Name: La Mezcalita (Mexican Restaurant)s Sopa Negra Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 35 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1.5 cups dried black beans, sorted and rinsed; 4 cups water (for soaking); 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 1 each yellow onion, quartered; 3 each garlic cloves, smashed; 1 each bay leaf; 2 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano); 1.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 tbs lime juice (fresh); 2 cups water (for cooking, additional as needed); 0.5 cup red onion, thinly sliced; 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 each jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional); 0.25 cup crème fraîche or Mexican crema; 2 each lime wedges; 1 cup crispy tortilla strips or toasted corn tortillas

Method

Soup

Soak (optional)

Place the sorted and rinsed black beans in a large bowl and cover with 4 cups of water. Soak for at least 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking. (If short on time, skip soaking and increase simmer time.)

Saute aromatics

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the quartered yellow onion and smashed garlic cloves and sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned.

Toast spices

Stir in 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon dried oregano and cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices and become fragrant.

Combine beans and liquid

Add the soaked (or unsoaked) drained beans to the pot along with 4 cups low-sodium broth, 2 cups additional water, and the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Simmer

Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until beans are tender, 60–90 minutes (soaked beans ~60 minutes; unsoaked may take up to 90–120 minutes). Stir occasionally and add additional water 1/4 cup at a time if the pot becomes too thick or dry.

Season and mash

Once beans are tender, remove and discard the bay leaf and the quartered onion (or reserve some softened onion pieces if you prefer). Using an immersion blender, puree about half the soup to thicken while leaving some whole beans for texture. Alternatively, transfer 3 cups to a blender, puree, and return to pot. Stir to combine.

Finish

Stir in 1.5 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lime as desired. If you prefer a thinner soup, add up to 1 cup additional broth or water and reheat gently.

Toppings & Garnish

Prepare toppings

Thinly slice 1/2 cup red onion and place in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and the juice of one lime wedge; let sit 5–10 minutes to mellow the onion. Chop 1/2 cup cilantro and mince the optional jalapeño.

Assemble bowls

Ladle hot sopa negra into bowls. Top each bowl with a spoonful of thinly sliced pickled-mellowed red onion, a tablespoon of chopped cilantro, a few minced jalapeño pieces if using, a drizzle (about 1 tablespoon) of crème fraîche or Mexican crema, and a handful of crispy tortilla strips.

Serve

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for extra acidity. Leftover soup will thicken when chilled; thin with warm water or broth when reheating.