Cuban Black Bean Soup (Sopa de Frijol Negro)

Living in Miami means you’re surrounded by Cuban restaurants on every corner. And let me tell you, they know how to make a mean black bean soup down here.

Walk into any Cuban restaurant here and you’re bound to find it on the menu, next to the Cuban Chicken Soup with Malanga (Sopa de Pollo) and Potaje de Lentejas (Cuban Lentil Soup). Sounds like the perfect Cuban dinner idea to me!

Now, let’s something clear up, while you might think Cuban black bean soup is just a souped-up version of the classic Cuban black beans, it’s not quite the same.

Cuban black beans are simmered low and slow with Cuban sofrito and a touch of cumin until they’re melt-in-your-mouth tender. While this black bean soup with ham uses similar ingredients, it is blended to velvety, silky perfection, giving it that smooth texture that keeps you coming back for more.

Let me show you how to make it!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Black Beans. The star of the show! Cuban black bean soup starts with dried black beans that don’t need to be soaked overnight (woohoo!). To achieve the right texture and depth, we will be soaking the beans for a few hours.

Cuban sofrito. Onions, garlic, and peppers are the holy trinity in Cuban Cuisine. These aromatics are sautéed until softened and fragrant.

Meat. Adding meat to soups is a common practice in Cuban cuisine. A smoked ham hock is a pork knuckle that typically gives soups a very unique savory, smoky flavor. You can buy this at your local butcher shop. You can also swap the ham hock for bacon or pork sausage, or omit it altogether if you’d like to keep the soup vegetarian/vegan.

Spices. Cumin, oregano, bay leaves are essential for seasoning the soup.

Soaking The Beans

In a Dutch oven, add the black beans and ham hock. Add enough water to cover the beans entirely. Simmer, covered with the lid, for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours or until the beans are tender.

Add more water as they cook so they don’t dry out. Sometimes it may require more than 2 hours for the beans to soften so keep your eye on it and add water as needed.

Cooking Instructions

Make the sofrito. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in ground cumin, dried oregano, vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another 3 minutes.

Simmer the soup. Add the sofrito to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to LOW. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beans are creamy and delicious.

Shred the ham. Remove the bay leaf and ham hock from the pot. Make sure all the meat fell off the ham hock. You may have to shred it a bit with two forks. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Let’s Talk Soup Texture

Unlike some other black bean soups that are pureed into a smooth consistency, Cuban black bean soup typically maintains a chunkier texture. This is achieved by only partially blending the soup or by mashing some of the beans with a spoon during cooking.

If you’re not a fan of texture, you can use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your liking. Personally, I like a bit of texture so I only blend the soup slightly but not completely.

My Favorite Garnishes

• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Sliced avocado
• Chopped cilantro
• A drizzle of olive oil or Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half for even more creaminess. This half-n-half is soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher!

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Soup consistency. If you don’t like the chunky texture, you can slightly puree the soup using an immersion blender to achieve a more soupy texture.

Need more tang? If the soup isn’t tangy enough for you, feel free to add more red wine vinegar or even add a squeeze of fresh lime juice when serving.

Scaling the recipe. This recipe roughly serves 6 servings (6 bowls of soup as a main dish). You can easily double the recipe if you’re feeding a larger crowd or if you want to freeze some for later.

Storage Tips. Once cooled, transfer the soup to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop at LOW heat when ready to serve.