Pinto Bean Soup!

By Fatima Villalobos, MS, MEd

There’s nothing like a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter evening!  Many people don’t think of eating soup with a tortilla; but at my house, it is tradition.  If you’ve never tried it before, I invite you to switch your dipping bread or crackers for a nice, soft tortilla! You can dunk it in to soak up the flavors or use it as a vehicle to scoop up those soupy chunks of meat, legumes, or veggies.

In honor of National Soup Month I wanted to share my super-easy Pinto Bean Soup, a deviation from the popular Black Bean Soup.  The good thing about many soups is that often times, the ingredients are already in your refrigerator or pantry- it’s just a matter of getting the right combinations down.  For the tortilla, I chose La Tortilla Factory’s Hand Made Style Grande White Corn, because I like the blend of corn and wheat with pinto beans.  But this would be great with a traditional style or whole wheat version as well.

Pinto Bean Soup (serves 4)

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• ½  medium onion, sliced
• 4 cups pre-cooked pinto beans (still in their juice)
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 2 red potatoes, skinned and chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ½ tsp pepper (or to taste)
• 4 La Tortilla Factory Handmade Style Corn Tortillas (original or Grande Size)

1. Sautee garlic and onions in the teaspoon of oil over medium heat, until soft.
2. Meanwhile, reheat the already cooked beans, making sure there is enough desired liquid.  For a chunkier soup, use less liquid.
3. Combine the onions and garlic into the soup pot and add the chopped carrots, potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook until potatoes and carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.
5. When fully cooked, add chopped cilantro and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Over a medium-high skillet, warm tortillas to liking, but soft enough to roll.