Quick Black Bean Soup (America's Test Kitchen)

Ingredients

• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 6 ounces chorizo sausage
• diced
• 1 onions
• chopped or 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• stemmed
• seeded
• and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• chopped
• 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• drained and rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 12 teaspoon ground cumin
• 12 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 12 cup minced fresh cilantro
• Tabasco sauce
• 2 limes
• quartered
• for serving

Instructions

1. Bring the broth to a boil, covered, in a large saucepan and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook the chorizo in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.
3. While the chorizo cooks, pulse the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor until finely minced, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Remove the puree to a bowl.
5. Stir the processed vegetables and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the Dutch oven and cook until the vegetables are dry and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
6. While the vegetables cook, puree 4 cups of the beans and the water together in the food processor until smooth.
7. Stir the oregano, cumin, and cayenne into the Dutch oven and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
8. Stir in the broth, pureed beans, and remaining whole beans.
9. Bring to a simmer and cook until the whole beans have warmed through, about 5 minutes.
10. Turn off the heat, stir in the cilantro and season with salt and Tabasco to taste.
11. Serve with the lime wedges.
12. Note: Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.