Ingredients:

  • 1 lb dry black beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 ham hock
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the dry black beans under cold water using a fine-mesh strainer. Place the beans, diced onion, minced garlic, and jalapeño into the slow cooker.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Gently place the ham hock into the liquid. Cover with the lid and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours until the beans are tender.
  3. Remove the ham hock (or leave diced ham in). Stir in the fresh lime juice to brighten the flavors.
  4. Use an immersion blender to blend approximately 1/3 of the soup directly in the pot to create a thick, creamy base while maintaining whole beans for texture.