User:Valereee/Black bean soup

Black bean soup is a thick soup or stew common to North, Central, and South American cuisines made, in most cuisines, with black turtle beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and other ingredients. The Brazilian version, feijoada à brasileira, is the country's national dish.

History

Black turtle beans are native to and were first cultivated in the New World and were traditionally used in South and Central American cuisines. Recipes for black bean soup appeared in the New York Times as early as 1879.

According to Julia Moskin, "Many New World beans caught on in Europe and beyond, but black beans have stayed stubbornly American." Most recipes for black bean soups or stews originated in the Americas.

Description, ingredients, preparation and serving

The soup tends to be more savory than pinto bean or white bean soups; according to Steve Sando this is because black beans thicken and color the broth and have an earthier flavor. The rich, thick broth black turtle beans create is called sopa negra or caldo de frijol.

Recipes vary widely, with some calling for a sofrito or other vegetable additions. Various recipes call for partially or fully pureeing the cooked beans. The dish can be served over rice, as a partially or fully pureed soup, or as pot beans, with or without garnishes such as cheese, herbs, or crema.

Variations

The Brazilian version of the stew feijoada, feijoada à brasileira or feijoada completa, is prepared with black beans and is considered a national dish. Frijoles negros or sopa de frijoles negros is a Cuban stew or soup, sometimes served over rice, of black beans that is common to other nations in Latin America. Sauce pois (also called sos pwa nwa to distinguish it from sos pwa wouj, a similar dish made with red beans) is a Haitian version.