Sopa de Frijoles Negros (Black Bean Soup)

Warm, hearty and full of flavour, this black bean soup is the ultimate budget-friendly comfort meal. Ready in 30 minutes with pantry staples—and totally customisable with fun toppings! Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and halal—this one’s for everyone.

Makes 3-4 serves

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g tins of black beans

• 1 onion

• 1 carrot

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 tsp vegetable oil

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 1/4 tsp ground coriander

• 1.5 cups of water

Method

1. Drain black beans, and roughly chop onion, carrot and garlic.

2. Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat on the stove. Add oil first and then vegetables. Gently cook while stirring often until soft and aromatic, about 3-4 minutes.

3. At this point add bay leaf, cumin and coriander, if you have them. If not, don’t stress, add water and a bit of salt and pepper.

4. Simmer the soup gently for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours from the aromatics to absorb, adding water if soup becomes too dry.

5. Remove bay leaf and puree soup with a stick blender. Otherwise enjoy as is and with your choice of toppings!

TIPS

• Instead of a soup you can jazz-up your black beans the same way, just add less water and dont blend. Serve over rice for a really simple filling meal. Customise with similar toppings