hot damn: black bean pumpkin soup


If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you’re probably aware that I am a huge soup lover and my dear husband is not. But I’ve recently discovered a way for my picky husband to finish a bowl (or sometimes even two). All I need to do is serve the soup with garlic bread or cheese bread and he’ll actually put down the spoon and start dunking the bread into his soup until the bowl is wiped clean. I know, amazing.

When I saw this recipe from the always excellent and totally drool-worthy blog, Smitten Kitchen, I knew that like it or not, soup = dinner. Last weekend, I had made Cornelius’ favorite cookies and had a lot of leftover pumpkin puree on my hands. This soup seemed an easy way to use it up. I made a few changes to the recipe, leaving out the tomatoes, sherry and ham but found the results to be stellar. The soup was hearty, spicy and full of texture and a snap to make. Of course, I made a batch of cheese covered garlic bread to go along side and I heard no complaints at all.

And now for something completely different…did you know that the Food Network Canada has another new blog? Joining Food for Thought is Bazaar, a collection of food and kitchen related finds. This afternoon why not check out my new post in Bazaar on the joys of hotel bars and leave a comment!

41 comments to “hot damn: black bean pumpkin soup”

  1. 1
    eatme_delicious   November 9, 2007 at 5:56 pm

    That soup sounds perfect! I’m trying to eat more beans and I love pumpkin. Thanks. 🙂

  2. 2
    eatme_delicious   November 9, 2007 at 5:56 pm

    That soup sounds perfect! I’m trying to eat more beans and I love pumpkin. Thanks. 🙂

  3. 3
    Joanne   November 10, 2007 at 7:02 am

    I have a can of pumpkin puree that I did not use at Thanksgiving and I have been thinking what to do with it…pumpkin soup sounds perfect for a chilly Fall day – maybe some savoury cornbread with a bit of jalapeno kick, to go with it??? I’m getting hungry 🙂

  4. 4
    Joanne   November 10, 2007 at 7:02 am

    I have a can of pumpkin puree that I did not use at Thanksgiving and I have been thinking what to do with it…pumpkin soup sounds perfect for a chilly Fall day – maybe some savoury cornbread with a bit of jalapeno kick, to go with it??? I’m getting hungry 🙂

  5. 5
    Rachael   November 10, 2007 at 7:57 am

    oh, okay, i have been looking for the perfect recipe to use up some neglected squash puree and this is it. Tomorrow’s dinner it is, thanks!

  6. 6
    Rachael   November 10, 2007 at 7:57 am

    oh, okay, i have been looking for the perfect recipe to use up some neglected squash puree and this is it. Tomorrow’s dinner it is, thanks!

  7. 7
    VeggieGirl   November 10, 2007 at 11:07 am

    beans + pumpkin + both in one soup = heaven in a bowl :0)

    that’s great that you’ve discovered how to get your husband to enjoy soup – keep serving your soups with the bread!! haha.

    ooh, I’ll definitely check out your post about hotel bars – sounds interesting! :0)

  8. 8
    VeggieGirl   November 10, 2007 at 11:07 am

    beans + pumpkin + both in one soup = heaven in a bowl :0)

    that’s great that you’ve discovered how to get your husband to enjoy soup – keep serving your soups with the bread!! haha.

    ooh, I’ll definitely check out your post about hotel bars – sounds interesting! :0)

  9. 9
    kickpleat   November 10, 2007 at 11:11 am

    eat me delicious, this soup is awesome and i hope you give it a try.

    joanne, cornbread would be great with this! let me know how it goes.

    rachael, this would be perfect with leftover squash puree. yum!

    veggiegirl, it is heaven in a bowl. as for soup and bread, its a good combo and i’m glad the soup is getting eaten!

