Crema de Frijol (Mexican Creamy Bean Soup)
Smooth, velvety black bean soup blended with garlic, onion, and guajillo chile. Topped with fried tortilla strips, crispy guajillo, and a drizzle of Mexican crema. Ready in 25 minutes with pantry staples.
6 people
Calories: 98kcal
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ onion quartered
- 1 dried guajillo chile stem and seeds removed
- 2 cans or 3 cups homecooked black beans with their liquid
- 3 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt adjust to taste
For the toppings:
- 3 corn tortillas cut into thin strips
- Vegetable oil or olive oil for frying
- 2 dried guajillo chiles cut into thin strips with scissors
- Mexican crema or vegan crema for drizzling
Instructions
- Saute the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and the garlic is fragrant.
- Toast the guajillo. Add the guajillo chile to the pot. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes, pressing it lightly against the bottom of the pot. It should darken slightly and smell smoky.
- Add beans and liquid. Pour in the beans with their liquid and 3 cups of water or broth. Stir, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Blend until smooth. Transfer everything to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until completely smooth and velvety. Make sure the guajillo is fully blended in.
- Simmer the soup. Pour the blended soup back into the pot. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will thicken. If it gets too thick, add more water or broth. Taste and adjust salt.
- Fry the tortilla strips. While the soup simmers, heat about ½ inch of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt while hot.
- Fry the guajillo strips. In the same oil, fry the guajillo strips for 15 to 30 seconds, turning once. They should puff up slightly and darken. Pull them out fast. They go from perfect to burned in seconds. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with Mexican crema and top with crispy tortilla strips and fried guajillo strips.
Bean liquid matters: If using homecooked beans, add the cooking broth too. It's full of flavor. If using canned, don't drain them.
Notes
- Thickness: The soup thickens as it cools. Make it slightly thinner than you want in the pot. Add more broth or water when reheating.
- Chile timing: Fry the guajillo strips for 15 to 30 seconds max. If they turn dark brown or black, they'll taste bitter.
- Extra toppings: Diced avocado, crumbled queso fresco or Cotija, a squeeze of lime, or a few drops of salsa Tlaquepaque.
- Storage: Refrigerate the soup base (without toppings) for up to 5 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months. Always make toppings fresh.
- Vegan version: Use vegetable broth and vegan crema (cashew cream or tofu-based Mexican crema).
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1183mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1546IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg