Black bean soup

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 10 mins

All beans are high in protein and black beans are no exception. Don’t be put off by the look of this dish - it tastes great and is a hearty winter soup.

450g black beans
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp oregano
1 red pepper finely chopped
25ml olive oil and a little extra for sauté pan
1 white onion, large dice
1 red pepper, large dice
1 green pepper, large dice
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp sugar
100mls white vinegar
Salt
1 small red onion, finely chopped for garnish
Handful of chopped coriander to garnish

Black beans, like all dried beans, should be soaked before cooking. This hydration helps to reduce the cooking time. Because black beans are small, 2-4 hours soaking in cold water should be fine but if you a good meal planner, maybe do it the night before. Drain and cook as per recipe.

In a large stockpot, cover the beans with water, covering them by 5cm.

Add bay leaf, cumin, oregano, and red pepper.

Simmer until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes.

In a sauté pan, sauté the red and green peppers, along with the onions, on a low heat, until translucent.

Place in a blender and puree - this is known as the "sofrito".

In the same pan, sauté the garlic.

Add the garlic to the beans, along with the sofrito, olive oil, sugar and vinegar.

Season with salt and continue to simmer until very thick for around 45 minutes stirring frequently to avoid the beans catching on the bottom of the saucepan.

Garnish with finely chopped red onion and coriander which will intensify the flavours and give you a delicious Winter soup.

Serves
4

Preparation Time
20 minutes

Cooking Time
10 minutes

Main ingredients
Beans, Vegetables

Recipe Type
Soups

Cuisine
Mexican

Special Info
Gluten free, Nut free, Egg free, Vegetarian, Pregnant Mums, Dairy free

Level of Difficulty
Medium