Slow Cooker Black Bean & Chorizo Soup is an easy-to-prep dinner with deep, rich flavors – perfect for a cozy night in!
SLOW COOKER BLACK BEAN & CHORIZO SOUP
Like this recipe? Pin it to your DINNER pin board
Follow Real Housemoms on Pinterest!
My goal in life apparently is to see how many versions of beans and sausage I can make.
It all started with my husband.
He has a red beans and rice recipe he makes at least once a year. (He’s made two double batches so far this year and I’m thinking he’s not done yet.) It’s an Emeril Lagasse recipe he and his friends started making in college — they were in New Orleans so that just makes sense — and he’s kept up the tradition ever since.
The stuff is magic, the way it gets so creamy and rich and thick and hearty. I remember the first time I tried it, I was a little doubtful. But after that first bite, I was hooked!
It probably helps that it is one of only two dishes my husband ever still cooks
I’ve since created a slow cooker white beans and sausage recipe that uses smoked turkey sausage and creamy white beans, plus lots of fresh herbs. And today I’m bringing you a slow cooker black bean and chorizo soup. I think it’s one of my best crock pot recipes.
It’s more of a Cuban take than a Cajun or Creole one, but it’s got all the same great elements. We start with dried beans and let them cook with a ham hock, onion, peppers, garlic, and seasonings.
And no need to soak the beans ahead of time here – cause I know I can never remember to do things like that! Nope, the black beans go in dry and they’ll cook through and get tender in the slow cooker.
This soup requires very little prep in the morning and comes out with such amazing, rich flavors! It tastes super meaty and also so creamy and rich.
Plus, I can go crazy with the toppings. You know I love me some toppings! (See my recent slow cooker Thai pork, which I happily loaded up with toppings!)
A few notes on this slow cooker black bean chorizo soup:
- Ham hocks are a Southern favorite for flavoring soup, especially on a budget. If you can’t find any, you could substitute chopped salted pork, chopped smoked bacon or chopped smoked ham.
- I prefer the beans partially mashed. I think it gives more texture and creaminess to the soup, but you can skip that step if you prefer.
- I add the seared, sliced chunks of chicken chorizo to the soup at the end of it’s cooking time to let it infuse it’s flavors and get good and combined with the beans.
- If you’d prefer to use regular chorizo, just cook it in a medium pan and either stir it into the soup or serve the soup with the crumbled chorizo sprinkled on top.
I love serving this soup with some cornbread, but you could use a slotted spoon and serve it over rice, too, for more of that New Orleans style feel like red beans and rice.
I hope you have warmer days ahead of you, but when there’s a chill in the air – or you just need some comfort food goodness, I hope you’ll try this slow cooker black bean chorizo soup!
(And if you have any favorite bean + sausage recipes, I’d love to hear about them!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black beans
- 1 ham hock
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped (preferably red but green works too)
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 oz. chicken chorizo sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
For serving: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro, hot sauce
Instructions
- Add everything but the chorizo to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
- After 8 hours, remove the bay leaf and ham hock from the soup and discard.
- Use a potato masher and lightly mash the beans.
- Add the seared chorizo to the soup and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for an additional 45 minutes to let the flavors combine.
- Taste and adjust seasonings and serve warm, with desired toppings.
Notes
I prefer the black beans partially mashed after they have cooked. I think it gives more texture and creaminess to the soup, but you can skip that step if you prefer.
If you’d prefer to use regular chorizo, cook it in a medium pan and either stir it into the soup at the very end or serve the soup with the crumbled chorizo sprinkled on top.
Leave a Reply