Island Black Bean Soup

This is an amazing and rich soup that i first discovered on the tiny island of Isla Mujeres, in an even tinier little structure named El Poc Chuk, i had my first bowl of this beloved black bean soup. All i can describe it as, is pure silk. So smooth, buttery, and thick and creamy, ladled over broken corn tortilla chips that have wilted beneath the weight of the soup, crumby cojita that has melted and blended its way seamlessly into the black bean mixture, this soup was pure heaven.  i didn't really know how to cook anything back then, not 10 years ago at least, when we first got married and i tried this soup on my honeymoon. I had no idea how to recreate it, that's how fresh and inexperienced i was. We visited the island two more times in that span of time, and each visit was a step closer to getting my hands and tastebuds on what exactly made that soup so darn good! Honestly, i think it is butter. I remember asking the miss what was in the soup and she just said in few words in broken english, "black beans. a little tomato. butter. " What? Is that it? I wasn't sure, but either way, i made it my mission to recreate that delectable soup! It has been several years since we last visited El Poc Chuk, several kids later, and now i serve this soup to my family and everyone loves it. It is affordable, uses minimal ingredients, and serves plenty. We make it a feast with plenty of toppings, but i prefer it like the humble and original way i first had it..Let me share the recipe with you! 


you'll need:

4 cans of black beans, drained, but not rinsed
1 teaspoon minced garlic 
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped tomato  
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander 
1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes 
1 tablespoon oregano 
salt to taste 


in a large pan, melt the butter and suatee the minced garlic. be careful not to burn. 
stir in spices. 

in a large pot, pour in all the black beans. pour butter spice mixture over beans and cook on medium for about 20-30 min, stirring here and there. Cover with water or chicken stock. Either work fine. 

Puree with immersion blender to your liking, but i love to puree it till smooth and silky. 

In a bowl, place a few broken tortilla chips at the bottom, as well as a bit of shredded  Monterey Jack or a bit of cojita. Ladle soup on top. Garnish with more crispy tortillas, cojita, and freshly chopped coriander. 

We also love to eat this soup ladled with cilantro lime rice. 

Also. all if this can be made in the crockpot too, another wonderful option. Simply put everything in a crockpot, covering with water and cook low and slow for 4-6 hours.