Sopa de Frijol
Sopa de frijol turns a pot of black beans into something between a soup and a sauce: thick, glossy, and substantial enough to eat with a spoon, its depth built from technique rather than fat. A single chipotle, toasted in a dry pan and blended straight into the broth, supplies the smoke and body that a heavier hand might reach for lard or a slick of oil to get. Epazote is the herb almost every Mexican cook drops into a pot of beans, prized as much for settling the stomach as for its faint, resinous flavor; the dried leaf works nearly as well as fresh if you cannot find the plant. Spooning the avocado on top instead of stirring it through keeps its richness as a finishing accent, not the base of the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Black beans, dried, picked over and rinsed
- 1 Yellow onion, quartered
- 4 cloves Garlic, smashed
- 1 Bay leave
- 2 sprigs Epazote, or 1 tsp dried
- 1 Chipotle, stemmed
- 1 tsp Cumin seed
- 1 tsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 1 Lime, juiced, plus wedges to serve
- 1 Avocado, diced
- 3 tbsp Cilantro, chopped
- 3 tbsp Pumpkin seeds, toasted
Method
- Put the black beans in a large pot with 6 cups (1.4 L) water, the quartered onion, half the garlic, the bay leaf, and the epazote. Bring to a boil, then drop to a bare simmer. Cook partially covered until the beans are fully soft and starting to fall apart, 75 to 90 minutes, topping up with hot water if the level drops below the beans. Leave the pot unsalted while it cooks: salt added this early toughens the skins before the inside goes creamy.
- Meanwhile, stem the chipotle and toast it in a dry skillet over medium heat, pressing it flat, a few seconds a side, until it smells smoky and turns pliable. Tear it open, cover with 1/2 cup (120 ml) just-boiled water, and let it soften for 15 minutes.
- Toast the cumin seed in the same dry skillet until fragrant, about 1 minute, then grind it.
- When the beans are tender, fish out the bay leaf and epazote sprigs. Drain the chipotle, keeping the soaking water, and add the chipotle, cumin, and the remaining garlic to the pot.
- Blend the soup smooth right in the pot with an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand blender, thinning it with the chipotle soaking water until it pours like a thick cream. This is the step that turns a pot of beans into a soup: black beans carry enough starch of their own to go silky with no added cream or flour.
- Stir in the no-salt bouillon and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes so the flavors settle. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Ladle into bowls and top each with diced avocado, toasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 320 calories, 17 g protein, 16 g fiber, 10 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt.
