never too much pumpkin!
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 5 cups broth (any type)
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed (a bit over 1 cup after draining)
- ½ cup raw brown rice (any type, just vary cooking time)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1-2 teaspoon salt (see note)
- Sautee onion in olive oil in a large pan. When just tender, add minced garlic and cook for a minute more.
- Add remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve pumpkin puree in broth. Let cook until rice is tender, 30-45 minutes for regular, 10-15 minutes for quick (see rice package directions for more detail).
- I use homemade broth which is lower in sodium so go up to the full 2 teaspoons of salt (I use lite salt). Normally I am a lower salt person, but it brings out the flavor in this soup, so taste and adjust as needed.
- Triple Antioxidant Cabernet Blueberry Cranberry Sauce
- Easy Gluten Free Molasses Cookies
Looks just delicious, Inger!
Thanks David!
even a pumpkin-disliker like me thinks this looks very delicious and satisfying! black beans are a personal favorite. 🙂
Thanks Grace–the girls enjoyed it over the holidays. But my ASU girl is going native and said I didn’t make it hot enough 😉
Happy Thanksgiving, Inger! What classes are you taking? Thanks for the recipe. I’ve printed it. Are you reading my Banner Mountain Girl series on my blog? If not, please take a look.
Happy belated Thanksgiving to you too Freeda. I am behind on my blog reading so I’ll have to get over and take a look. My kids came in separately over 3 days, so we were busy–but it was fun!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Inger! Great sounding soup!
Thanks Lisa! We had a great Thanksgiving–hope yours went well too!
Love that this can be vegan!
You know I didn’t set out to make it vegan, but when I realized it would be with vegetable broth I was excited Tammy!