Mango Chorizo Sausage and Black Bean Soup with Lime

After ten years of soup recipes here on The Perfect Pantry, do you still need proof that combining any fresh ingredient -- fruit, vegetables, sausage or leftover turkey -- with a well-stocked pantry will produce a very fine soup? You can do it, and do it without a recipe; the secret is to be fearless and plunge right in.

That's the way this sausage and black bean soup started out, but it ended up being so good that I'm glad I took notes as I was making it, so you can replicate it in your own kitchen.

The soup began with the gift from my cousin of a couple of packages of Al Fresco Chipotle Chicken Chorizo Sausage with mango and adobo that were languishing in her freezer, and black beans I'd cooked in the pressure cooker and frozen.

From there, I worked down the list of ingredients in the sausage, adding more of everything into the soup pot: more mango (nectar), more chipotle (peppers in adobo), more lime. At this time of year, both before and after Thanksgiving, I always have plenty of homemade chicken and turkey stock on hand; you can use either one in this soup.

After browning the sausage and onion a bit, I tossed everything else into the pot. Super-easy, with just a little kick, and we loved the result. Enjoy some today, and freeze the rest.

Mango chorizo sausage and black bean soup with lime {gluten-free}

From the pantry, you'll need: onion, canned or cooked black beans, chicken stock, tomato paste, vegetable oil, garlic, chipotle pepper in adobo, lime.

Serves 6, generously.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 24 oz fully-cooked chicken chorizo sausage (I use Al Fresco Chipotle Chicken Chorizo Sausage with mango and adobo, which is easy to find at the regular grocery store; use your favorite spicy sausage)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo, diced
• 4 cups cooked or canned black beans
• 9.5-oz can mango nectar 3 cups chicken or turkey stock (low-sodium store-bought or homemade)
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium heat, add the vegetable oil. When it is hot, stir in the onion and sausage. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the sausage is starting to brown here and there.
2. Add the garlic and chipotle pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the beans, mango nectar, chicken stock and tomato paste.
3. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring a few times to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Squirt in the lime juice, and cook for 5 minutes more.
4. Taste, and add kosher salt and fresh black pepper, if needed (generally, you won't need them, unless you're using homemade stock that has no seasoning).

Serve hot, or cool completely, and refrigerate or freeze in containers with airtight lids.

Health Benefits of Mango Chorizo sausage and Black Bean Soup

1. Improved Digestion: Mango chorizo sausage and black bean soup is a rich source of dietary fiber, which helps to keep your digestive system healthy and functioning properly. Fiber helps to move food through your digestive tract, which can reduce the risk of constipation, bloating, and other digestive issues.
2. Heart Health: The black beans in this soup are a great source of magnesium, which is important for heart health. Magnesium helps to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as improve circulation.
3. Immunity Boost: The mango in this soup is a great source of vitamin C, which helps to boost your immune system. Vitamin C helps to fight off infections and viruses, keeping you healthy and strong.
4. Weight Loss: The sausage in this soup is high in protein, which helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Protein also helps to boost your metabolism, making it easier to burn off calories and lose weight.