Thursday, February 23, 2012

Wednesday Soup: Roasted Vegetable Pinto Bean Soup

 The roasted vegetables leave a fabulous aroma in the house and lend great flavor to this simple bean soup.  Estimated cost for the pot of soup: $4.65 - about 6 servings at $0.78/each, plus extra cooked beans for another meal - huevos rancheros, or burritos, or to add to salads.


1 lb dried pinto beans, soaked and drained
2 bay leaves
1 piece nori
1 medium yellow squash
14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 300F. Bring beans to boil in water to cover with nori and bay leaves.  Boil for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer and cook until done.  Meanwhile, chop squash, onion, and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.  Oil a 13x9 pan and mix together the squash, onion, pepper, and tomatoes.  Roast in the oven for about an hour, stirring after 30 minutes.  Turn off oven heat and leave vegetables until the beans are cooked.  Remove half of the beans from the pot and save for another use.   Add the vegetables, salt, and spices to the beans and bean broth in the pot  and cook another 15 minutes.  By this time, the nori should have dissolved into small pieces; if not, chop finely and return to soup.  Add the fresh parsley, stir well, and serve.