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4.92 from 35 votes

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Cuban Black Bean Soup made in an Instant Pot or on the stove. This Cuban favorite is made vegan for all to enjoy. Super quick and easy weeknight meal that's great for leftovers. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Blending Time5 minutes
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Cuban
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Cost: $9

Ingredients

Cuban Black Bean Soup:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion peeled and roughly chopped (a tablespoon reserved for garnish)
  • 1 green bell pepper roughly chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican or Italian dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 dried or fresh bay leaves
  • 1 pound dried black beans (that have been soaked in water for at least 4 hours)
  • 4 1/2 cups water

For Garnish:

  • 1 avocado pitted and sliced
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • Cilantro Leaves
  • 1 lime quartered

Instructions

To Soak the Beans:

  • Pour the black beans into a large bowl. Cover with filtered water. I like to add about three times the amount of water than the beans. This will allow space for them to expand. Let them soak for at least 4 hours. I like to do this overnight for optimal softness. Drain the beans and then proceed with the recipe.

To Make the Cuban Black Bean Soup on the Stove:

  • In a medium to large pot, set over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, ground cumin, coriander, oregano and crushed red pepper. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. 
  • Add the bay leaves, black beans and water. Stir until combined. Bring to a simmer and bring the heat down to medium low. Cook for about 2 hours, until the beans are tender.
  • Remove the leaves of bay leaves and discard. Using an immersion blender, blend the black beans until they’re smooth and cohesive. This will thicken the soup quite a bit, going from kinda watery to a good soup consistency. 
  • Divide amongst bowls and garnish with avocado, a dollop of sour cream, some of the reserved red onion and cilantro leaves. 

To Make the Instant Pot Cuban Black Bean Soup:

  • Turn your Instant Pot to the "medium sauté function." Add the olive oil and when warm, add the red onion, bell pepper, garlic cloves, salt, ground cumin, coriander, oregano and crushed red pepper. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. 
  • Add the bay leaves, black beans and water. Stir until combined. Place the lid to the Instant Pot on and press “cancel." Then, turn the Instant Pot to “pressure cook” and set the timer to 40 minutes. Make sure the pressure knob is on “seal.” 
  • When the Instant Pot comes to pressure the timer will begin. When the timer goes off, do not do a quick-release. Allow the machine to do a natural-release which will continue cooking the beans further. 
  • When the natural release is done, you’re welcome to remove the lid, making sure you do it pointing away from yourself. Remove the leaves of bay leaves and discard. Using an immersion blender, blend the black beans until they’re smooth and cohesive. This will thicken the soup quite a bit, going from kinda watery to a good soup consistency. 
  • Alternatively, you can transfer this to a blender in batches. 
  • Alternatively, you can transfer this to a blender in batches. Divide amongst bowls and garnish with avocado, a dollop of sour cream, some of the reserved red onion and cilantro leaves. 
  • Soup lasts up to 1 week when stored in an air-tight container in the fridge. 

Notes

Tips and Tricks: 
  • Can you use canned beans for this recipe? Absolutely. I would drain them and proceed with the recipe. I recommend cutting each cooking time (whether it's for the Instant Pot or Stove Top) in half. You want the beans to soften so they can be blended easily.
  • Can you cook this on a stove top in a pot? Yes! The directions are below.
  • Bell Pepper substitutions - You can use red, green or yellow bell peppers.
  • Onion substitutions - If you don't have red onion, use a yellow onion or white onion in its place.
Equipment: 
Le Creuset Dutch Oven | Instant Pot | Silicon Spatula | Kitchen Utility Towels

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 4mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg