Gloria's Black Bean Soup
Submitted by browneyes42011
Gloria’s black bean soup simmers dried beans low and slow, then gets stirred thick with a blended sofrito of peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano. A rich, Cuban-style puréed bean soup.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
8 hrsCOOK
4 hrsREADY
13 hrsThis is the kind of black bean soup that Cuban abuelas spend a whole Sunday making, and the long arc of the recipe is what gives it its deep, almost smoky flavor. Dried black beans soak overnight, then simmer uncovered for three or four hours until they split open and thicken the broth on their own. No canned beans can replicate what that kind of time does to the pot.
The other key move is the sofrito. Shallots, onion, red and green bell peppers, and garlic sauté together, then cumin and oregano join at the end for a quick bloom. The whole mixture gets puréed smooth and stirred into the cooked beans in the last half hour. That blended-in aromatic base is what separates a Cuban bean soup from the standard chunky Tex-Mex version.
Serve it thick. The recipe warns the soup should be “very thick," and that’s by design. Thin it with water or broth only if you prefer a looser soup. A dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions cut the richness at the table.
Chef Tips
- Don’t skip the overnight soak. Quick-soak methods work in a pinch but give you chalky beans.
- Simmer uncovered so the liquid reduces as the beans cook. Covered simmering produces soupy, watery beans.
- Let the sautéed vegetables cool a few minutes before blending. Hot purées can blow the lid off a blender.
- Taste and correct seasoning after the purée goes in. Beans absorb salt, so you may need more.
Variations
- Swap olive oil for bacon drippings for a smokier Caribbean edge.
- Add a splash of sherry or dry rum at the end for a classic Cuban finish.
- Serve over white rice for Moros y Cristianos, the traditional pairing.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak the beans in water overnight in a large heavy pot.
The next day, add the bay leaves the beans and water, and bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered, over low heat for three to four hours, until tender.
The beans should split open. stir occasionlly, and add more water if necessary.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet.
Add the shallots and onions, and sauté for three minutes.
Add red pepper, green pepper and garlic. and sauté for three minutes.
Then add cumin, oregano and parsley, and sauté 3 seconds more.
Add the sugar and salt.
Let mixture cool.
Purée all the sautéd mixture throughly in a food processor or blender.
Add the purée to the beans, cook 20 to 30 minutes more.
Correct seasoning if needed.
The soup will be very thick.
Remove bay leaves before serving.
Garnish with green onions and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
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