Description
This Creamy Pinto Bean Taco Soup is a vegetarian powerhouse of a meal. It may not look like much, but it tastes like a dream. Think cheesy bean burritos in soup form with lots of taco seasoning. So delicious! You won’t miss the meat one bit!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 dried ancho chile (I love these)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 (15-oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (if not keeping vegetarian, chicken broth also works)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Garnishes for Serving:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Hot sauce
- Scallions
- Avocado
- Tortilla chips
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
For the Soup:
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften.
- Stir in the bell pepper, dried chiles, bay leaf, and spices. Cook for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant.
- Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and broth and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is somewhat reduced and the soup is starting to thicken up a bit.
- Remove the dried ancho chiles and the bay leaf from the pot and discard.
- Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup (alternatively, ladle some of the soup into a traditional blender, blend, and then return it to the pot once pureed). The idea is to thicken the soup up a bit while still leaving a good amount of texture.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.
To Serve:
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish how you see fit. I love a dollop of sour cream/yogurt, some more shredded cheese, hot sauce, scallions, and a few tortilla chips.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: soup