Ingredients

• 2 strips bacon, diced
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 dash hot sauce to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a pot over medium heat until almost crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and green pepper to the bacon; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in cilantro, garlic, and bay leaf; cook and stir until flavors combine, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Stir beans, chicken broth, vinegar, salt, pepper, and hot sauce into the onion mixture; cover and let simmer until the flavors combine, 10 to 15 minutes. Add more chicken broth if you would like the beans to be more soupy.