black bean pumpkin soup
I know this sounds like the tiniest of triumphs in a world of people who have respectable accomplishments to be proud of, but nonetheless, it brings me great pleasure to announce that I have found a pumpkin soup that meets my approval.
Yes, I know, who talks about pumpkin soup in November? It seems like strictly an October affair. Pumpkins crowd the markets, and the people gather round with an evil glint in their eyes, eager to carve them up and roast their innards, mwa-ha-ha. You can barely turn your head without finding another half dozen pumpkin recipes, and oh, I know, I’ve spread my share around.
Alex and I bought three smallish pumpkins to carve this year, but the weeks leading up to Halloween were chaotic and we never got to them. Feeling guilty that they were about to go to waste, I roasted and pureed one and a half of them (and stupidly deleted the pictures before, uh, downloading them from the camera), before deciding it was an absolutely excessive amount of work and entirely not worth it. I hear everyone goes through this same process once in their lives.
Nonetheless, I have cups and cups of puree, and I decided it time to find a pumpkin soup I can actually get along with. Your see, I pick on a good lot of them. I don’t like them sweet. I don’t like them with cinnamon or warm spices. I don’t like them with cream. I don’t like them too smooth and I especially don’t like them boring, like warmed pumpkin milk. Suffice it to say, I don’t eat a lot of pumpkin soup.
But this is about to change. This soup is loud. Beefy, spicy, smoky, textured and complex, ten times better than I even knew pumpkin soup could be. It has no cream. It is thickened by coarsely-pureed black beans. The pumpkin puree is just one star in an ensemble cast.
With a salad and a crusty piece of bread, it is substantial enough to be a meal, and I cannot wait to eat it again tomorrow, which is actually somewhat inconvenient, considering the whole new recipe every day thang this month. Fear not, though. I have something else up my sleeve, but you knew that. Don’t I always?
Accompaniment: Elise’s brined and baked pumpkin seeds, which will be my new go-to recipe
One year ago: When the Stars Make You Drool
Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Gourmet, November 1996
Yield: 9 cups
Three 15 1/2 ounce cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup minced shallot
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 cups beef broth
a 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into 1/8-inch dice
3 to 4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
Garnish: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
In a food processor coarsely puree beans and tomatoes.
In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Stir in bean puree. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Just before serving, add ham and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt and pepper.
Serve soup garnished with sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Most pumpkin soups send my taste buds into snooze mode, but this one looks interesting. And the photos are great.
I love, love, LOVE it when i see a recipe i think i’ll like, look through the ingredients list, and have all of them in my kitchen right now! Hellooo tomorrow’s lunch…
omg i totally agree on elise’s pumpkin seed recipe… sooo good ! I used olive oil tho.. like it matters… the cooking in the brine was a fab idea!
Ty for turning me onto her site, she’s a fellow northern californian and its nice to have something familiar in the food world that relates to our seasonal items.
oh yeah, I´m with you all the way in pumpkin and squash preferences, no extra sweetness in there for me unless I´m using it for dessert, which i don´t now that I think of it… but anyways, I´ve just tagged this recipe to try it, but you´ll have to wait half a year for me to do it since I´m in the middle of spring right now!
Oh, and I need to send you some tips I found in Cookwise about tart doughs, do you have that book? If not, do get it.
I love the colour of pumpkins, and can´t resist them, and once home I remember that it´s the dullest, most tasteless vegetable ever, and kick myself. But in tomato soup I like it. This sounds likea good idea too.
Congratulations (from a longtime lurker) on the great write up in the Boston Globe today! Well deserved.
I love pumpkins and can eat them year round, but you are right - all that work! And yet, pumpkin soup is just fantastic fare, methinks. I have a pumpkin we were going to carve for the first time in my life (yes, russian girl missed that experience) and we never got around to it. Must step up and gut that pum’kin now. Speaking of squashes, I finally got the guts to cut, quarter and gut my butternut. And it wasn’t bad at all! And then I decided to make your tart, but thinking myself clever, used puff pasty dough i had in the freezer to be a good resource user - BIG HUGE AWFUL mistake. It was SUCH a disaster. I felt all defeated. I’m using your pastry dough next.
