Serve this delicious black bean soup bonanza topped with sour cream, chopped, fresh purple onion and blue tortilla chips for garnish.

Black Bean Soup Mix Ingredients:

Black turtle beans, black-eyed peas, peppers, carrots, onions, celery, shallots, cayenne and spices. No added salt, preservatives or MSG.

Allergen Information: Certified Gluten-Free

Recipe Additions:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup orange or grapefruit juice
1 large purple onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
fresh ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth

Black Bean Soup Recipe Directions:

Preparing the beans:

• Rinse, drain and pick over.
• Place in a bowl with 8 cups water and soak for 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. For a time-saving alternative, boil for 10 minutes and let stand for 2 hours.
• Drain beans, and place in a 4 quart pot with 8 cups water.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours until tender but not mushy. Then drain the beans.

While beans are simmering:

• In a separate 4 quart pot over medium low heat, sauté onion in oil for 10 minutes, add the garlic the last 2 minutes.
• Add vegetable packet and sauté 2 more minutes.
• Add drained beans and broth.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in juice and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Puree half the soup and return to pot.
• Continue to cook, uncovered, on low heat for 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Recipe Directions:

Recommended slow cooker: 3-4 quart

Preparing the soup starting the night before:

• Rinse, drain and pick over beans. (That is a standard direction on cooking beans. We use beautiful triple "washed" beans, so they are quite clean and shiny without dirt particles.)
• Place beans in 2 quart slow cooker, adding 1-2 quarts of water.
• Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat and allow to soak a minimum of two hours or overnight at room temperature.

In the morning:

• In a medium skillet sauté purple onion in oil for 5 minutes, adding the garlic for the last two minutes. Stir in the contents of soup seasoning packet. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of slow cooker.
• Drain and add the beans to the slow cooker. Add chicken broth.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Turn heat up to HIGH for 2 hours. This direction can be reversed. Cook on high for 2 hours and then low for about 8 hours.
• Use an immersion blender and puree the soup in the slow cooker. Or, remove and run soup through a food processor to puree.
• Add orange juice, salt and pepper to taste, stir thoroughly, reheating, and serve. We like to top it with a dollop of sour cream and a tablespoon of fresh chopped purple onion.

Cooking times for slow cookers vary, some are hotter than others. This particular bean needs 2 hours on high after presoaking as directed above.