Guatemalan Creamy Black Bean Soup

Caldo de frijol negro con crema is a creamy Guatemalan soup made with blended black beans, served with a touch of fresh sour cream and cheese.

It’s a simple, comforting dish, very popular as a starter or light main course in everyday Guatemalan cooking.

Guatemalan Creamy Black Bean Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Soup
• Cuisine: Guatemalan

Print Recipe

---

Ingredients

• 2 cups of black beans, cooked
• 1 cup of bean cooking broth
• 1 of onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 sprig of epazote or hoja santa
• to taste of salt
• to taste of fresh sour cream
• to taste of fresh cheese, grated
• to taste of fried dried chile, for garnish (optional) (optional)

---

Instructions

1. Sauté the base, sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil until translucent.
2. Blend, blend the cooked black beans together with the cooking broth until smooth.
3. Cook, pour the blended beans into the pot with the sautéed onion and add the epazote or hoja santa. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
4. Adjust consistency, add more broth or water if the soup is too thick.
5. Adjust seasoning, correct the salt to taste.
6. Serve, serve hot, in a deep bowl, with a touch of fresh sour cream, grated cheese, and fried dried chile on top.

Tips for getting it right

• Using the bean cooking broth instead of water gives the soup a deeper flavor.
• Epazote or hoja santa is key to this soup’s characteristic aroma.
• The sour cream is added when serving, never during cooking, so it doesn’t curdle.
• The fried dried chile on top adds an optional crunchy, spicy touch.

Traditional variations

• It’s a very popular starter in Guatemalan restaurants, as well as a light main course at home.
• Some families add fried tortilla strips as an additional garnish.

How to serve

Caldo de frijol negro con crema is served hot, in a deep bowl, garnished with cream, cheese, and fried chile.

It’s a simple, comforting dish, very popular in everyday Guatemalan cooking.

Recommended sides

• Corn tortillas
• Fried dried chile

Did you know?

Black beans are one of the most fundamental ingredients in the Guatemalan diet, present in numerous preparations.

This soup is a classic way to make use of leftover cooked black beans, turning them into a different dish.