Brazilian Black Bean Soup with Crispy Bacon and Citrus

Searching for more easy soups? If you enjoy chicken-and-rice soups, try a Brazilian canja de galinha for a comforting classic. For something lighter and silky, a pumpkin soup with carrots and ginger is simple and flavorful.

Why You’ll Love This Soup

• Comforting and deeply satisfying.
• Black bean flavor without cilantro.
• Made with canned beans for a fast, under-30-minute prep.
• Freezes well, making it a convenient meal prep option.

How to Cook Black Beans

Canned black beans are the fastest option for this recipe, but you can use dried beans if you prefer. Soaking dried beans overnight yields the best texture and shortens cooking time.

Soaking method (recommended):

1. Place dried black beans in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water so they remain submerged as they expand.
2. Cover and soak overnight.
3. The next day, drain and rinse the beans, transfer to a large pot, and cover with fresh water.
4. Simmer over medium heat about an hour, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed until the beans are tender.

No-soak method (if short on time):

1. Rinse the dried beans and add them to a large pot.
2. Cover with plenty of water and simmer over medium heat.
3. Cook 1.5–2 hours, stirring and adding water as necessary, until tender.

Whichever method you choose, stir occasionally for even cooking. Once tender, the beans are ready to become soup.

How to Make It

Once ingredients are prepped, this soup comes together easily. Recommended tools:

• An immersion blender (preferred) or countertop blender.
• A large soup pot.
• A potato masher if you don’t have a blender (the texture will be chunkier).

1. Fry the bacon – Cook the bacon until crispy, then remove it and reserve the rendered fat.
2. Sauté the aromatics – In the same pot, heat the reserved bacon fat and cook chopped onion until soft, then add garlic and bay leaves and cook briefly until fragrant.
3. Simmer the soup – Add black beans, water, and cayenne pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and season with salt and black pepper.
4. Blend – Remove and discard bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot, or cool slightly and blend in batches in a countertop blender. Adjust thickness with extra water or broth if needed.
5. Brown the smoked sausage – In a frying pan, heat olive oil and brown cubed smoked sausage, finishing with a squeeze of lime juice.
6. Finish – Return the blended soup to medium heat, stir in the cooked sausage, and simmer 3–5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7. Serve – Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon and sliced green onions.

Yes. The soup keeps well in the freezer for up to 2 months. If frozen with bacon, the bacon will lose its crispness after reheating.

Thin it with additional water or broth. If using store-bought broth, watch the salt level as it may add extra sodium.

What to Serve with Bacon Black Bean Soup

This soup is hearty enough on its own, but these sides complement it well:

• Garlic bread – Ideal for dunking.
• A dollop of sour cream – Adds a cool, tangy contrast.
• Extra lime juice – Brightens the flavors.
• Hot sauce – A dash of Tabasco or cayenne if you want more heat.

Suggested breads to serve with the soup:

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Brazilian Bacon Black Bean Soup

Tatiana Kamakura

Nutrition