Sopa negra, or Costa Rican black bean soup is a standard delicacy from the southern area of Costa Rica. It’s a easy, comforting, flavorful, creamy soup made with black beans and seasoned with sautéed greens.
This soup is nice for a chilly day or an evening once you don’t have a lot time to cook dinner one thing sophisticated.
The historical past of sopa negra in Costa Rica
Sopa negra means “black soup” in Spanish, because of the darkish shade the black bean provides to this soup.
The soup is alleged to have been created by espresso plantation staff, who used the components at their disposal to arrange low cost and filling meals. Through the years, sopa negra has change into a standard Costa Rican dish, served in eating places, properties, and native markets.
Each Costa Rican dwelling has a strain cooker the place they put together beans each morning. They then use these beans within the completely different meals of the day.
Elements
Our recipe is a simplification of the standard recipe the place the beans are soaked in a single day after which cooked the subsequent day in a strain cooker.
To simplify, we’re utilizing canned beans, and to offer the soup extra taste, we use hen broth. We use the standard greens that give this black soup that genuine taste.
- Canned black beans: should you can, select one with out added salt
- Vegetal oil
- Garlic
- Celery
- Purple or inexperienced pepper
- Culantro: This may be discovered at Latin American or Asian shops. If you happen to can’t discover it, use cilantro.
- Rooster broth: with out added salt
- Arduous-boiled egg
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Salt and pepper to style
What’s the distinction between cilantro and culantro?
Cilantro, with its contemporary, citrusy taste, is a well-liked ingredient in cuisines worldwide, used each contemporary and in seed kind (coriander) in dishes corresponding to sauces, salads, and as a final touch to many dishes.
Culantro, though much less well-known, gives a extra intense taste. With its strong and barely bitter taste, is usually utilized in Caribbean and Asian cuisines for dishes that require longer cooking, corresponding to stews, soups, and casseroles.
You may substitute cilantro for culantro, however the taste might be barely completely different. Additionally, you will want extra cilantro to get the identical taste depth since culantro has a stronger taste.
The right way to make soupa negra black bean soup
It is a easy soup to arrange, and utilizing canned beans makes it an ideal adaptation for a busy night.
- Chop the greens roughly, and sautee uncovered till they’re comfortable.
- Drain and rinse the canned black beans, and add them to the greens together with the hen broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Take away from the range, and mix the soup.
- Pour the creamy soup again into the pot, add salt and pepper to style, and simmer for one more 5 minutes.
- Serve every plate with hard-boiled eggs, sliced avocados, and cilantro.
The right way to retailer and freeze sopa negra
Sopa negra could be stored in a sealed container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
It is a good soup to make in giant batches and freeze in particular person parts. It can hold nicely within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Defrost within the fridge in a single day or on the counter for just a few hours. Reheat within the microwave or on the stovetop.
Can I take advantage of dried beans for this black bean soup?
This soup could be made with dry black beans.
The evening earlier than soak 1 cup of dry black beans.
To a big pot, add beans and about 5 cups of water. Cook dinner till tender (about 2 to 2.5 hours). Maintain a watch, simply in case it wants extra water. (Relying in your beans, they might take roughly time to cook dinner to tender.)
As soon as tender, drain (hold the water and use it as an alternative of the hen broth). Comply with the remainder of the directions for the soup.
Sopa Negra (Costa Rican Black Bean Soup)
Sopa negra, or Costa Rican black bean soup is a standard delicacy from the southern area of Costa Rica. It’s a easy, comforting, flavorful, creamy soup made with black beans and seasoned with sautéed greens.
Servings: 4 folks
Energy: 344kcal
- 2 (15.25 oz) canned black beans , drained and rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 inexperienced or pink pepper
- 1 celery stalk
- 3 culantro leaves (or a cilantro bunch)
- 4 cups hen broth
- Salt and pepper (to style)
To serve
- 4 hard-boiled eggs
- 1/4 cup chop cilantro
- Sliced avocado
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Drain and rinse black beans.
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Roughly chop the greens.
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On medium-high warmth, sauté garlic, pepper, celery, and culantro (or cilantro) till comfortable.
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Add black beans and hen broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.
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Take away from the warmth, and utilizing a blender, mix in 2 batches.
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Return the soup to the pot, add salt and pepper to style, and simmer for one more 5 minutes.
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Serve with eggs, cilantro, and avocado.
Within the morning, add beans and about 5 cups of water to a big pot. Cook dinner till the beans are tender (about 2 to 2.5 hours, relying in your beans). Regulate them, simply in case they want extra water or much less time. (Relying in your beans, they might take roughly time to cook dinner to tender.)
As soon as the beans are tender, drain them. (You may hold the water and use it as an alternative of the hen broth within the osup.) Comply with the remainder of the directions for the soup.
Serving: 1quarter of recipe | Energy: 344kcal
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Lizet is Bolivian and lives in Paraguay. By means of pals and journey she has developed her love of meals. From Africa to Asia, Europe to the Americas, there may be at all times one thing new to attempt once you come to dinner. You’ll find extra of Lizet’s tasty creations on her web site ChipaByTheDozen.com. You can too discover her on Instagram and Fb.
