Cuban Black Bean Soup (Sopa de Frijol Negro)
Cuban black bean soup (sopa de frijol negro) is made with silky black beans, ham hock, Cuban sofrito, and spices. This soup is creamy yet brothy and very simple to make. You and your family won't get enough of this delicious savory dish!
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried black beans
- 1 ham hock Omit to keep the soup vegetarian
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or more as needed
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
Instructions
- 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.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a deep skillet. Add the onion, red peppers, and green peppers and sauté for 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, oregano, and sauté for 30 seconds.
- 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!
- 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.
- Serve the black bean soup with your favorite toppings (optional) and/or your favorite sides (white rice, maduros, or yuca). The soup will taste better the next day. Enjoy!
Notes
Optional - If you're not a fan of texture, you can use an immersion blender to slightly blend the soup before serving.
Storage - Once cooled, transfer the soup to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop at LOW heat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 278 kcalCarbohydrates: 23 gProtein: 19 gFat: 13 gSaturated Fat: 4 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2 gMonounsaturated Fat: 7 gCholesterol: 31 mgSodium: 173 mgPotassium: 586 mgFiber: 7 gSugar: 1 gVitamin A: 40 IUVitamin C: 6 mgCalcium: 61 mgIron: 3 mg
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