Panera Bread™ Black Bean Soup

2014-07-17
  • Yield : 1 quart
  • Servings : 4-6
  • Prep Time : 30m
  • Cook Time : 60m
  • Ready In : 1:30 h

Panera Bread™ offers fresh and healthy options for you to enjoy a quick meal. Everything is fresh and if you are careful in your selection, relatively healthy. One of the best things you can eat is their black bean soup. It’s a high protein low fat option that goes very well with a nice piece of crusty bread. The taste is amazing and suprisingly simple to make at home. In fact, if you need a quick weekday dinner for the family, this delicious restaurant recipe can easily be modified for a slow cooker while you’re out of the house.

I suggest using canned black beans, but note that the sodium levels are going to be very high.  If you have time, it is always best to cook your own beans at home.  If you start soaking them the night before you can have them cooked up and ready to use after about a hour of cooking.  Of course, if you’re pressed for time, you can always use the canned beans.  I know Bush’s offers a reduced sodium black bean that is about half of the salt you get in the regular ones without compromising on the taste.  So, let’s get cooking:

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic
  • 2 Celery Stalks
  • 1/4 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 Cans Black Beans (15 oz) – I use reduced sodium
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • Lemon Juice (approx. 1/2 a lemon)

Method

Step 1

Chop the onions, celery and bell pepper and mince the garlic.

Step 2

Add the oil to a large pot over a medium high heat and then add the vegetables. Saute until your onions are translucent.

Step 3

Add the chicken broth and raise the heat to high.

Step 4

Add your black beans along with the salt and ground cumin and bring to a boil.

Step 5

Reduce heat to a slow rolling boil and let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 6

Using a potato masher, work the beans until you’ve reached the desired consistency. I like there to be a good number of whole beans still in the soup, which is just how Panera does it.

Step 7

Add the lemon juice and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Step 8

Serve in individual bowls with your favorite garnish (sour cream, chopped green onions, etc.)

Recipe Type: Ingredients:

Unofficial "Chef" who loves to share..

Average Member Rating

(3.6 / 5)

3.6 5 88
Rate this recipe

88 people rated this recipe

113,084 views

Related Recipes:
  • The Cheesecake Factory™ Pumpkin Cheesecake

  • Rubio’s™ Hot Sauce Recipe

  • Olive Garden™ Sangria Recipe

  • Chili’s Southwestern Eggrolls

  • Chili’s™ Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce

Articls & Podcasts