Cuban-Style Black Beans | Black Bean Soup | Anitas Delights

black beans

🥗Healthier: lentils

💰Cheaper: pinto beans

Lentils are lower in calories, while pinto beans are often less expensive.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while canola oil is more budget-friendly.

vinegar

🥗Healthier: lemon juice

💰Cheaper: apple cider vinegar

Lemon juice adds brightness, while apple cider vinegar is often less costly.

cilantro

🥗Healthier: parsley

💰Cheaper: green onions

Parsley offers a similar flavor profile, and green onions are generally less expensive.

Soak 0.5 pound of black beans overnight in 5 cups of water.

Rinse and pick through the soaked beans.

In a large Dutch oven, add the soaked black beans and the soaking water.

Add bay leaves, cilantro leaves, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot.

Bring the heat to medium and cover the pot, cooking until the beans are tender, about 2 hours on low.

While the beans are cooking, prepare the sofrito: heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the other half of the green pepper and the other half of the onion to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional minute, then remove the mixture from the skillet.

Add spices (oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and a packet of sasson) to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute to bloom the spices.

If the beans are not tender yet, add about 2 cups more water to the beans as needed.

Once the beans are tender, add the sofrito mixture back into the beans and stir.

Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and a squirt of ketchup to the beans and mix well.

Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste, cover, and let cook for an additional 20 minutes on low to marry the flavors.

After 20 minutes, check the consistency of the beans; if they are too soupy, let them cook longer to thicken.

Serve the black beans as a soup topped with fresh cilantro and a squirt of lime juice, if desired.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary