The white bean soup is a traditional and delightful dish from Colombian cuisine, known for its tasty, nutritious, and straightforward preparation. Composed of tender white beans, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and a touch of coloring, this soup is an excellent choice for lunch or dinner, regardless of the season.
This white bean recipe is rich in protein and complex carbohydrates, making it a nourishing and full meal.
White beans, or Blanquillos, are a grain I've known since childhood. It wasn't until recently that I learned they're also called white beans, quite a revelation! I made this discovery during a lunch outing. When the waiter listed "white bean soup" on the menu, I decided to order it. To my amusement, it was the familiar Blanquillos soup I had always known.
I've always enjoyed complementing meals with any soup variety, be it grain-based or noodle. So that day, I relished the white beans served at that restaurant.
What are Blanquillos?
Blanquillos are round white grains, also known as white beans or "habichuelas blancas" in Spanish. They are a protein and fiber-rich staple in Latin cuisine.
Why soak them?
Blanquillos need overnight soaking to soften and reduce cooking time.
Tips and Tricks
- If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cook the Blanquillos in a regular pot. Adjust the cooking time accordingly, possibly extending it to two hours until they soften.
- For added flavor, consider adding diced beef or pork while cooking the beans.
Recommendations
- The white bean soup is already a complete meal but can be paired with a serving of white rice for an even heartier dish.
- For a thicker consistency, add more potatoes.
Common Mistakes
- Inadequately soaking the beans may result in them not softening sufficiently during cooking.
- Overcooking the beans might cause them to break down, turning them into a mash instead of retaining their shape. Ensure you monitor the cooking time and bean texture for the desired outcome.
How to cook Blanquillos without soaking?
To prepare the beans without prior soaking, they'll need extended cooking. If using a pressure cooker, it'll take around an hour to soften them; with a regular or slow cooker, it'll be around two and a half hours. To save time, always remember to soak them the night before.
How to prepare in a slow cooker?
For this soup, if using a slow cooker, soak the beans overnight. The next day, cook them on medium heat for one and a half hours. If you haven't soaked them, it will take around 2.5 hours. Once the beans are soft, follow the prior recipe step by step.
We also recommend trying: Oat Soup or Bean Soup.
Blanquillos FAQ
In Colombia, small white beans, similar to navy beans, used mostly for soup. The word travels badly: in Mexico and much of Central America blanquillos means eggs. If a Colombian recipe asks for blanquillos, it wants the beans.
Navy beans are the closest and the easiest to find. Great northern beans work too and are slightly larger. Cannellini are bigger and creamier and change the character of the soup, but they are still a reasonable substitute if that is what you have.
For this recipe, yes, and it is why the total time is longer than it looks. Soaking cuts the cooking time roughly in half and helps the beans cook evenly instead of splitting. If you forget, a pressure cooker will get there from dry, but allow considerably longer.
Yes, in a regular pot, but budget an hour and a half to two hours for soaked beans rather than thirty minutes. Keep them at a gentle simmer: a hard boil breaks the skins and turns the soup cloudy. Top up with hot water as it reduces.
Achiote or saffron, and it is there for the yellow-orange colour that Colombian soups are expected to have. It contributes very little flavour. Leaving it out changes nothing except the look, and a pinch of turmeric does the same job.
Usually old beans, which can stay firm however long you cook them, or salt added too early. Season towards the end rather than at the start. Hard water and acidic ingredients like tomato also slow softening, which is why the tomato goes in after the beans are already tender here.
With white rice and a piece of meat, as a first course in a Colombian almuerzo. It is a plain, filling soup rather than a showy one, and rice on the side is not optional in the way it might be elsewhere.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pound white beans (blanquillos) (about 225 g; navy beans are the closest in the US)
- 4 medium potatoes, diced
- ½ small onion, grated, or 2 stalks green onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
- Fresh cilantro, to taste (the leaf, not the seed)
- Colouring, to taste (achiote or saffron) (for colour only; turmeric does the same job, and it can be left out)
- Salt, to taste (add it towards the end: salting early keeps beans firm)
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water.
- Drain them and cook in a pressure cooker over medium heat with plenty of fresh water, about 30 minutes, until they are soft.
- Release the pressure carefully, lifting the valve gradually with a spoon. It takes time and it is worth doing properly: cooling the pot under running water can make it burst from the sudden change in temperature.
- Add the potatoes, tomato, onion, cilantro, colouring and salt. Return the pot to medium heat and cook for another 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and starting to break at the edges, which is what thickens the broth.
- Let the pot sit until it is safe to open, or release the pressure again with a spoon, lifting the valve gradually.
- Serve with a generous portion of rice and some meat on the side.
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