A special thanks to Kathy at Life in the Slow Lane for creating our Arkansas Bloggers Button. I’m working on the button code, but have not had the chance to finish with that. You can go ahead and grab the button and post it on your blog if you like. If you would like to join our group, you can do that HERE.

This Beth Hensperger Black Bean Soup is so easy to prepare that it has become a real staple at our house. It does rely on canned black beans, but that’s okay with me since they are rinsed and drained before using anyway. Keeping these ingredients on hand makes it easy to have a quick, easy dinner on hand on those days when you are really busy otherwise.


4 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup salsa of your choice
2 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth or light vegetable broth
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped onion (my addition)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (my addition)
1 cup (4 ounces) cubed Monterey Jack cheese, for serving
lime or lemon wedges for serving
chopped tomatoes, for serving (my addition)
chopped green onions, for serving (my addition)
Place the beans, salsa, onion, garlic and broth in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 4 hours (LOW 4 to 6 hours). Puree using an immersion blender, or transfer to a food processor or blender and puree in batches. Season with salt and pepper and adjust the consistency with water or more hot broth. (We like ours somewhat chunky and thick.) Ladle into serving bowls; sprinkle with the cilantro, cheese, tomatoes and green onions. Add a squeeze of fresh lime (my preference) or lemon juice and serve immediately.