The night before, soak your beans in water. When you wake up, drain the beans.
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes.
Add the drained beans, salt and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot partially, leaving just about a quarter inch of space open.
Simmer beans for 60 minutes.
After an hour, add the chopped cilantro. Simmer for another 75 minutes.
Add the apple cider vinegar and additional salt to taste. If making black bean soup, puree half carefully in a blender then stir back into beans on the stove.
Garnish with any toppings you like! These freeze great!