I love any squash soup. Actually, I’m trying Pumpkin Lobster Bisque for lunch. Are you jealous? We have a place in the tunnels of Houston, our underground secret city, that serves this delectable soup only on Wednesday. I found out about it last week and I’ve been counting down the days until I could my mouth on a spoonful.
Now, I have another soup recipe to add to my collection of soups to make this winter. And, I think pumpkin is good for all of fall and winter.
Probably not the place to ask this but I will always.
Just wondering if you own a KitchenAid mixer, and if its a Artisan or professional? I’m wanting to buy one or the other, but herd that the Artisan breaks down after a few years.
Marce — Yes, that’s it. I don’t like it when naturally sweet things are made sweeter in non-dessert foods. I like them to be contrasted. I don’t have that book–I’ll put it on my Wish List!
Suzy — Thank you!
Radish — Oh no! re: puff pastry. I’m sorry it didn’t work. We must get you over your pate brisee fear. I promise, that summer disaster was all about the heat and humidity (no matter how cold your apt. was) and had nothing to do with you. That galette recipe is a great pastry gateway, anyhow, because it never fails.
Jenifer — Great, now you’ve mentioned lobster and Alex is going to be all “why didn’t you put loooobster in it? I thought you looooved me.” Groan. ;)
Mrs. Dolce — I have the Artisan, or classic one. Believe it or not, when I did my wedding registry a couple years ago, I didn’t eve KNOW about the different models, or I might have opted for the pro. However, I don’t use it a lot–in fact, most embarassingly, I only unwrapped it earlier this year. Great for doughs and cakes though!
Wow that sounds amazing! I wonder if I could use Butternut Squash puree instead of pumpkin? And bacon instead of ham? B/c then I would have all the ingredients in my house right now, and I could make it for dinner tonight!
Boston Globe … GREAT! (Except for the Perpetual Red Sox sidebars.) :-(
Oh well, there’s always next year.
Ok, that looks like a pumpkin soup for me. Like you commented to Marce, I don’t like sweet in non-dessert foods either. Too overwhelming for me.
Um, YUM! My pumpkin streak was on a bit of a lapse, so I’m snatching up this little ditty post haste. Any ideas to sub for the ham? It squicks out the hubs for reasons unknown. Well, the reason is known (”It’s just so PINK.”); I just don’t get it.
Xani, RA — I definitely think you could swap butternut squash puree. Would you believe I saw it canned at Whole Foods this week? Brilliant, I think, for people who hate the work.
sometimes when you get the mail and you see the package has arrived that you’ve been waiting for.. do you tear into it first or save it for last to enjoy it?
I save it for last… just like this blog!
I’m making my grocery list right now. I adore your blog.
Interesting. I normally don’t like pumpkin soup either. I may have to give this a try. Very soon, as I have a lot of pumpkin just sitting around.
Deb, My DH is a vegetarian, so I need to exclude or swap out the ham. I was thinking maybe mushrooms instead? What do you think?
I’m a firm believer that pumpkin can be eaten all fall long - not just in October!! This soup sounds delicious, and very different than any other pumpkin soup I’ve seen!!
Hi Susanne — I think you could, but because it is mixed in in the end, for just a minute, I’d make sure they are already cooked, sauteed or whatnot. The ham could also be omitted entirely, but I did like the extra texture. I think mushrooms would be great.
Not being much of a pumpkin-pie fan–too slimey–this recipe intrigues with its balance of sweet, salt and heat.
Thank you for your blog. It’s lovely and beautifully written.
given ur list of “wants” for pumpkin recipes…i think u should try some japanese varieties, they do great things with pumpkin that dont involve extra sugar or spices… soo good. if and when i find a good one, ill be sure to come back and share!
That reminds me: Does anyone have suggestions for my remaining 5 or so cups of pumpkin puree? I’m a tad nervous to use it in baked goods–it has a slightly higher liquid content than the canned stuff, more like mashed potatoes, so that ix-nays me saving it for my pumpkin cheesecake later this month. But what else? I’d hate for my labor to be as pointless as it seemed at the time.
