Zesty Bean Posole Soup is a vegetarian soup mixing red beans, hominy, poblanos and fire roasted tomatoes along with a salsa of your choice to create a flavor packed soup. This soup is packed with protein and very satisfying. It comes together quickly, for an easy meal option! 

ZESTY BEAN POSOLE SOUP

You guys have been asking for more soups and vegetarian recipes as we start 2019. Today I am excited to be combining both in this Zesty Bean Posole Soup. It is packed with protein from the red beans and has incredible flavor. This soup uses poblanos, fire roasted tomatoes and a salsa of your choice to create a soup you are going to be making time and time again. 

I don’t know about you, but I love Mexican inspired soups. There is something about the flavors of fresh Mexican ingredients, the hints of spice mixed with cheese and beans that warm my heart and make me happy. If you are trying to add more plant based meals into your diet this soup is one to add to your rotation. 

When making this soup you will want to keep a few things in mind. The first thing, is that this soup is very customizable to your tastes. Lets talk about how you can make changes to this recipe.

HOW CAN I CUSTOMIZE THIS ZESTY BEAN POSOLE SOUP?

• You can use whatever beans you have on hand. I really enjoyed the red beans, since I rarely use them. Other beans that work well are black beans, kidney beans and white beans. 
• I added poblanos to this soup, because I really love the flavor that it adds. If you don’t have poblanos, use whatever vegetables you want! Some options are bell peppers, jalapeños for heat, carrots or zucchini.
• The main flavor of the soup actually comes from the salsa you use. Sometimes I will make a homemade salsa or even a salsa verde, other times I use whatever I have on hand. This is a good way to control the spice level of your soup. If you like soup that is extra spicy, go for a spicy salsa. 
• Potatoes would be a nice addition to this soup. I suggest dicing them small and simmering them in the soup until tender. 
• Another great way to add texture and bulk up this soup is to add a grain. Try brown rice, quinoa or farro. 
• Do you have extra greens on hand that you need to use up? Add a handful of kale, spinach or swiss chard to the soup towards the end of simmering. 
• Are you trying to stay away from heavy whipping cream or half and half. You can skip it. It creates a creamier soup, but there are other ways to make the soup creamier. One way is to use a lower fat milk that you mix with the flour or try a little bit of cornstarch with water. 
• Garnish this soup to your liking. I love adding a dab of sour cream, cheese, fresh cilantro and green onion, diced red onion, jalapeños, avocado and even a spoonful of extra salsa. 

WHAT ELSE CAN I SERVE WITH THIS SOUP TO CREATE A MEAL?

I love to add a good salad, a vegetable side dish and maybe bread or a potato to this meal. Here are some ideas:

Salads:

Easy Mango Cabbage Coleslaw

Persian Tomato Cucumber Salad

Avocado Kale Quinoa Salad

Massage Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing  

Side Dishes:

Spicy Lebanese Potatoes

Paprika Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower

Cauliflower Pepper Potato Salad  

Another great option is to throw everything in the slow cooker at the start of the day and let it simmer all day. This soup wouldn’t take long to bring the flavors together and warm everything up.

I would put it all in the crockpot {except the cream, flour and cheese} and let it cook for 4 to 6 hour on low. Within 30 minutes of the cook time remaining, stir together the cream and flour in a small bowl. Add the cream mixture and the cheese to the slow cooker and give it a good stir. Cover and cook another 30 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite garnishes! 

Yield: 6-8

Zesty Bean Posole Soup

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Zesty Bean Posole Soup is a vegetarian soup mixing red beans, hominy, poblanos and fire roasted tomatoes along with a salsa of your choice to create a flavor packed soup. This soup is packed with protein and very satisfying. It comes together quickly, for an easy meal option! 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the soup

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 of red onion, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, seeds removed, diced
• 1 - 15 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup of salsa of your choice
• 1 - 15 ounce can of hominy {golden or white works fine}, drained and rinsed
• 2 - 15 ounce cans of red beans, drained and rinsed {or beans of your choice}
• 32 ounces of vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/2 cup of half and half or heavy whipping cream {you can use a different milk option for a less creamy option}
• 2 Tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Garnish

• Cheese
• Diced red onion
• Sour cream
• Tortilla chips
• Cilantro
• Jalapeños, sliced
• Green onion
• Avocado

Instructions

STOVE-TOP OPTION:

1. In a large pot heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the red onion and poblano and continue to sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, red beans, hominy, salsa, vegetable broth, oregano and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the cream and the flour into smooth. Slowly whisk into the soup until incorporated. Continue to simmer the soup for another 15 minutes, or until the soup is thickened up. Add the 1/4 cup of shredded cheese and stir.
4. Serve the soup warm with the garnishes of your choice.

SLOW COOKER OPTION:

1. Add all of the ingredients except the cream, flour and cheese to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the cream and the flour into smooth. Slowly whisk into the soup until incorporated.
3. Within 30 minutes or cook time remaining add the cream and flour mixture to the slow cooker along with the cheese and give it a good stir. Continue to cook, covered for 30 minutes.
4. Serve warm!