Sopa Negra (Costa Rican Black Bean Soup with Poached Egg)
Local name: Sopa negra
In short: A creamy black bean soup with sweet pepper, celery, garlic and cilantro, with a poached egg in each bowl and warm tortillas. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h 30 min
- Resting
- 8 h
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 370 kcal
Sopa negra is the everyday black bean soup of Costa Rica. The beans simmer with sweet pepper, onion, celery and cilantro, and part of the pot is blended so the soup turns creamy while the rest stays chunky. An egg is poached right in the soup at the end, and the yolk enriches the broth. It is cheap, filling and best with warm corn tortillas for dunking.
Instructions
- Put the beans, water and bay leaf in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 60 to 75 minutes, until the beans are tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion, bell pepper and celery for 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir the vegetables and the salt into the beans and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Ladle about 3 cups of beans and broth into a blender with half of the cilantro and blend until smooth. Return it to the pot and stir. Remove the bay leaf.
- Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Crack the eggs one at a time into a cup and slide each into the soup, spaced apart. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft.
- Ladle into bowls with an egg in each. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve with tortillas and lime.
Tips
- In a hurry, use 3 cans (400 g / 14 oz each) of black beans, drained, with 1 liter (4 cups) of vegetable stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
- The soup thickens as it stands. Thin it with a little water when reheating, and poach the eggs fresh each time.
Questions and answers
Why is it called sopa negra?
It means black soup, and it is named for the dark color of black beans and their broth.
Can I make sopa negra without the egg?
Yes. The egg is traditional but optional. The soup is just as good with extra cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Can I freeze sopa negra?
Freeze the soup without the eggs for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight, reheat it and poach fresh eggs in it as it simmers.
How long does it take to make Sopa Negra (Costa Rican Black Bean Soup with Poached Egg)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sopa Negra (Costa Rican Black Bean Soup with Poached Egg)?
About 370 kcal per serving, with 19 g of protein, 47 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 370 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 47 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 11 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 700 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
