Black Bean, Chayote and Potato Soup

Adapted from the Blue Zones Kitchen, Dan Buettner

Contributed by: Kay Lee

Yield: 4 Servings

When Dan Buettner recognized Nicoya, Costa Rica as one of the five healthiest Blue Zones in the world, he discovered Nicoyans enjoy rice, corn, chayote squash, peppers, and beans at almost every meal. Black beans are frequently showcased in 1-pot meals. Abundant in protein and rich in antioxidants, they stand out as a powerhouse food paired with bread, rice, or corn tortillas.    

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 large cloves of minced garlic
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 1 chayote squash, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled, diced
• 1 large white potato, peeled, diced
• 2-3 sweet red mini peppers, diced with a few slices set aside for garnish
• 4-ounce can of roasted green chili dices
• 4 cups of vegetable stock, plus 1 additional cup of broth on side to adjust consistency of blended soup
• Three 15-ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a large stock pot, lightly sauté garlic and onion with cumin in olive oil until translucent and fragrant.
• Add carrot, potato, red mini peppers, roasted green chili and vegetable stock. Bring to boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add black beans and heat additional 5 minutes.
• Take 2 cups of soup and blend with an immersion blender for quick 5 seconds in separate container.  
• Return blended soup into main soup pot and stir to combine. Add additional vegetable broth to desired consistency and chopped cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve hot with crusty bread, rice, or corn tortillas.
  
  

• For extra kick, add another 4-ounce can of roasted diced green chili.
• Chayote is a squash from the gourd family, originally grown in Mexico and the Latin Americas. It can be enjoyed raw, like a cucumber or celery, or added to a fruit/vegetable salad. It is also enjoyed steamed or boiled, like a squash, and added to soups or stews, as in this recipe.
  
  

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