  10. 10
    Dawna   November 10, 2007 at 4:32 pm

    That looks very tasty. I’m actually on a bit of a soup-tear myself, these days, but I haven’t tried one like that. My usual use for leftover pumpkin puree is Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf, but I’m always looking out for others…

  11. 11
    Dawna   November 10, 2007 at 4:32 pm

    That looks very tasty. I’m actually on a bit of a soup-tear myself, these days, but I haven’t tried one like that. My usual use for leftover pumpkin puree is Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf, but I’m always looking out for others…

  12. 12
    Kristeen   November 10, 2007 at 9:05 pm

    Hi new to your site…I am also a huge soup lover and my husband is not! I like pumpkin bread, pudding, but pumpkin soup.. Well I am not sure so thought I try… thanks…

  13. 13
    emeraldtiger   November 11, 2007 at 9:43 am

    how can one not like soup!?! it’s one of the best types of food around, and as the weather turns colder i turn to it more & more. this looks great!

  14. 14
    emeraldtiger   November 11, 2007 at 9:43 am

    how can one not like soup!?! it’s one of the best types of food around, and as the weather turns colder i turn to it more & more. this looks great!

  15. 15
    kickpleat   November 11, 2007 at 10:04 am

    dawna, chocolate pumpkin loaf sounds amazing!

    kristeen, pumpkin soup is a must try…especially this one since it’s not sweet or too creamy or any of those other pumpkin soup recipes. this soup kicks pumpkin ass!

    i’m totally with you emeraldtiger! i may not be converting cornelius into becoming a soup lover but i’m dealing with it!

  16. 16
    Travel Girl   November 11, 2007 at 10:31 am

    I made the soup today and it is so good that I’m afraid I won’t have any left over for lunch tomorrow. My husband, who is very tired of everything pumpkin, loved it. He didn’t even realize there was pumpkin in it. The flavors blend so well. Thanks for the recipe.

  17. 17
    Travel Girl   November 11, 2007 at 10:31 am

    I made the soup today and it is so good that I’m afraid I won’t have any left over for lunch tomorrow. My husband, who is very tired of everything pumpkin, loved it. He didn’t even realize there was pumpkin in it. The flavors blend so well. Thanks for the recipe.

  18. 18
    jenn   November 11, 2007 at 3:11 pm

    hmmm this sounds awesome! I’m going to try it this week! Thanks dear!

  19. 19
    jenn   November 11, 2007 at 3:11 pm

    hmmm this sounds awesome! I’m going to try it this week! Thanks dear!

  20. 20
    Cookie baker Lynn   November 12, 2007 at 7:31 am

    This soup sounds like the perfect fall dinner. It is a wise wife who knows how to make her husband happily eat what’s good for him!

  21. 21
    Cookie baker Lynn   November 12, 2007 at 7:31 am

    This soup sounds like the perfect fall dinner. It is a wise wife who knows how to make her husband happily eat what’s good for him!

  22. 22
    kickpleat   November 13, 2007 at 7:29 am

    travel girl, glad you loved the soup…and it may be time for another batch!

    thanks jenn!

    haha, lynn! i try 🙂

  23. 23
    Janna   November 13, 2007 at 12:18 pm

    I’m glad to see that you added chipotle, as I added smoked pimento to this recipe, and posted my version as well. That smoky flavor is a great addition!

  24. 24
    Janna   November 13, 2007 at 12:18 pm

    I’m glad to see that you added chipotle, as I added smoked pimento to this recipe, and posted my version as well. That smoky flavor is a great addition!

  25. 25
    Fiber   November 13, 2007 at 8:53 am

    This does sound fantastic. Last year, I was hooked on my curried black bean pumpkin soup. I’ll have to give this one a try.

  26. 26
    Fiber   November 13, 2007 at 8:53 am

    This does sound fantastic. Last year, I was hooked on my curried black bean pumpkin soup. I’ll have to give this one a try.

  27. 27
    kickpleat   November 13, 2007 at 10:54 pm

    yum, fibre a curried black bean and pumpkin soup sounds awesome! i’ll look for the recipe on your blog.

    janna, smoked paprika would be another great addition. the smokiness really stands out in this recipe!

  28. 28
    Rachael M.   November 15, 2007 at 6:21 pm

    What do you think of subbing chicken broth for the beef stock? It’s just that have, oh, 6 cans of chicken broth and no beef flavoured…

    🙂

  29. 29
    Rachael M.   November 15, 2007 at 6:21 pm

    What do you think of subbing chicken broth for the beef stock? It’s just that have, oh, 6 cans of chicken broth and no beef flavoured…

    🙂

  30. 30
    kickpleat   November 15, 2007 at 6:26 pm

    Rachael M, I think chicken broth would work perfectly well. Give it a try!

  31. 31
    Rachael M.   November 16, 2007 at 9:03 pm

    Oh. Wow.

    I made this soup (with chicken broth and a can of green chiles – ole!) AND cornelius’ favorite pumpkin cookies and just wow wow wow.

    Especially the cookies, because even my husband who HATES oats and HATES pumpkin thought they were rather good!

    fantastic!

  32. 32
    Rachael M.   November 16, 2007 at 9:03 pm

    Oh. Wow.

    I made this soup (with chicken broth and a can of green chiles – ole!) AND cornelius’ favorite pumpkin cookies and just wow wow wow.

    Especially the cookies, because even my husband who HATES oats and HATES pumpkin thought they were rather good!

    fantastic!

  33. 33
    kickpleat   November 18, 2007 at 10:04 am

    rachael, i’m glad you loved the soup and made the cookies, to boot!! hooray!

  34. 34
    Zoe   November 30, 2007 at 5:35 am

    I love finding really easy soups to make, so I had to make this right away. It was great. I halved the amount of broth and used chicken stock, because that was the only type and amount I had, so it came out really thick (and spicy, since the chipotle wasn’t more diluted!), but that was fine. I also doubled the amount of beans (getting closer to the original recipe) and added a little more vinegar, but other than that left it alone. Very yummy!

  35. 35
    Zoe   November 30, 2007 at 5:35 am

    I love finding really easy soups to make, so I had to make this right away. It was great. I halved the amount of broth and used chicken stock, because that was the only type and amount I had, so it came out really thick (and spicy, since the chipotle wasn’t more diluted!), but that was fine. I also doubled the amount of beans (getting closer to the original recipe) and added a little more vinegar, but other than that left it alone. Very yummy!

  36. 36
    No Apathy Allowed   December 1, 2007 at 6:38 pm

    This recipe inspired me to cook! Which is something I don’t do very often. Here’s my post about the experience: http://noapathyallowed.com/2007/12/01/black-bean-pumpkin-soup/

    Thanks for sharing the yummy recipe!

  37. 37
    No Apathy Allowed   December 1, 2007 at 6:38 pm

    This recipe inspired me to cook! Which is something I don’t do very often. Here’s my post about the experience: http://noapathyallowed.com/2007/12/01/black-bean-pumpkin-soup/

    Thanks for sharing the yummy recipe!

  38. 38
    Laura   December 6, 2007 at 10:54 am

    I just made this for lunch and feel like I’m missing something. I followed the recipe exactly and I just really didn’t like it at all. I thought the texture was bizarre – not quite puree, not quite chunky. The onions ended up being the biggest chunks of the soup and that really threw me off.

    I’m going to puree it up once it’s cooled and see if we don’t like it better that way.

    Where did I go wrong?

  39. 39
    Laura   December 6, 2007 at 10:54 am

    I just made this for lunch and feel like I’m missing something. I followed the recipe exactly and I just really didn’t like it at all. I thought the texture was bizarre – not quite puree, not quite chunky. The onions ended up being the biggest chunks of the soup and that really threw me off.

    I’m going to puree it up once it’s cooled and see if we don’t like it better that way.

    Where did I go wrong?

  40. 40
    Maria   April 9, 2010 at 8:48 pm

    Thank-you for the fabulous recipe! This soup is incredibly tasty, especially topped with a little sour cream : )

  41. 41
    Robert F   January 14, 2012 at 10:32 pm

    I made this for dinner tonight. I think a lot of the taste must come from the broth, and I used boxed vegetable stock, which isn’t all that wonderful. My guests liked it, but the flavors just didn’t gel for me.

Leave a comment