Kale & Moro Bean Soup

I have never liked beans! It’s not like I avoid them, there are a few life-changing bean dishes I still remember to this day, but still, it’s not something we willingly seek out or cook. The taste, the texture, the fact that raw beans need to be soaked. Who has that foresight?! There’s so much going against them.

We bought these Rancho Gordo moro beans two years ago in San Francisco, thinking we don’t like beans because we’ve just “never had a good bean.” Spoiler alert: still didn’t like the beans, so this second bag has sat in the pantry until now. This cold has me desperate for literally anything warm and cozy, even beans. And the sheer amount of fiber per serving (a small cup is 41%!!!! of my daily intake) is a nice bonus.

Ugly but surprisingly delicious

Fancy beans from SF

The fact that I made this soup is efficient, it tickles something in my pikmin dandori efficiency-minded brain, knocking out 3 purposes with one dish: fiber, winter warmth, and using something old from my pantry. I would not say it has me craving beans, but we ate all of it, so that has to stand for something!

Kale & Moro Bean Soup

Makes ~4 quarts of soup

Before soak

After soak

Cooked & drained

Bean Prep (starts one day prior)

1. Add to a big pot:

   • 1 lb. dried moro beans

   • cold water, 3-4 inches above the beans

2. Soak beans in water for 12-15 hours.

3. When ready to make soup, dump out the soaking liquid.

4. Add to the beans in the pot:

   • new cold water, covering the beans by at least 3-4 inches

   • optionally aromatics (onion, garlic, spices)

   • do NOT add salt or your beans will never cook

5. Boil until the beans are fully tender, at least 45 min.

   • Stir occasionally, and top with water as needed.

6. While the beans boil, chop your vegetables, clean & prep your kale for the cooking steps below.

Cook the Soup

Prep while beans cook

You can add veg in batches

Start this once the beans are close to done.

1. In a large 6-quart heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, saute in neutral oil:

   • aromatics from prep:

     • 2 cups onion, diced

     • 8 cloves garlic, smashed whole

     • 1 cup celery or fennel

     • 1 cup carrots, diced

     • 8 oz ham or bacon, diced

     • 1 large bell pepper, diced

   • 1 tsp salt

   • you can add the veggies in batches to avoid crowding the pot too much

2. After ~10 minutes, when all of the aromatics are sweated down and starting to brown, add:

   • a little more oil

   • 2 Tbsp tomato paste

   • 1.5 tsp smoked paprika

3. Stir to incorporate the paste and fry it in oil. Turn down the heat to avoid burning. Add a splash or two of water if you notice sticking or burning.

Second batch of veg

Paste fully fried

1. When the paste is fried, add:

   • all the cooked beans

   • 2 bayleaves

   • 4-5 parsley stems

   • 2 Tbsp bouillon paste or powder + water OR stock of choice, enough to cover everything

   • 2 tsp salt

2. Simmer everything together for ~15-20 minutes.

3. Optional: With an immersion blender, pulse lightly 10-15 times around the soup to create a creamier texture.

4. Add kale, stir around to cover with hot soup, and turn off the heat:

   • 1 lb kale, removed from stem and torn or chopped into large pieces

5. Serve after 5 minutes, afgter the kale has softened.

6. Garnish with parsley & dill, a dollop of crema, and/or a swirl of nice olive oil.

Simmer just to "marry the flavors"

Short pulses, just to add a bit of body

Notes

• We are bean newbies, but I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to salt your beans or they’ll never cook. That’s why I wouldn’t recommend cooking it in the soup in one go. You want to season your aromatics in layers.

• Also, I’ve read that you should NOT use your soaking liquid as the cooking liquid because it can cause excess gas.

• Like all soups, it tastes even better the subsequent days! It also thickens a bit and the beans absorb more liquid so it becomes more stewy than soupy. You can always add water when reheating.