This post is sponsored by Califia Farms. All opinions are my own.

To live in Miami is to live in a sea of Cuban restaurants serving up delicious dishes like this Cuban black bean soup.

I’ve tried (and made) other black bean soups in the past and nothing beats the depth of flavor that Cuban black beans give to black bean soup.

So, today, I’m showing you how to make this easy black bean soup, Cuban-style!

Is the cooking process lengthy? Yes. Is it completely worth it? Also yes! A lot of the cooking is a pretty hands-off “low and slow” situation but the result will not disappoint.

Let’s start cooking!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Dried black beans. No need to soak overnight – woohoo!
• Ham hock. It’s common to cook Cuban soups with meat. A 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.
• Water. Enough to cook the beans and ham hock.
• Red onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, garlic. These are vegetables that make up our sofrito!
• Ground cumin, oregano, sugar, salt, pepper. The spices.
• Red wine vinegar. For some tanginess.
• Bay leaf.

How To Make Cuban Black Bean Soup

• Soften 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, adding more water as they cook, so it doesn’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.
• Make the sofrito. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, red peppers, and green peppers and saute for 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, oregano, and saute for 30 seconds.
• Continue with the soup. Add the sofrito into the Dutch oven along with the vinegar, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to LOW. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beans are creamy and delicious. Serve and garnish with toppings. Enjoy!
• Finish the soup. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beans are thick, creamy, and silky. 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.

What toppings can I add to Cuban black bean soup?

• Sour cream
• Greek yogurt
• Avocado
• Diced red pepper
• Chopped tomatoes
• Cilantro
• A drizzle of olive oil or…
• A drizzle of Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half for even more creaminess. This half-n-half is soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher!

What can I serve with black bean soup?

• Arroz Blanco (White Rice)
• Sweet Plantains (Platanos Maduros)
• Cuban Yuca with Mojo

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. Just make sure to remove the bay leaf and ham hock first before blending.
• Need more tang? If the red wine vinegar isn’t enough tangy flavor for you, feel free to add more vinegar or even add a squeeze of fresh lime juice when serving.
• Scaling. 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. 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.

You may also like:

• Sopa de Pollo (Cuban Chicken Soup)
• Classic French Onion Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Easy Tom Kha Soup (Vegetarian Thai Coconut Soup)

Thank you Califia Farms for sponsoring this post and a HUGE thank you to all the readers of this blog for all your support! xo

Originally posted in January 2018. Updated in March 2022.