Black Bean and Cauliflower Soup with Ham is another healthy and tasty one for the books! We are still going hard, and I have finally embraced the challenge of cooking not only things that are not only good for you, but are also delicious too. This soup is inspired by Cuban Black Bean soup, which is a favorite of ours!
We love the smoky flavor of the cumin and the creamy texture of the black beans. We added cauliflower to give the soup a bit more heft, Serrano for spice, and lime juice and cilantro at the end to add brightness to the soup. Now, black bean soup just doesn’t have the depth of flavor with out the pork. Instead of using a fatty cut of pork like bacon, we used just a little bit of cubed ham steak to give the soup some meaty smoky flavor. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 8oz ham steak, chopped into cubes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 Serrano pepper, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp salt
- 16 oz frozen chopped cauliflower or fresh
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- juice of 1/2 a lime
- In a large dutch oven or stock pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot add the ham cubes. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pot and reserve.
- Add the onions and saute for about 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic, Serrano, chili powder, cumin and salt. Saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Finally add the cauliflower and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.
- Remove from the heat and add the black beans, stir to combine. Puree using a stick blender or a blender to desired consistency. Place back on low heat to heat back up. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Serve in bowls and garnish with ham cubes.
Here are some salad recipes to chose from to go with your soup!