Lest you think we are only about sugar and cream and flour around here, take a look at that picture. Black. Bean. Soup. Served over chewy brown rice with a dollop of sour cream, this stuff is heaven.

I got the original recipe here. When I first saw it, I was smitten. I immediately ran out and bought a slow cooker (I know, I know. I’m the last person in the food blogging universe to get one). The first time I made the soup, it was a little thin and watery. Despite the onions, peppers and copious amounts of cumin, there didn’t seem to be much flavor in the soup. After the first bowl, Bryan politely declined any more.

(That was okay by me. I ate the rest of the soup for lunch for more than a week straight. And I don’t do that. Usually.)

The second time I made this soup, I made some small changes that made all the difference. I used yellow onions instead of red onions. I used yellow and red bell peppers and several stalks of celery. And, most importantly, I used two cans of chicken stock instead of water and cut down the liquid by two cups. This version was wonderful. It was full of flavor and not too thin. I have a feeling that I’m going to have to share this soup with Bryan for lunch.

Recipe after the jump.

Black Bean Soup
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Bon Appetit

Watch your cooking time. The first time I made the soup, it took 4 hours in the slow cooker on high. The second time I made it, it took almost 6 hours on high.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 16-ounce package dried black beans
2 chopped chipotle chiles from a can, about 2 teaspoons. I seeded mine before chopping them.
2 cans chicken stock (about 4 cups)
1-2 cups hot water
Juice from half of a lemon
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers and celery and sauté until beginning to brown, about eight minutes. Add garlic and cumin; stir one minute. Transfer mixture to 6-quart slow cooker. Add beans and chipotles, then chicken stock and 1 cup of hot water. Cover and cook on high until beans are very tender, about 3-6 hours. If soup is starting to look a little dry, add more hot water as necessary.

Transfer two cups bean mixture to blender; puree until smooth. Return puree to remaining soup in slow cooker. Stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste.