Latin American · 40 min · Easy · 4 servings

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Name: Cuban Black Bean Soup
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed; 3 cups vegetable stock; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste

Smoky, garlicky and thick enough to stand a spoon in. Cheap store-cupboard beans turned into something that tastes like it simmered all day.

~340 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

gluten-freenut-freesoy-freehigh-protein

Plan it:

Method

1
Soften the sofrito
⏱ 8 min
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and sweet, stirring now and then.
2
Toast the aromatics
⏱ 1 min
Stir in the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook for a minute until fragrant, so the spices toast rather than steam.
3
Simmer
⏱ 20 min
Add the beans, stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer and cook, uncovered, until the soup thickens and the flavors deepen.
4
Thicken and finish
⏱ 2 min
Fish out the bay leaf. Blend a ladleful of the soup and stir it back in (or mash some beans against the pot) to thicken. Stir in the vinegar, then season with salt and pepper and scatter over the cilantro.

Notes

The splash of vinegar at the end is what makes it taste bright rather than heavy — don't skip it. Great over rice, or with sliced avocado on top.

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Method

Soften the sofrito

Toast the aromatics

Simmer

Thicken and finish

Notes