Would draining in in a sieve help get the texture needed for baked goods? I have used the homemade puree in muffins and pancakes with good results. I have also used it as an add on, for things like the middle of already made crepes?
I just made this soup this weekend as well - without the ham, with homemade vegetable broth and I added some hot sauce at the end instead of the sherry vinegar. I think it’s my favorite soup of the fall. I also didn’t puree the beans and used chopped tomatoes because I wanted the soup to be a bit more stew like.
I’ve got some in the freezer and I’m going to have to get it out this weekend already because it’s so good.
oooh and I’d recommend pumpkin cookies (I’ve got just the recipe if you want me to email it)
Note to self: buy a pumpkin! This soup looks too good not to make!
Someone link the Boston Globe article!
I’m just finishing the wonderful batch of pumpkin butter from the recipe you posted not long ago. (I made the awesome granola, too …) I’ve put it on just about everything — yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, pancakes. I’m thinking about hooking up an IV soon … How ’bout whipping up another batch of that with all of your hard-earned pumpkin?
Here is a link to the article in the Boston Globe - Congrats!
http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2007/11/07/big_tastes_in_a_tiny_kitchen/
I have yet to try a pumpkin soup even though I love everything else made of pumpkin I have ever tried. It’s tragic, I know. Shall this be the first? I’m thinking so!
I made this tonight for my family and they love loved it. I served it with some fresh mango salsa, sour cream and cornbread. It was amazing, warm and very filling!
Wow! This sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing the recipe. junemoon
Update - They sold out of the soup before I got there. Now, I have to wait until next week. Tell Alex to get to Houston on Wednesday of next week.
I use pumpkin puree (admittedly the canned stuff, which I’m missing this year in France) instead of sweet potatoes in a recipe that started with the sweet potato quesadillas from The Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home — enough interesting spices and flavors to be not-cloying, and quick an tasty to boot. Actually, I often add a shmoosh of black beans to some of the quesadillas if I have them in the fridge, so probably not for the day after your yummy-looking soup. The salsa and Mexican flavors feel new with the pumpkin, but they don’t clash. BTW, for weeknight dinners I always just add fresh cilantro and a splash of lime juice to canned salsa and voila! fresh goodness is ours.
I agree that it’s hard to find a good pumpkin or squash soup. I find most disturbingly sweet,reminiscent of pureed squash baby food, and not at all appealing, but this one sounds fantastic. I’m looking forward to trying it. And that first picture of the soup? It looks completely delicious.
I combined Elise’s brined pumpkin seed recipe with Ouvo’s 3-pepper spiced Pepitas recently with great success as an acompaniment to roasted pumpkin soup recently too. They add such a nice texture!
I do love pumpkin and am always loking for another bean recipe, especially black beans. I’ll have to try this. A dash of hot sauce will heat it up.
Discovered your blog from the Globe Article, comforting to find other cooking obsessed souls out there. Great Job!
Next time you have that pumpkin don’t puree, go stew instead of soup! Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian (1999) cookbook has a Cuban White Bean & Pumkin Stew which I’ve made for years (once adapted for chili contest held on a Friday in Lent - aka Catholic No Meat Days). It is great & I’m no vegetarian but even Vegans I know love this one. Take 1 lb white beans soak overnight add with 2 cups diced pumpkin (or other squash) & 5 cups water in large pot. Bring to boil, partially cover, simmer gently 40-80 minutes until beans are tender. Next step is the key and where you can go nuts with variations. While beans soften, make a sofrito by sauteeing on medium high heat, in 5 tblsp olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4 garlic cloves, & 8 to 10 Cachucha peppers (a caribeean cousin of Habenero, citrus flavor without the heat - I’ve never found and use 2-4 Poblanos or Anaheims intead - Jaffrey suggests simmering some lemongrass with beans to replace citrus notes - I add lime juice at end) all finely diced . Stir briefly, add 1/4 cup finely chopped Culantro (also never found) or substitute Cilantro. Add 1/2 tspn Cumin (I use more) stir once then add 1 cup canned tomato sauce (diced tomatoes alternative), bring to simmer & turn heat down to gentle simmer stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add Sofrito to beans. Canned white beans will cut cooktime (add later to simmering pumpkin & use less water) . Enjoy! btw last year I discovered a “hard shell” pumpkin at local farm market (about 3-7 lbs each), it was tougher skinned than carving pumpkins, flesh is less watery and strong pumpkin flavor also assume would make puree less watery. Not sure what the technical name for these are and I haven’t seen too often - couldn’t find in store this year then found my local garden center was selling them as “decorative pumpkins”. They also store well, ie don’t rot when kept in cool spot (had one in basement pantry for 4 months last year and made great mid winter treat).
