African Bean Soup Recipes

A+ AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• A food processor or mandolin cuts 10 min off of prep time.
• Heat 1/2 cup water and soy sauce in a large pot. Add onion and sweet potatoes. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, celery and bell pepper. Cover and cook 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, stock, and garbanzo or other beans. Blend peanut butter with 1/2 cup water, add to soup with curry powder. Stir. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and save some for garnish. Can be served over rice if desired.

NORTH AFRICAN BEAN STEW WITH BARLEY AND WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and cook leeks until they begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Finely chop cilantro stems. Stir into pot, along with diced fennel and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in baharat, cinnamon and tomato paste, and cook until paste begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in broth, 3 cups water, the barley and the salt. Bring to a gentle boil, stir in saffron, if using, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Stir in beans, squash, turnip and lentils; cook until barley is tender, about another 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Remove cinnamon stick.
• Ladle stew into bowls. Spoon a dollop of yogurt on top and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with cilantro leaves, fennel fronds and Aleppo pepper or paprika.

AFRICAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Melt margarine in large stock pot.
• Add carrots. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Add water, black eyed peas, navy beans, green pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper (add more water, if necessary, to cover).
• Cook, covered, until ingredients are tender, 1 1/2-2 hours.
• Add peanuts, onion powder, basil, and coriander during last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
• Taste to correct seasonings.
• Soup should be thick.

SOUTH AFRICAN SUGAR BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place sugar beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let soak, 8 hours to overnight.
• Combine beef chuck and onions in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until beef is tender and falling off the bone, about 1 1/2 hour. Transfer beef to a cutting board; discard bones and cut beef into bite-size pieces. Place onions in a bowl.
• Pour sugar beans and their soaking water into the pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, adding more water if needed, until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in beef pieces and onions; bring soup to a boil.
• Dissolve beef bouillon cube in 2 1/2 tablespoons hot water in a bowl. Stir in wine, tomato paste, dry soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Gradually mix into the boiling soup. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes.

NORTH AFRICAN BEAN AND SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Drain the soaked chick peas and set aside. Tie half the cilantro sprigs into a bundle with the dried red chili, and chop the rest. Set aside the chopped cilantro.
• Heat the oil in a large bean pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the garlic, paprika, and turmeric. Stir together for about a minute, until fragrant, and add the tomatoes, and their juice. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and the mixture is fragrant. Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Add the cilantro bundle, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add the squash, a generous amount of salt, and the harissa or cayenne, and continue to simmer for another hour. Taste and adjust salt. Add the vermicelli and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the cilantro bundle. Stir in the remaining cilantro and the mint, adjust salt and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges.

BEST BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. Put on a teakettle of water to boil, and keep hot.
• In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pour in wine and let simmer until pan is almost dry and vegetables are coated. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, just until softened, 2 minutes. Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.
• Add beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are just softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours. Add salt and pepper and keep cooking until beans are soft.
• Meanwhile, make the pickled onions, if using: In a bowl, combine sliced onions, lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Let soften at room temperature until crunchy and tart, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry in paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, chop coarsely before serving.
• Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.
• Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.
• Serve in deep bowls, garnishing each serving with sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro leaves, sliced chiles and avocado as desired.