When most people think bean soup, they think of filling, hearty meals. This recipe is no different. It's full of fiber, thanks to the pinto beans, and it's tasty. When paired with cornbread and a salad on the side, this meal can't be beat in terms of taste or nutrition.
This soup is not only vegetarian, it's vegan (made with no animal ingredients), so it can be served to just about anyone at the dinner table. And it's healthy, so the cook can feel good about serving it too!
Vegan Brown Bean Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 16-ounce bag dry pinto beans
- 10 cups water
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp. garlic salt
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (not crushed)
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp. light chili powder
Directions:
- Rinse and sort beans. In a pot, add beans and 8 cups of water. According to package directions, beans can either be soaked overnight and then simmered for two hours the following day; or boiled for two minutes, then allowed to soak for one to two hours, and then simmered for two hours afterward; or slow-cooked in a crockpot for several hours. Simmer the beans until tender. Add remaining two cups of water, oregano, cumin, and garlic salt. Simmer on low.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onions and garlic for 3 to 5 minutes until onion is clear and beginning to brown on edges. Add tomatoes in juice and saute for another 2 to 5 minutes, until juice begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in chili powder. Add tomato mixture to pinto beans.
- Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes to one hour. Serve with vegan cornbread (recipe below).
Vegan Cornbread
Most cornbread is made with eggs and milk; finding a recipe for cornbread without these ingredients is next to impossible (until now, that is). This cornbread is heavier than traditional cornbread (because there are no eggs), but that simply makes it more filling and satisfying.
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cups light soy milk
- ¼ cup canola oil
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Add soy milk and stir until it has thoroughly blended into a batter.
- Pour canola oil into cast iron skillet (or baking pan, if skillet is not available). Make sure oil coats bottom of skillet.
- Pour cornbread batter into skillet. Place in oven and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick in center. Cornbread is done when toothpick comes out clean.
Cynthia Jones-Shoeman - Cynthia (“Cindy”) Jones-Shoeman earned her MA in English from Colorado State University in 2007; her thesis was "Toni ...
