Bean soup

Ingredients

• 4–5 slicessmoked bacon, chopped
• 1/2 largeyellow onion (or white onion), chopped
• 80 mlcarrot, diced
• 80 mlcelery, chopped
• 750 gtinned black beans (or leftover cooked black beans)
• 960 mlbeef stock (or vegetable stock)
• 240 mltinned tomatoes, with their juices
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 240 mluncooked pasta
• 1bay leaf
• to tastecoriander, chopped (or parsley)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the bacon

   Cook the chopped bacon in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.

2. 2

   Soften the vegetables

   Add the onion and cook it in the bacon fat for about 3–5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery, then cook over a medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Add the soup ingredients

   Stir in the beans, stock, tinned tomatoes and their juices, salt and pepper to taste, pasta and bay leaf.

4. 4

   Simmer the soup

   Bring the soup to the boil over a medium-high heat. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10–12 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.

5. 5

   Season and serve

   Remove the bay leaf and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with chopped coriander and bread.

What is Brazilian bean soup?

This Brazilian-style soup combines black beans, pasta, bacon and vegetables in a stock-based broth. It has the comforting, varied ingredients of minestrone, adapted around black beans for a filling meal.

Here, tinned beans and a short simmer keep preparation quick. The pasta cooks in the broth, so it takes on some of the soup’s savoury flavour.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 421 calories, 27g protein, 57g carbs, 10g fat.

The beans and pasta provide most of the carbohydrates, while the bacon contributes fat and some protein. Beans and bacon both contribute protein to the bowl. Serve it with a side of vegetables or salad to add freshness alongside the hearty soup.

The ingredients that build flavour

Bacon first: cooking it releases fat that becomes the base for the onion, carrot and celery. Smoked bacon adds a savoury note throughout the broth.

Beans and tomatoes: black beans give the soup body, while tinned tomatoes add acidity and colour. Use the tomatoes with their juices, as directed.

Cooking the vegetables

Onion first: let it soften in the bacon fat for 3–5 minutes before adding the other vegetables. This gives it time to mellow without rushing the next stage.

Carrot and celery: cook them over a medium-low heat for a further 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should begin to soften before the stock goes in.

Getting the pasta right

Simmering time: once the soup is covered and the heat is reduced, cook it for 10–12 minutes. Check the pasta near the end, since its shape and size affect how quickly it cooks.

Texture cue: the pasta should be cooked through but still hold its shape. Remove the pan from the heat once it reaches that point.

Seasoning and serving

Bay leaf: it simmers with the other ingredients to flavour the broth, but remove it before serving. Taste the soup at the end and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

To serve: finish each bowl with chopped coriander or parsley and have bread alongside. The herbs bring a fresh contrast to the smoky bacon and rich beans.

A one-pot meal

The beans, pasta and vegetables cook together in the same pan after the bacon and vegetables are softened. This keeps the method simple and means the pasta simmers directly in the seasoned stock.

Keep the soup at a steady simmer rather than a rapid boil once it is covered. That helps the pasta cook evenly in the broth.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the bacon and vegetables before heating the pan so they can go in promptly.
• Stir the bacon occasionally as it cooks to help it brown evenly.
• Use the juices from the tinned tomatoes in the soup.
• Check the pasta for doneness before the full 12 minutes if it is a small shape.
• Remove the bay leaf before ladling out the soup.
• Add the chopped herbs just before serving for a fresh finish.

Variations

• Use parsley: swap it for the coriander as suggested in the ingredient list.
• Choose vegetable stock: use it instead of beef stock for a different broth.
• Use cooked beans: leftover cooked black beans can replace the tinned beans.
• Change the onion: white onion can stand in for yellow onion.
• Adjust the herbs: add coriander or parsley to taste at the table.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the bacon fat: cook the onion in the fat left in the pan to build the soup’s base flavour.
• Adding vegetables all at once: give the onion its 3–5 minutes before adding the carrot and celery.
• Boiling hard throughout: reduce the heat to medium-low after bringing the soup to the boil.
• Overcooking the pasta: check it after 10 minutes and stop when it is cooked through.
• Leaving in the bay leaf: remove it before serving.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a pan until hot throughout; the pasta may absorb broth as it stands, so add a little stock or water if needed.

Frequently asked questions