I had the weekend off and decided to make this vegan black bean soup. I’ve been wanting to make this soup for some time and am so happy to finally add it in the recipe collection.
Black beans are a ‘superfood’ containing good amounts of fiber, protein and other trace minerals so important to good health. They are an ingredient I want to incorporate more of into my diet and this cuban black bean soup is a great recipe for that.
For this recipe, you will need to begin a day ahead with soaking the dried black beans. I have also included a shorter version, using canned black beans, for those who would rather have it ready within 1 hour.
Although, using dried beans does take longer to put together, it’s pretty simple and so very good. My goal was to make this a black bean soup soup anyone can make whether from scratch or not.
When serving, topping the soup is especially amazing with the cashew creams. I have it pictured here with a dollop of this Cashew Sour Cream, but feel free to use this Lime Cilantro Cashew Cream or Paprika Cashew Crema, all of which would pair perfectly, adding great flavors.
CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP
A healthy, hearty cuban black bean soup!
Ingredients
- black beans, 1 lb. dried or 3 cans (15 oz.), rinsed and drained (see notes)
- 2 bay leafs
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 – 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cups water or vegetable broth
- juice of one orange + orange halves
- himalayan salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Soak beans: The night before, rinse beans in colander with cold running water. Pick through and remove any broken or shriveled beans. Place beans in large pot with 5 or 6 cups water and cover to soak overnight.
Pre-Cook Beans: Next day, drain beans and rinse again. Place beans back in pot, add water, bring to a boil and simmer covered for 1 hour, drain and rinse.
Orange: Juice the orange and set the juice aside. Reserve the orange halves for the soup.
Cook Soup: To the pot of freshly cooked beans, add the bay leaves, garlic, cumin, paprika, onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, water/broth, orange halves, salt and pepper, reserving the orange juice for later. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes to one hour, or until beans and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add extra water as necessary.
Puree: Once beans are tender, remove the orange halves and bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to blend soup to desired consistency. I blended about 3/4, leaving some chunkiness. You could also use a food processor/blender (this method may take two batches to complete). Blending is optional, you may like it chunky as is. Add the orange juice to the pureed soup and cook another 5-10 minutes.
To Serve: Serve alone or over a bed of cooked buckwheat, farro or brown rice. Top soup with a dollop of Sour Cream, Lime Cilantro Cashew ‘Sour Cream’ or Paprika Cashew Crema. You may also like to top it with diced onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, avocado, jalapenos, a squeeze of lime and/or cilantro.
Serves 4 generously, or 6 smaller portions.
NOTES:
If using canned beans, be sure to drain and rinse them well. Put ingredients in pot as in the instructions for ‘Cook’ but only use 2 cups water to start, bring to boil and simmer for 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add more water as needed. Continue with step 3. You may also decide to saute your onions, celery, carrots & bell pepper first on medium high heat using oil of choice for about 5 min before you start with your canned beans.
