Black Bean Soup
A hearty black bean soup made with crispy bacon, aromatic vegetables, and Latin spices, simmered until the beans are tender. Garnished with sour cream, fresh cilantro, and crispy bacon bits.
Ingredients
- •1½ cups dried black beans
- •8 slices bacon
- •1 small onion
- •½ whole red bell pepper
- •1½ teaspoons chopped garlic
- •½ teaspoon finely chopped seeded fresh jalape&241;o chile
- •1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- •1 leaf bay leaf
- •½ teaspoon dried thyme
- •3 quart reduced-sodium chicken broth
- •¾ teaspoon white pepper
- •2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- •to taste sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro
- •to taste sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Cover beans with cold water by 3 inches in a bowl and soak at room temperature at least 8 hours, or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below). Drain well in a colander.
480 min
- 2.
Cook bacon in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Reserve 2 tablespoons chopped bacon for topping, then return remaining bacon to pot and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chile, oregano, bay leaf, and thyme and sauté, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
10 min
- 3.
Add beans, chicken broth, and white pepper and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaf and stir in cilantro.
150 min
- 4.
Serve soup topped with sour cream, chopped cilantro, and reserved bacon.
5 min
