Smoky Black Bean Soup with Corn and Rice

I adore the smell of Autumn. The sweet, smokey scent of wood burning in fireplaces lingers in the air. This is my all time favorite time of the year. Nothing compares to curling up on the sofa with a warm bowl of soup and my family all around me. Often Kiddo and I have a blanket over our laps. Comfort all the way. We love a fresh pot of soup to take the chill off the day.

This wonderful soup was inspired by a recipe from William-Sonoma. Naturally, I did my own tweaking, more sausage, less black bean and the introduction of corn the first time around.

That initial pot of soup was wonderful – all smoky, with wonderful big chunks of sausage and just a little kick from the cayenne pepper. When my guys sat down to the table with soup spoons in hand and began to “slurp” their supper, all I could hear were a lot of “yums.” Thanks guys!

It never ceases to amaze me how one or two tiny changes in a recipe can make a world of difference. The first time I made Smoky Black Bean I added the corn and it was yummy-good. The recipe cooked up enough soup for my family to have two meals. Having so much soup left over was the perfect excuse to tinker around a bit more. By adding 1 pouch of Uncle Ben’s Roasted Chicken Ready Rice to the soup, it knocked this already wonderful recipe right out of the ball park. Wow! What an amazing difference!

Smoky Black Bean Soup with Corn and Rice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Orange Bell Pepper, cored and diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
4 Smoked Chicken Sausages, fully cooked
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
3 cans Chicken Broth
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with juices
1 can (14 oz) corn, drained
1 Package Uncle Ben’s Quick Rice – Roasted Chicken
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Coin cut smoked Chicken Sausage. Set aside until ready to use.

In a heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the bell peppers, celery and onion and sauté until the onion is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the sausage and sauté until browned, about 2 minutes.

Add 3 cans of chicken broth. Season with the cumin, smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Empty 1 can drained, rinsed black beans. Add tomatoes and corn. Stir and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Lower heat to simmer. Let soup simmer gently for 20 minutes. Soup is now ready to serve. If desired, soup can continue to summer as much as 45 minutes. If too much liquid evaporates, thin soup with additional chicken broth.

Ten minutes before serving, zap Uncle Ben’s Quick Rice in the microwave; add to simmering soup and give everything a nice stir.

When ready to serve, ladle into warmed soup bowls. Remember to scoop all the way down to the bottom of the pot so that each bowl has a nice helping of sausage and vegetables.