Recipes

Coconut Caribbean Black Bean Soup

Toes in the water, beans in the sand.  A creamy, Caribbean-inspired jerk soup with with black beans, coconut milk, and ginger—finished with candied ginger oil and toasted coconut.  This was the Granor kitchen’s offering for the 2025 Not Chili Cookoff.

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp neutral oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
3 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup roasted cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint roasted)
1 cup ramp puree (Substitute: Blend 1/2 cup sauteed leeks with 2 bunches of scallion greens)
2 tbsp jerk sauce (or more if you like it spicier)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
salt, to taste
lime juice, to taste
2 tbsp candied ginger, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp toasted coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans

Method

  1. Heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and green pepper and sweat until softened.  Add garlic and ginger and saute until soft and fragrant.
  2. Add the roasted cherry tomatoes, ramp purée (or substitute), and jerk sauce. Cook 2–3 minutes to bloom the spices.
  3. Add black beans and pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 10–15 minutes to meld flavors.
  4. While the soup is simmering, prepare the garnish.  In a small pan, gently warm oil over low heat.  Add candied ginger and let it sizzle to infuse oil.  Remove from heat and let steep.
  5. To finish the soup, stir in the coconut milk and warm through on low heat.  Season with salt and brighten with a squeeze of lime juice.
  6. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with drizzle of candied ginger oil and a sprinkle of toasted coconut.