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Cuban White Bean Soup Recipe

Cuban White Bean Soup Recipe
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★★★★★

5.2 from 19 reviews

A comforting and hearty Cuban White Bean Soup featuring soaked Great Northern beans simmered with salt pork and smoked ham hocks, enhanced with aromatic onions, garlic, and traditional Cuban spices like oregano and cumin. This rustic soup offers deep, smoky flavors and a satisfying texture, perfect for a warming meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Beans and Broth

  • 1 pound dried white beans (Great Northern), soaked overnight
  • 2 1/2 quarts water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 ounces salt pork
  • 2 meaty smoked ham hocks

Sauté Base and Seasonings

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Beans: Drain and rinse the soaked white beans under cold water to remove any residue and impurities.
  2. Simmer the Soup Base: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, combine the rinsed beans, 2 1/2 quarts water, bay leaves, salt pork, and smoked ham hocks. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
  3. Cook the Beans: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Let it simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the beans to become tender.
  4. Remove Salt Pork: Carefully remove the salt pork from the pot using tongs and discard it.
  5. Shred Ham Hocks: Remove the ham hocks from the soup, shred the meat finely while discarding the bones and fat, and then return the shredded meat to the soup pot.
  6. Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the minced onion and garlic, cooking until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, to release their flavors.
  7. Combine and Season: Stir the sautéed onion and garlic mixture into the soup. Add dried oregano, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer on low for an additional 15 minutes to integrate the seasonings fully.
  8. Serve: Remove bay leaves, ladle the soup into bowls, and serve warm for a hearty meal.

Notes

  • Soaking the beans overnight reduces cooking time and improves digestibility.
  • Salt pork can be substituted with bacon if unavailable.
  • For a vegetarian version, omit salt pork and ham hocks and use vegetable broth.
  • Adjust seasoning gradually to suit your taste preferences.
  • The soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.

Nutrition

Keywords: Cuban white bean soup, Great Northern beans, smoked ham hocks soup, hearty bean soup, Cuban cuisine soup

Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/cuban-white-bean-soup-recipe/