Smoky Pinto Bean Roasted Tomato (Printable Version)
Smoky pinto beans and roasted tomatoes simmered with cumin and smoked paprika for a hearty vegan, gluten-free bowl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beans & Legumes
01 - 2 cups cooked pinto beans (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 large ripe tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
→ Liquids & Oils
08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Garnishes
16 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
17 - Lime wedges
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange tomato halves cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until soft and lightly charred.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add minced garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano. Stir continuously and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until deeply fragrant.
04 - Add roasted tomatoes with their pan juices, pinto beans, vegetable broth, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. For a thicker consistency, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup, or transfer 2 cups to a blender, puree until smooth, and return to the pot.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and a squeeze of fresh lime juice if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Roasting the tomatoes first gives you a deep, jammy sweetness that no canned tomato can replicate, and it requires almost zero effort.
- The smoky spices make this taste like it simmered all day, but the whole thing comes together in about an hour.
- It freezes beautifully, so you can stash portions for nights when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
- If you add the roasted tomatoes while they are still too hot, they can splatter when they hit the broth, so give them a few minutes to settle.
- Overblending makes this soup flat and uniform, which robs it of the hearty texture that makes it satisfying, so always stop before you think you are done.
03 -
- Let the soup sit off the heat for ten minutes before serving, because the texture settles and the flavor deepens in a way that immediate ladling cannot match.
- A strip of orange zest dropped in during simmering adds a brightness that nobody can identify but everyone notices.