Coach House Black Bean Soup

This black bean soup is modeled after the famous version from The Coach House, a landmark New York City restaurant that served it for decades. It’s a project, no question. Overnight soaking, a 90-minute bean simmer, then four more hours with ham bones, beef bones, bacon, root vegetables, and aromatics. But that long, slow build is what creates a soup with layers of meaty, smoky depth you’ll never get from a quick recipe.

Both ham bones and beef soup bones go into the pot, and that double-stock approach is the secret. The ham adds smokiness and salt, the beef adds body and richness, and together they create a broth that’s more complex than either one could manage alone. A flour roux cooked with the bacon, celery, and onion thickens the base and gives it a velvety feel.

Blending only half the soup is key. You get a smooth, thick base with whole beans and chopped ham meat throughout for texture. The Madeira wine stirred in at the end brings a nutty sweetness, and the chopped hard-boiled eggs are the traditional garnish that adds richness to every spoonful.

Chef Tips

• Soak the beans overnight and drain thoroughly. This cuts the cooking time and helps them cook evenly. Quick-soaked beans tend to split.
• Don’t brown the celery and onion. Cook them gently in the bacon fat until tender. Browning adds unwanted sweetness to what should be a savory, earthy soup.
• Strip every bit of meat from the ham bone after removing it. That chopped ham stirred back into the pureed soup adds substance.
• A lemon slice with parsley on each bowl isn’t just garnish. The citrus acid brightens the whole bowl against all that richness.

Variations

• Sherry swap: Use dry sherry instead of Madeira for a drier, less sweet finish.
• Vegetarian approach: Replace the bones with smoked paprika and liquid smoke, use vegetable broth, and skip the bacon for a meatless version that still has smokiness.