I had a spare can of black refried beans in my pantry that I didn’t know what to do with so I ended up making this quick and tasty, velvet-y smooth spicy black bean soup recipe. You think I added enough adjectives to describe this soup recipe? Oh yeah, and it’s healthy, too! Serves 6

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can black refried beans
• 3 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Heat oil in a 4 to 5 quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then saute onion, garlic and jalapeno with chili powder, cumin, oregano and 1/2 tsp salt until onion is beginning to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add beans, water and bay leaf and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally until soup has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

Transfer about 2 cups of soup at a time to a blender and puree. Return to pot to reheat, if necessary, stirring frequently. Discard bay leaf. Season with salt and garnish with cilantro, if using.

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