A quick and easy Cuban Black Bean soup that’s a healthy and nutritious lunch or light dinner. Pair with a green salad and crusty bread for a perfectly comforting meal.
4 slices bacon, minced
1 cup diced sweet onion
1 cup minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 bottle (12 oz.) beer, (I like Corona, but any will do)
1 cup chicken stock
4 cans (15 oz. each) seasoned black beans, undrained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream, chopped avocado, cilantro, or sliced green onion for garnish
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the minced bacon and cook until very crisp. You can either leave the meat in the pot or use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits to add as a garnish later.
Add in the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Slide in the red bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant – approximately 4 minutes.
Pour in the beer and allow the alcohol to burn off, for about a minute.
Add the chicken stock, 3 cans of black beans with their juice, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, and Adobo seasoning. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency. Stir in the last can of black beans with their juice.
Return to the stove over medium heat. Stirring often, bring the soup back to just under a simmer. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings for salt and pepper.
Serve hot, garnished with your choice of sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, chopped onion, or tortilla strips.
Store leftovers in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, portion the soup into freezer–safe containers. Leave an inch of space in the container to allow for expansion as the soup freezes. Store in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To reheat, thaw the soup in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave at medium power in five minute intervals, stirring after each interval.
Find it online: https://eatsbythebeach.com/cuban-black-bean-soup/