Thick & Rich Red Bean Soup

Cuban red bean soup leans on the sofrito principle, which is the technique that defines so much of the island’s cooking. Olive oil, garlic, onion, and green pepper are sweated low until almost jammy, then sharpened with tomatoes, vinegar, and dry sherry before joining the pot.

That slow build of fat-soluble flavor is what gives the broth its signature savory depth. Without it, you have brown bean water. With it, you have lunch worth lining up for.

The twist here is the butternut squash, which dissolves slightly into the broth as it cooks and adds a velvety body that thickens the soup naturally, no roux or cream required. Diced potatoes do the same job from a starchier angle.

The long simmer (an hour and a half to two hours) is non-optional with dried kidney beans — they need that time to fully soften and start releasing their starch into the broth.

Kitchen Tips

• Soak the beans overnight in cold water with a pinch of salt. Faster cooking, fewer skins splitting open during the simmer.
• Don’t add the salt-heavy sofrito until the beans are already tender. Acid and salt early on slow bean softening dramatically.
• For maximum body without pureeing, mash a cupful of cooked beans against the pot wall and stir back in.
• Cook a day ahead. Bean soups taste twice as good after an overnight rest in the fridge.

Variations

• Stir in a smoked ham hock with the beans for a meaty, smoky version (skip if keeping vegan).
• Swap kidney beans for black beans for a Cuban black bean soup variation.
• Add a chopped chipotle in adobo with the sofrito for a smoky-spicy edge.