Cuban-Style Black Bean Soup with Sofrito and Green Olives
A hearty Cuban black bean soup featuring tender beans simmered with aromatic sofrito, bay leaves, and briny green olives. The beans are partially pureed to create a rich, velvety base while maintaining texture from whole beans. Traditional flavors of cumin, oregano, and red wine vinegar brighten the earthy beans, while jalapeños add gentle heat. Perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining, this authentic soup improves in flavor overnight and pairs beautifully with rice, crusty bread, or as a starter for Latin-inspired meals.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried black beans
- 2 bay leaves
- 9 cups water
- 2 bell peppers, stemmed and seeded, one cut in half, one diced
- 2 medium onions, peeled, one halved, one diced
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 jalapeño chiles, diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican if possible
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ⅝ cup Manzanilla olives, chopped pitted greenKalamata olives1:1 ratiopreference
different flavor profile
- Mexican cremasour cream1:1 ratioavailabilityadds dairy
similar tangy richness
- cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Soak beans overnight in Dutch oven with water and bay leaves
- 2
Add halved bell pepper and halved onion to beans, bring to boil then simmer partially covered for about an hour
- 3
Halfway through cooking, skim debris and stir in salt
- 4
Heat olive oil in skillet and cook diced pepper, diced onion, salt, and black pepper for about 5 minutes
- 5
Add garlic and jalapeños to skillet and cook for another minute or two
- 6
Add cumin and oregano to skillet and cook for one more minute
- 7
Turn off heat, add water to skillet and deglaze to scrape up browned bits
- 8
Remove bay leaves and halved vegetables from beans, discard bay leaves
- 9
Puree the halved onion and bell pepper with 2 cups of cooked beans in blender or food processor
- 10
Add pureed mixture back to Dutch oven with remaining beans
- 11
Add red wine vinegar, chopped olives, and reserved cooked vegetables and spices
- 12
Bring to boil then reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes
- 13
Season with salt and pepper to taste
- 14
Garnish with crema and cilantro
Tips
Soaking beans overnight ensures even cooking and reduces cooking time significantly.
Pureeing some beans and vegetables creates the signature creamy texture while keeping body from whole beans.
Deglazing the sofrito pan captures all the flavorful browned bits that add depth to the soup.
Good to Know
Refrigerate up to 5 days in airtight container. Soup thickens when chilled.
Make up to 3 days ahead. Flavors improve overnight. Reheat gently and add water if needed.
Serve hot with dollops of Mexican crema, fresh cilantro, and crusty bread or over rice.
Common Mistakes
Don't skip deglazing the sofrito pan to avoid losing concentrated flavors
Avoid over-pureeing to maintain some texture contrast in the soup
Substitutions
drain and rinse, reduce cooking time
FAQ
Can I use canned black beans instead of dried?
Yes, use three 15-oz cans drained and rinsed. Add them in the last 20 minutes of cooking since they're already tender.
How long does this soup keep in the refrigerator?
The soup keeps for up to 5 days refrigerated and actually improves in flavor overnight as the seasonings meld together.
Can I freeze this black bean soup?
Yes, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and reheat gently, adding water if needed to adjust consistency.