Sunday Black-Bean Soup
Submitted by haileyholly
Smoky black bean soup made from dried beans simmered with ham hocks, cumin, jalapeno, and vegetables, pureed smooth and finished with dry sherry and fresh lime juice.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
3 hrsThis is the kind of black bean soup you make on a Sunday when you’ve got nowhere to be and a pot that needs tending.
Dried beans get a quick-soak (boil two minutes, rest one hour) before going into the pot with smoked ham hocks, chicken broth, and sauteed carrots, onions, celery, garlic, cumin, and jalapenos. The ham hocks give the broth a deep, smoky backbone that no amount of seasoning can replicate.
After a long simmer until the beans are completely tender, everything gets drained and pureed smooth. Reserved cooking liquid goes back in to reach your preferred consistency. Thick and spoonable, or thinner and brothier, your call.
Dry sherry and fresh lime juice stirred in at the end add brightness that lifts the whole bowl out of heavy bean-soup territory. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or a slice of lemon on top.
Chef Tips
- Don’t skip the quick-soak method. It cuts hours off the cooking time compared to an overnight soak, with the same results.
- Saute the vegetables until the onions are truly golden. That caramelization adds sweetness and depth to the finished soup.
- Add the sherry and lime juice after pureeing, not before. Heat cooks off the alcohol and the lime’s brightness. You want both to stay punchy.
Variations
- Skip the ham hocks and use smoked paprika for a vegetarian version with similar smokiness.
- Leave half the beans whole before pureeing for a chunkier, more textured soup.
- Top with diced avocado and fresh cilantro for a Southwestern finish.
Ingredients
Directions
To soak beans quickly, cover them with generous amount of water, cover pot, bring water to boil and boil 2 minutes.
Remove cover and allow beans to sit in the liquid for one hour.
Drain. In hot oil (1-2 Tb.), sauté carrots, onions, celery, and garlic until onions are golden.
Add cumin and jalepenos. When beans are ready to cook, add ham hocks to beans along with sautéd vegetables, and chicken broth and enough water to cover.
Cook for 1½ to 2 hours, or until tender.
Drain the bean mixture and reserve cooking liquid.
Purée beans and vegetables.
Add sherry and lime juice and enough of the reserved liquid to make a thick soup.
Can be served with chopped corriander or sour cream or lemon slice.
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