Cuban black bean soup – often called Sopa de Frijoles Negros—is one of those dishes that tells the story of a place as much as it satisfies and comforts. Hearty, but not at all heavy, black beans are simmered with onions, peppers and a hambone along with aromatic spices like bay leaf, cumin, chili powder and garlic – and the convenient addition of prepared salsa. Serve it with rice and finish it with cool and tangy lime crema, hard-cooked eggs, red onion and cilantro.
I suppose you could say that this rustic and hearty soup is literally steeped in culture, Cuban black bean soup is all about the layering of flavors from modest ingredients coupled with a moderate amount of patience that comes along with soaking the beans overnight followed by a long slow simmer that will fill your home with aromatic warmth.
Cultural Significance
In Cuba, black beans are more than just an ingredient – they are part of daily life. The pairing of black beans and rice, known as Moros y Cristianos, is perhaps the most iconic expression of this. The name itself – “Moors and Christians” – is a direct reflection on the influence of Spain plays in Cuban culture. This Cuban black bean and ham soup stays true to the precedent – it is served with rice.
Black beans themselves are native to the Americas having been cultivated for thousands of years by the Indigenous peoples of Latin America. Long before Spanish ships arrived, beans were an essential part of diet, valued for nutrition, sustenance, storage stability and adaptability.
In the 16th century, Spain colonized Cuba, bringing with it new ingredients like pork, garlic, onions, and olive oil. I can't imagine not having any of these in my pantry! All of these new ingredients when combined with native foods, formed the backbone of what is now recognized as Cuban cuisine.
Ingredients
- dried black beans
- extra virgin olive oil
- large yellow onion
- green bell pepper
- bay leaves
- ham bone or ham hocks
- chicken stock
- water
- garlic cloves
- cumin
- oregano
- chili powder
- hot paprika
- prepared salsa (medium heat)
- apple cider vinegar
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- sour cream
- lime juice
- lime zest
- hard cooked eggs
- red onion
- chopped cilantro
See recipe card for quantities.
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Instructions
While it might seem more convenient to use canned black beans here, after doing a bit of research, I learned otherwise and took the authentic route for the following reasons -- some that are entirely new to me:
- Even Cooking – Soaked beans hydrate in advance, so they cook more evenly without breaking down or becoming mushy.
- Texture – Soaking the beans keeps the beans creamy-inside and intact-outside, resulting in the texture that Cuban black bean soup is known for.
- Digestibility – Soaking black beans removes some compounds that well.... can cause gas. (That right there is a "win"!)
- Enhanced Flavor – Some traditional cooks say soaking also helps the beans absorb flavors (like garlic, cumin, bay leaf) more deeply as they cook.
Add dried beans to a Dutch oven or soup pot. Sort through the beans with your fingers to remove debris. .
Add water to cover beans, about 3 cups, and soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the beans and reserve.
In a heavy Dutch oven or soup pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the onion and bell pepper until they are tender, about six minutes
Add the drained beans, bay leaves, ham bone, broth and 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Skim off any white foam. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1-½ hours until beans are tender.
While simmering, in a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sauté until tender, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add cumin, oregano, chili powder and paprika and stir and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
Remove from heat and reserve.
Prepare lime crema. In a small bowl combine sour crème, lime juice and zest, and garlic until combined. Reserve.
Using tongs, remove the ham bone from the soup. Remove ham from the bone and dice.
Transfer 3 cups of soup to a blender or food processer and pulse until smooth.
Return to the soup pot along with the diced ham, the spice mixture, prepared salsa, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir to combine and cover. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
Adjust seasonings. Serve over white rice, along with your choice of garnish.
Why Use a Ham Bone?
A leftover ham bone is the secret ingredient in soups like this. As the soup simmers, the hambone releases rich, smoky flavor and a bit of gelatin and marrow that gives the broth body and depth. The ham remaining on the bone will fall off the bone to be cut up and added back into the soup, making this is the perfect use for that leftover hambone from your holiday table. No ham bone? Use two smoked ham hocks for your local grocer or butcher shop.
And don’t overlook this divine little delicacy… While I don’t own a marrow spoon. (Yet.) In this instance, I used an appetizer spreader to scoop out the bone marrow and spread it on a piece of toasted bread. Sigh.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- small skillet
- blender or food processor
- small bowl
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four or five days.
This freezes very well. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer zipper bag for up to 3 months.
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Cuban Black Bean and Ham Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- small skillet or sauté pan
- small bowl
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1- pound black beans, rinsed and picked over
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ham bone or 2 ham hocks
- 6 cups chicken stock + 2 cups water
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
- 16 ounces prepared medium salsa
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes
- lime crema (recipe follows)
- hard cooked eggs
- red onion
- chopped cilantro
Lime Crema
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoons lime juice plus 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Add dried beans to a Dutch oven or soup pot. Sort through the beans with your fingers to remove debris. Add water to cover beans, about 3 cups, and soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the beans and reserve.
- In a heavy Dutch oven or soup pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the onion and bell pepper until they are tender, about six minutes
- Add the drained beans, bay leaves, ham bone, broth and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Skim off any white foam. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1-½ hours until beans are tender.
- While simmering, in a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sauté until tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add cumin, oregano, chili powder and paprika and stir and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Remove from heat and reserve.
- Prepare lime crema. In a small bowl combine sour crème, lime juice and zest, and garlic until combined. Reserve
- Using tongs, remove the ham bone from the soup. Remove ham from the bone and dice.
- Transfer 3 cups of soup to a blender or food processer and pulse until smooth. Return to the soup pot along with the diced ham, the spice mixture, prepared salsa, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir to combine and cover. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Adjust seasonings. Serve over white rice, along with your choice of garnish.
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