We visited Santa Fe, NM for Thanksgiving this year and ate at a top-notch African restaurant called Jambo Cafe. If you follow me on Instagram, then you might’ve seen my post from Jambo featuring a fantastic vegetarian sandwich plus their soup of the day, an incredible blend of black beans, sweet potatoes and curry.

This soup haunted me for days (in a good way). It was hearty, the spices added interest and just the right amount of heat, and the coconut milk incorporated a lovely bit of creaminess. It was good, plain and simple, folks.

The soup was killer, yes, but it seemed pretty simple, so last night we recreated it at home—and it was very successful! I added a little Greek yogurt swirl to the top of the soup for an extra bit of creaminess, but if you nix this step then the soup is 100% vegan. Feel free to spice it up by adding extra cayenne or even some sriracha if you’d like, or you could add an extra can of black black beans to make it even more filling. The soup from Jambo didn’t have rice in it, but we had some basmati in the cabinet and I thought it would be a nice addition (I thought right). Quinoa would be great in this soup as well! Top it all off with a bit of cilantro for a bit of brightness, and you’re in for a treat.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cans black beans, drained

• 1 can lite coconut milk

• 4 c. vegetable broth

• 1 t. curry powder

• 1 t. cayenne

• 1 t. fresh ginger, minced

• 1 t. cumin

• 1.5 t. coriander

• 3 T. white wine

• 1 c. basmati rice, cooked

• Yellow onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

• Greek yogurt and cilantro to garnish (optional)

STEPS

1) Cook the basmati rice according to package directions and set aside.

2) Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions start to become translucent.

3) Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and sauté for about two minutes. Add the curry, cayenne, ginger, cumin and coriander and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to coat. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, then immediately add the vegetable broth, coconut milk and black beans.

4) Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. When the sweet potatoes are tender, use a slotted spoon to remove 1-2 cups of sweet potatoes and beans. Set aside in a separate bowl.

5) Use an immersion blender to puree the rest of the soup. Add the reserved sweet potatoes and black beans back to the pot and pour in the rice. Stir well.

6) Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a swirl of Greek yogurt plus fresh cilantro, if desired.