Rich, creamy, and easy-to-make Cuban black bean soup made with canned beans. Quick weeknight meal that is ready in just 25 minutes!
This post is sponsored by Califia Farms. All opinions are my own.
Have you ever wanted a soup that’s warm, cozy, and hearty but also good for you? Me too! This black bean soup is perfect for those days where you just want a delicious bowl of health made with fresh ingredients. Traditional Cuban black bean soup is usually made with dried black beans, ham hock, and beef broth. In an effort however to make this soup a vegetarian, lightened up version for a busy weeknight, I came up with this recipe using Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half.
Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half is the vegan, rich and creamy almond and coconut equivalent to dairy half and half. It is soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher. Adding just 2 tablespoons to this soup made it so creamy without sacrificing flavor.
How To Make Easy Cuban Black Bean Soup
First, you sauté onions, green peppers and red peppers with olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add stock, Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half, black beans, and spices. I opted for drained and rinsed canned black beans vs dried black beans to save time. You can easily soak black beans overnight and cook them for this recipe, if you prefer. Whenever you do use canned black beans, make sure to always include fresh herbs and spices to really elevate flavor.
Bring to a bowl and allow all the ingredients to simmer. The black beans and veggies will soften. After about 10 minutes, you can serve as is with your favorite toppings. If you’re not a big fan of texture, feel free to blend up the soup using an immersion blender. I personally LOVE texture so I only blended the soup for 30 seconds then added another tablespoon of Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half.
Such a rich and flavorful soup! I topped mine with red onions, cilantro and a dollop of vegan sour cream. You can pretty much top this soup with anything from chopped tomatoes, avocado, diced red peppers to even a squeeze of lime.
Above all, the smokiness and heat from the spices, the acidity from the vinegar, and the creaminess from the Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half really bring this dish together. I absolutely can’t wait for you to try it!
Interested in snagging up some Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half? Click here to shop and use code SASSYSPOONxCALIFIA for 15% off + free shipping on your order.
Easy Cuban Black Bean Soup (Dairy-Free, Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 4 cups vegetable stock or water
- 2 tablespoons Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half
- 3 cans low-sodium black beans rinsed and drained (15 ounces each)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt + pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: avocado, diced red pepper, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lime wedges, vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, red and green peppers. Sauté for 2 more minutes.
- Add the stock or water, Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half, black beans, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, vinegar, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve and garnish with toppings. Enjoy!
- Optional: if you're not a fan of texture, you can remove the bay leaves and use an immersion blender to slightly blend soup before serving.
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
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