# What You Need:
→ Beans & Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
→ Spices & Seasoning
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 - Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
→ Garnishes
17 - Chopped fresh cilantro
18 - Sour cream or vegan yogurt
19 - Sliced avocado
20 - Lime wedges
21 - Diced red onion
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrot, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, coriander, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices and release their flavors.
04 - Add drained black beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup until creamy while maintaining some whole beans and vegetables. Alternatively, carefully transfer half the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper, and spices as needed for desired flavor balance.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with desired garnishes including cilantro, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, or diced red onion.
