Cuban White Bean Soup

Gather the ingredients.

Ingredients for Cuban white bean soup recipe gathered
The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond
Drain and rinse the soaked white beans.

Drained and rinsed white beans in a glass bowl
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Place the beans, water, bay leaves, salt pork, and ham hocks in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium heat.

White beans, water, bay leaves, salt pork, and ham hocks in a Dutch oven
The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond
Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Foam forming on top of white bean soup in a Dutch oven
The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond
Remove salt pork and discard.

Salt pork being removed from the soup with tongs
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Remove the ham hocks, shred the meat, and discard the fat and bones.

Shredded meat from the ham hocks on a plate
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Put the shredded meat back into the pot.

Shredded meat added to bean soup in the Dutch oven
The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Onions and garlic sautéing in oil in a frying pan
The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond
Stir the mixture from the skillet into the soup. Add the oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, then serve.