Colombian Bean Soup

Sopa de Fríjol is the traditional dish of Convención and the Ocaña province, in Norte de Santander, also known as “ajiaco ocañero.” It’s a hearty soup, meant for a large batch, with fríjol de castilla beans, beef rib bones, and a mix of plantain, potato, yuca, and green guineos.

This recipe follows the technique documented by the Cúcuta newspaper La Opinión; unlike other versions from the region, it does not call for soaking the beans overnight, but cooks them directly together with the rib bones.

Colombian Bean Soup

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• Author: Recetas123
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Category: Soup
• Cuisine: Colombian

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 1½ pounds fríjol de castilla beans
• Water, as needed to cover the ingredients
• 4 pounds beef rib bones
• 5 pounds green plantain
• 3 pounds potatoes
• 1 pound yuca
• 10 green guineos (small green bananas), peeled
• ½ pound ahuyama (pumpkin/squash)
• ½ pound arracacha (Andean root vegetable)
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 large bell pepper
• 4 stalks cebollín (scallions)
• 1 head garlic
• 7 cilantro cimarrón (culantro) leaves
• 4 ounces carrots
• 2 concentrated bouillon cubes
• Salt to taste
• Cooked white rice, to serve

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Preparation

1. Bring the water to a boil. Bring enough water to a boil in a large pot. While it heats, chop the cebollín, ahuyama, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, celery, and arracacha.
2. Cook the beans and ribs. Add the rib bones, the fríjol de castilla beans, the bouillon cubes, and the chopped cebollín, ahuyama, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, celery, and arracacha to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Add the plantain. Peel the green plantain and break it into pieces by hand. Add it along with the cilantro cimarrón. Cook for 30 more minutes.
4. Add the guineos and yuca. Peel and cut the yuca into pieces, cut the green guineos into small pieces, and add them to the pot. Cook for 1 more hour.
5. Add the potatoes and finish. Cut the potatoes into pieces and add them along with salt to taste. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat, let it rest briefly before serving, and serve with cooked white rice.

Note: Potato cooking time depends on their size: cook until a fork slides in easily.

Chef’s Tips

• Chop the aromatics while the water heats, to save time.
• Break the plantain by hand instead of cutting it with a knife, as the traditional technique calls for.
• Taste for salt only at the end, once the rib bones have released their flavor.

Traditional Variations

• Some families in the region soak the beans overnight before cooking; this recipe cooks them directly.
• In Convención, corn on the cob, rice with noodles, avocado, and aguapanela are also served alongside.

Traditional Serving Method

Serve piping hot in a deep bowl, with white rice.

Recommended Side Dishes

• White rice
• Fresh avocado
• Aguapanela (panela drink)

Did You Know?

In Convención, sopa de fríjol is the dish that identifies the Ocaña province to the rest of Colombia: it’s traditionally the first thing people ask for when they come home to visit.