I’ve never been a big fan of bringing lunch with me to work. Oh, sure, I’ve had those moments where I convince myself I can save $5000 before Christmas because some misguided article told me all it would take were bag lunches, using hotel shampoo and filling up my gas tank at night! That’s not REAL buy-in though, I think we can all agree.
I’d like to point to some lunch trauma in my past (like being taunted for a soggy sandwich or finding mold on an apple), but the truth is: I think I’m just lazy. The spectacular news coming out of that admission? Fall is the BEST time to learn you’re lazy because SOUPS are EASY!
I’ve made this super easy soup three times over the last two weeks because:
1. It’s delicious! Sort of like chili, but not as involved.
2. It’s EASY. Did I say easy yet? Not just to cook, but to pack. I take a big plastic storage container, stick it in the work fridge and dole it out over the week. Even with large portions, I get at least four meals out of it.
3. It pairs nicely with the cheese and sour cream I ALSO bring along.
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, rinsed and drained (or 1 can)
- 1 to 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Heat olive oil in a pot. Add onions and cook until see-through and slightly brown.
- Add black beans and chicken broth to pot. Once heated, use a masher (or back of a wooden spoon) to mash the beans slightly.
- Once mashed to your liking, add the corn, garlic, vinegar, cumin and salt. Heat through and simmer for ten minutes.
- Serve hot. Garnish with cheese and sour cream, if desired.
I’m a little bit of a spice wimp, so this version is spicy to ME. But if you try it and discover you’re looking for some more kick, add some cayenne to the pot! I’d recommend you start with a quarter teaspoon and go from there.
Just like that- I’m a lunch-bringer. How rad is THAT? I might not be anywhere close to that $5000 savings account, but I’m really happy every day at noon. I call that a win.
Yum. I think I need another bowl right now.
PS- You can easily create a vegan version of this soup by subbing vegetable broth for the chicken broth!
YUM! I just made veggie chili last night but this looks WAY better than my result. Love me some black beans!
So now I’m questioning all of my life choices – NO ONE EVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE GAS AT NIGHT THING! (This is like that time my dad sent me to college with my car and forgot to mention I’d need to change my oil. Like that that was even a thing).
I’m a SUPER huge fan of easy-prep easy-pack lunches. The first thing that changed when Lucas moved in was that he had to start packing his lunch – and do you know how much a marathon runner can eat? Easy and one-pot are the way to go. You win today.
I would love finding this for lunch instead of a soggy sandwich 🙂 Looks delicious and comforting!
I love how few ingredients there are in this soup. So yummy! I can totally see why you’ve made it a few times.
I love how quick and easy this soup is. I definitely have to try it out 🙂
By the way, I think the writer of the article failed to mention that their daily lunch costs $100. That’s why they were able to save so much!
I strangely have never made a black bean soup before. Definitely need to create your recipe – it looks delicious, packed full of flavour and so perfect for the weather here in Australia!