Right around noontime here at the Treefort, you can see people lining up at the microwave to heat their soup. It’s such an easy lunch to pack! This soup just happens to be the Mack Daddy of them all: It gets protein from the beans and that zesty flavor that only our Zesty Ranch Dressing can add. Make a batch and divide it into containers for the week. You will NOT be disappointed.

 

What you need

3 tablespoons Tessemae's Zesty Ranch
1 tablespoon Tessemae's Hot Buffalo Sauce
2 red onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 16-ounce package dried black beans, rinsed
1 quart vegetable stock
8 cups water
juice of 1 lime
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
avocado and whole milk Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)

What to do

Heat 2 tablespoons of the Zesty Ranch and the Buffalo sauce in a large saucepan or pot. Add the onion and pepper and cook until tender and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cumin; stir until fragrant. Add the beans, stock, and water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the beans are very tender, about 90 minutes. If the soup gets too thick, add more water during cooking. Stir in 2 more tablespoons Zesty Ranch and lime juice; season generously with salt. (Don’t be shy! The beans will sop it up.)

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or transfer it to a blender in batches. (You can puree the soup until very smooth or leave half of it chunky.) Adjust the seasoning again with salt, pepper, and more lime juice. Serve the soup, topped with diced avocado, yogurt, and a drizzle of Zesty Ranch.

Makes 12 cups