Roasted Pepper and Refried Bean Soup

Some days, I feel like I cook so many soups that I should just rename this blog to “Sel et Soupe.” But there’s good reason for my love of soups – they’re quick, easily adaptable, healthy, and delicious. Maybe I’m inspired by my mom, who first started feeling confident in her cooking when she discovered soups. Whatever the reason, here is another soup recipe. I was feeling a little playful and wanted to do a take on refried beans, so I cooked down pinto beans and pink beans (feel free to use just one or the other) and roasted a few bell peppers to add in as well. The result was thick, smoky, and quite tasty, especially when topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese (as pictured) or with a fried egg for a twist on huevos rancheros (my breakfast the day after cooking this). But even served plain, this soup is worth making – and maybe it’ll convince you to love soups, too.

Roasted Pepper and Refried Bean Soup
Yield: 6 – 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 bell peppers*
• 1 Tbsp olive oil**
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 large (28 – 32 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 large (28 – 32 ounce) can pink beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 large (28 – 32 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

*Red or yellow are best as they’re sweeter and have more nutrients than the green ones.
**Or bacon fat.

Method:

1. Over an open flame on a gas stove (or grill) or under the broiler in the oven, roast 3 bell peppers until the skin is blistered and charred. Rotate the peppers halfway through. This should take about 10 – 15 minutes using either method.
2. Transfer the peppers to a paper bag or a bowl. Roll the top of the bag down or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside until cooled (about 20 minutes), then remove the peppers, rub the skins to remove, chop off the stem, squeeze and scrape out the innards (seeds and membranes), and mince.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot or dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat, then sautee 1 onion, diced until translucent, about 10 minutes.
4. Add 3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, 1/2 Tbsp chili powder, 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp ground cumin, and sautee until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Add 1 large (28 – 32 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed, 1 large (28 – 32 ounce) can pink beans, drained and rinsed, and 1/2 cup water, and stir together. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and let simmer, adding more water if needed, until the beans are soft, about 10 – 15 minutes.
6. Add the roasted peppers and 1 large (28 – 32 ounce) can diced tomatoes, and let simmer about 5 more minutes.
7. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the soup to your desired consistency.
8. Stir in juice of 1 lime and 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, then add salt and pepper, to taste.