Everyone has that one dish that is their comfort food. To me, my dad’s Cuban Garbanzo Bean Soup is the ultimate winter comfort food. When I go home for the holidays, I always hope I can convince him to make a big batch of soup for us and also eagerly await the chance to help him make it.

When my dad makes Cuban food, he follows exactly by the book and exactly what his mother, my Abuela Mia would have done. I love to honor the traditions, while also adding my own takes. In this recipe, I didn’t use the vino secco, or Cuban cooking wine, that he uses or soak my garbanzo beans overnight (canned is fine!). Instead of the traditional white potato, I used sweet potato for more nutrients and sweetness. While it will never taste as good as his, every time I make Garbanzo Bean Soup I relive the memories of cooking with him and Mia. I believe this recipe is kind of like chicken noodle soup – there are so many different ways to make it!

This take on the garbanzo bean soup is a little lighter. I don’t use beef or chorizo, so I can cook it quickly in a my Dutch oven. However, you could easily toss all these ingredients into a slow cooker for four hours on low or about eight on low. Add cubed beef and the meat will get tender while adding a rich flavor to the soup. At home we usually eat the soup over freshly cooked white rice, but you could also try brown rice for a healthier option.

This Cuban Garbanzo Bean Soup will be a delicious recipe to incorporate in your healthy eating for January. Make a big batch, separate it into a few containers for lunch at work or weeknight dinners. Then tuck one serving in the freezer to pull out for a last-minute meal. Today, open up your Snapchat app, swipe over to find the Food Network Snapchat Discover section and tap through until you see me! I can’t wait to hear what you think.

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela

Cuban Garbanzo Bean Soup

0 from 0 votes

Recipe by Gabriela Rodiles Difficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

35

minutes

This is my slightly adapted and healthy take on my dad’s Cuban Garbanzo Bean Soup. Serve by itself or over rice for an even heartier winter dish!

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 green pepper, cubed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon oregano

• 1/2 cup vino secco or dry white cooking wine

• 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 large sweet potato or 2 small, washed and cubed

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 bay leaf

Directions

• Add olive oil, onions and peppers to a large soup pot. Sauté over medium high heat until onions are translucent and peppers have softened. Add 1 teaspoon salt, a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper, garlic and oregano. Cook for about 1 minute. Add white wine to the pan to deglaze.
• Add beans, sweet potatoes, chicken broth and bay leaf to the pot.
• Turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil, uncovered. Once boiling, cover the pot and then simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and serve!