This is a humble pot of beans with a wild twist—tender black beans simmered in water, deepened by carrot and celery tops, then finished with a mix of mustard greens and sochan. The mustard greens bring a little heat, the sochan brings earth and ease, and together they transform a simple soup into something quietly nourishing. Add a splash of lime or a hint of spice if you like your comfort with a kick.
Ingredients
- Dry black beans (enough to cover the bottom of your pot)
- Water (enough to reach your first knuckle with fingertip resting on the beans)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small carrot, chopped
- 1–2 cups celery tops (leaves and tender stems), chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–2 cups chopped mustard greens
- 1–2 cups chopped sochan
- Salt, to taste (after beans are cooked)
- Optional: 1 small hot pepper (jalapeño, serrano, or habanero), a few drops of hot sauce, or a pinch of red pepper flakes
- Optional: squeeze of lime and/or chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse the black beans and add to a large stock pot.
- Add water using the knuckle method: pour in enough to reach your first knuckle with fingertip touching the beans.
- Add onion, garlic, chopped carrot, celery tops, cumin, smoked paprika, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely and cook until the beans are tender—about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- When beans are nearly done, stir in the chopped mustard greens and sochan. Simmer 10–15 minutes more until greens are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Add salt to taste.
- If using, add a few drops of hot sauce, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or a small hot pepper during cooking (remove before serving if desired). Finish with lime juice if you like.
Notes
Skip the stock. Even the organic store-bought ones often have off flavors or overpower everything else. This soup tastes cleaner, fresher, and more balanced when you start with water and build flavor from a simple carrot and a few celery tops.
Best time to harvest mustard greens: before 10 a.m. or after 6:30 p.m. for the mildest flavor and crispest texture. If picking in the heat of the day, plunge them into cold water right away.
Heat your way: use what you have—jalapeño for gentle heat, serrano or habanero for bold spice, or just red pepper flakes from the pantry.