hi deb! I just have to say, I’ve been a follower of your blog for awhile now, but haven’t yet made anything until I saw this soup. and it was a fabulous find. being vegetarian, I too nixed the ham and used a vegetable broth. I also added more black beans. I wished I had added more pumpkin, thinking it would’ve made it a little thicker, and I could’ve used more pumpkin flavor.
but it’s still quite amazing. :)
Im a newby to your blog…just found it last month…LOVE your freshly savvy writing style, exquisitely tempting photos and uniquely Better than everybody elses recipes!!! (I am serious) Your blog is comfort food to me and my favorite treat when returning home from work! Thank you from the bottom of my stock pot.
Just made this deeply satisfying soup last night. WOW! This is BIG on savory latin flavor that melded so well with the pumpkin….loved it! I used freshly ground cumin seed (that I smashed in my mortar and pestle). Also, I didnt have any sherry or sherry vinegar, but instead used leftover birthday champagne and some balsamic vinegar. I even had some of the soup cold this morning….maybe even more delish the next day! First homemade pumpkin soup that I actually liked….I think I am going to officially declare November. Soup Month :) and try as many soups and stews as possible. Good for us and good for our figures too!
Here’s a very similar recipe, but vegetarian. (I skip on the heavy cream, by the way, and just use skim or 2%. Taste’s fine, and isn’t so creamy/fatty.)
Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup:
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to your liking
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish
Directions
Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion.
Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin
puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat
to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to
taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with
chopped chives.
i made this last night, leaving out a few things like the sherry because i didn’t have it and used pancetta cubes instead of ham, but it was seriously phenomenal. i actually made another pumpkin soup at the same time and it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t this. thank you SO much for sharing this recipe, i was literally sneaking in some with the stirring spoon. Oh, and i should’ve read the bit about where you pureed the pumpkin more carefully because as much fun as it was, it was such a mess and i couldn’t taste the difference in the cupcakes i made either. oh well, at least i have bragging rights.
Excellent creation.
That looks really good. I have a pumpkin here that’s just begging to be roasted, so…hmm.
Have you tried pumpkin soup with red curry paste and coconut milk? That’s quite an assertive pumpkin soup that I’m rather fond of.
holy crap, this soup is good. i ate two bowls for dinner last night and one for lunch today. thanks for unearthing it. i love that it isn’t sweet.
I tried this over the weekend - so good! I actually found it not quite pumpkin-y enough so I added more puree. I think next time I’ll add even a little bit more. Also, I’m on Weight Watchers and this recipe is very low points!! Haha - I love when I can actually make your recipes because a) they’re easy enough b) I have the ingredients in my shoebox-sized NYC apartment and c) I can eat it guilt-free!
I think this sounds good with hot chorizo cooked at the beginning and it’s fat used to sautee the vegetables and added back in at the end. Since I have some hot chorizo that’s what I’ll do.
Made this for dinner last night…and it was DELICIOUS!!! I may have to add a little more pumpkin next time, but otherwise awesome. Thanks a lot for the recipe!
This is the recipe that brought me to your website for the first time. I had some out of the freezer again for dinner last night and it is just as delicious as when I first made it. And there’s a cup left for lunch, which will definitely warm up this sleet-y winter day. Thanks!
I found your website when my daughter called to tell me about the pumpkin and black bean soup recipe she’d just made and how fabulous it was. Then she told me where she got the recipe. I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve been planning to make this soup but just now got around to it. My husband said it was delicious and I certainly agree. Thanks so much for all the food, recipes and information. It’s terrific.