Black Bean Soup

Adapted from Cuban Cooking, found in the library.

This soup disproves the claim that good soups cannot be totally vegetarian. This is hearty, tasty, tangy and very easy to make. It will store in the freezer as well.

Ingredients

2 14-ounce cans black beans
Water to cover
1 green pepper, chopped
Olive oil
1 medium to large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry (optional)
1 tablespoon extra olive oil (optional)

Directions

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add the green pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture to the beans and stir. Add oregano, bay leaf, and sugar. Simmer 45 minutes to an hour. Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Add sherry and extra olive oil if desired. If you'd like the soup to be thicker, remove some beans, mash with a fork or spoon, and return to the pan. Continue doing this until the soup is thick enough. Cook for several minutes more. Serve hot. Garnish with grated cheese and chopped onion. Serves 3.

Comments

The original recipe started from dry beans, but I've never been able to keep dried beans from tasting too pasty. Using canned beans is easier and gives consistently good results.

Jim Plank

Recipe Home Page