1900s-present - Cuban immigrants and Cuban American home cooks and restaurants

Black Bean Soup

Name: Black Bean Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound dried black beans, soaked overnight; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 1 green bell pepper, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 bay leaf; 8 cups water or stock; 1 smoked ham hock, optional; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lime juice; Cooked rice, chopped onion, cilantro, or sour cream, for serving

Black bean soup connects Caribbean, Spanish, and Cuban cooking traditions with American tables through Florida, Cuban American restaurants, and home kitchens. It is economical, filling, and deeply flavored when the beans are simmered slowly.

Community-powered photos. Reviewers can upload dish photos, and the highest-rated community image may be featured here.

Difficulty

Easy

Prep time

20 minutes plus soaking

Cook time

2 hours 15 minutes

Total time

2 hours 35 minutes plus soaking

Servings

6 servings

Region

Florida and Cuban American communities

Era introduced

1900s-present

Introduced by

Cuban immigrants and Cuban American home cooks and restaurants

Recipe tools

Save to a Collection

The Story

Black bean soup is a pantry dish with a wide cultural map. Cuban versions build flavor from sofrito, bay, cumin, and vinegar, and Cuban American restaurants helped make the soup familiar in Florida and beyond. The technique is simple but not rushed: soak beans, simmer until creamy, then brighten the pot at the end. Serve with rice, chopped onion, or lime.

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans, soaked overnight
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
8 cups water or stock
1 smoked ham hock, optional
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lime juice
Cooked rice, chopped onion, cilantro, or sour cream, for serving

Equipment

Large pot
Smoker
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Measuring cups and spoons

Directions

Drain soaked beans.
Heat oil in a soup pot.
Cook onion and bell pepper until softened.
Stir in garlic and cumin for 30 seconds.
Add beans, bay leaf, water or stock, and ham hock if using.
Simmer until beans are tender and creamy, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Remove bay leaf and ham hock.
Chop any ham and return it to the pot.
Mash some beans to thicken the soup.
Season with salt and vinegar or lime juice, then serve with toppings.

Community Recipes

Share family changes, regional twists, or pantry-friendly adaptations as full community recipes.

No community recipes yet. Submitted recipes are published right away.

Community Reviews

Rate this recipe and share how it worked at your table.

No reviews yet. Be the first to rate this recipe.

Related Recipes

Recipes matched by era, region, occasion, ingredients, and cultural roots from the archive.

Same era

America's Melting Pot

Almond Chicken photo coming soon

1900s-present

Almond Chicken

Crisp boneless chicken served over lettuce with brown gravy, scallions, and toasted almonds.

Detroit and the Upper Midwest1900s-present

1900s-present

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Cake doughnuts flavored with reduced apple cider and rolled in cinnamon sugar.

New England and Mid-Atlantic orchards1900s-present

Setting the table...

Black Bean Soup

Save to a Collection

The Story

Ingredients

Equipment

Directions

Community Recipes

Community Reviews

Related Recipes

Almond Chicken

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Apple Pancake

Acorn Bread

Ambrosia

Arepa Sandwiches

Bean Soup

Beef Stew

Black-Eyed Peas