Weekday Vegetarian: Black Bean Chili Soup with Zucchini Pancakes

Photo: Kelly Rossiter

Right about now people are wondering about how to use up their tomatoes, and of course, all the zucchini they have from their garden. Here is a soup that takes advantage of both of those while adding some protein from the black beans. I used tomatoes and zucchini from my own garden, and garlic from my neighbour's garden.If you are feeling lazy and you don't want to make the zucchini pancakes, just cut up the zucchini and add it when you add the corn and tomatoes. I liked the difference in texture between the soup and the pancake with a bit of crunch from the pepitas. You can use any kind of seed or nut you like, I just happened to have pepitas on hand. I used water rather than stock for my recipe and it was just fine. I've suggested 3 cups, but you can make it soupier if you prefer. If you want the dish to be vegan, leave the egg out of the zucchini pancake. It might fall apart a bit more, but it can be crumbled on top of the soup and it would still taste great.

Black Bean Chili Soup with Zucchini Pancakes

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, more if you want a spicier soup
1 cob corn, corn removed
1 tomato, cored and diced
1 19 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable stock or water
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

For Pancakes

1 small zucchini, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs or more if necessary
1 tbsp pepitas, pine nuts, or chopped walnuts
1 tbsp oil
chopped tomatoes for garnish

1. In a large pot heat olive oil until it shimmers. Add onion and cook until almost translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until golden, another 2 or 3 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, thyme, salt and cayenne pepper and stir to coat onion and garlic.

2. Add corn and tomato and cook until tomato softens, about 5 minutes. Add black beans and 3 cups of water and stir. Bring to a boil, stiring often, then reduce heat to medium and cook until heated through.

3. In the meantime, place grated zucchini, salt, egg, pepitas and breadcrumbs in a bowl, stirring together. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is very wet. Heat oil in a skillet and add a heaping tablespoon of the zucchini mixture, flattening it with a spatula. Repeat until you have used all of the mixture. Cook until the zucchini is browned on one side, about 5 minutes then turn and cook until it has browned on the second side.

4. Add the lime juice to the soup. Ladle soup into serving bowls, top with a zucchini pancake and garnish with chopped tomatoes.

More Tomato and Zucchini Recipes
Bloody Mary Tomato Salad
Linguine with Tomato, Brie and Basil
Zucchini Cakes with Dill and Feta