Spicy Multi-Bean Soup

Spicy Multi-Bean Soup

·        4 Cups of assorted beans, peas and Lentils

·        1 Tablespoon Salt

·        ½ Teaspoon Pepper

·        3 Tablespoons Susie’s Spice Rub

·        2 Tablespoons Cilantro

·        3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

·        ½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Peppers

·        One Bunch of Celery, leaves and all, cleaned and sliced

·        2 Medium Red Onions, finely chopped

·        6 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

·        3 Jalapeno Peppers, finely chopped (Optional)

·        1 Quart of Organic Vegetable Broth

Start by soaking the beans the day before: Slowly and carefully pour the assorted beans, peas and lentils in a strainer, keeping your eye out for anything that nature added to the bag that doesn’t belong.  Rinse the beans in the strainer and transfer to a large pot.  Fill the pot with water that is equal to 4 times the amount of bean mixture.  Cover and let soak overnight. 

The next day, place the beans back into the strainer and rinse thoroughly and place back into the rinsed out large pot.  Fill with water 2 inches above the bean line.  Simmer for about 3 hours on low heat until the largest bean is soft.  (It will taste like a soft bean that really needs to be seasoned)  At this point you need to add the salt, pepper, spice rub, cilantro and crushed red peppers to the bean mixture and continue to simmer.

In a frying pan add the olive oil and bring to medium heat. Sauté the celery, onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers until tender.  Add to the bean mixture. 

At this point the bean mixture is thick so you need to determine how soupy you want your beans to be by adding the vegetable broth.  Bring the soup back to a boil and reduce to a simmer 5 more minutes and serve.

Serves 12

*Refrigerate the remaining broth because if you have any leftover soup it may thicken and you may want to thin it out again.

*This soup is also great when you slice up sausage and peppers to add to the soup.

-Susie Tronti