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Cuban White Bean Soup (Caldo Gallego)

Cuban White Bean Soup (Caldo Gallego)

This Cuban White Bean Soup, or Caldo Gallego, is a hearty blend of white beans, smoked ham, beef, chorizo, and vegetables.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Soak the Beans 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Cuban
Servings 6 servings
Calories 592 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • colander
  • cutting board

Ingredients
  

Beans and Meats

  • 14 ounces Dry White Beans rinsed and soaked
  • 1 pound Top Sirloin Steak cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 - 3.5 ounces Spanish Chorizo casings removed and cut into ¼ inch rounds
  • 1 - 1.5 pound Smoked Ham Shanks or Ham Hocks rinsed

Vegetables and Seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 medium Onion finely diced
  • 1 large Carrot diced
  • 3 - 4 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 0.5 teaspoon Cumin
  • 0.5 teaspoon Salt plus more if needed at the end
  • 1 large Potato peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 1 bunch Swiss Chard about 6 leaves thoroughly rinsed, stalks removed and leaves chopped

Liquids

  • 6 cups Chicken Broth
  • 8 cups Water

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Pick through the beans to remove any foreign objects, like small stones.
  • Add the beans to a colander and rinse them well with cold water and let drain.

Soaking Beans

  • Overnight method: Add the white beans to a pot, cover with 3-4 cups of water and let soak overnight.
  • Quick soaking method: Add beans and 6-8 cups of water to a pot, bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, then let soak for 1 hour.

Cooking the Soup

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and carrots, cook for 3-4 minutes until partially softened.
  • Add garlic, oregano, and cumin; cook for 1 minute.
  • Sprinkle the beef with ½ teaspoon of salt and add to pot.
  • Add beef and chorizo; cook until beef is browned.
  • Combine chicken broth, water, and bay leaf; bring to boil.
  • Add ham shank/hocks and white beans; boil for 10 minutes.
  • Lower heat, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes.
  • Chop the cooled ham and add back to the soup.
  • Cook covered for 45-60 minutes until beans are tender.
  • Add potatoes and swiss chard; cook for 15-17 minutes until tender.
  • Adjust salt to taste.

Notes

Hold off adding extra salt until the end due to salt content in chorizo, ham, and broth.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 592kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 62gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 1453mgPotassium: 2269mgFiber: 12gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2257IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 247mgIron: 11mg
Keyword cuban food, cuban soups, white beans
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