I'd be interested in hearing how this turns out vs just straight up pinto beans. I feel like texture wise I'd want more of the beans vs refried canned. Also what about creamed corn to help your...
I'd be interested in hearing how this turns out vs just straight up pinto beans. I feel like texture wise I'd want more of the beans vs refried canned.
Also what about creamed corn to help your milk flavor profile or do you think that'd be too sweet?
Instead of crushed tomatoes I think a diced with chilies can of tomatoes drained would add better. Not 100% though, sounds like a soup I'd try and I too am a can of refried bean eater.
I just came across a recipe for a red bean soup that sounds like a good jumping off point for a bean soup of your choice: Quick Red Bean Soup 1tbsp Veg oil 1 cup ham or smoked sausage , finely...
I just came across a recipe for a red bean soup that sounds like a good jumping off point for a bean soup of your choice:
Quick Red Bean Soup
1tbsp Veg oil
1 cup ham or smoked sausage , finely chopped
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup Green Pepper, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp minced garlic
4 15oz cans of red beans, drained & rinsed
6 cups chicken broth or stock
2 tblsp green onions, chopped
In a pan with oil heated cook the ham/sausage, onions, celery, green pepper, bay leaves and cayenne until lightly caramelized (6 minutes).
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the red beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Use a potato masher to mash some of the beans ( I've used an immersion blender). Cook about another 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves. Stir in green onions and serve.
I've varied the seasonings (adding cumin and sometimes chili powder) and the veggies (mushrooms!) as well as skipping the meat entirely.
It might be better to use the chicken broth as the base of the soup, reserving the cream/sour cream until the end. Then add only enough of these to obtain the desired level of dairy-creamy as...
It might be better to use the chicken broth as the base of the soup, reserving the cream/sour cream until the end. Then add only enough of these to obtain the desired level of dairy-creamy as contrasted to the bean-creamy element.
This is for two reasons; cream and milk tend to mute flavours quite severely, so they are a bit hazardous as a soup base because you then need quite a lot of effort to ensure the bean flavour comes through clearly. Secondly, milk and to a lesser extent cream, can curdle/react unpleasantly with higher-acid elements - in this case mostly the tomatoes/salsa.
This isn't going be a soup that needs additional thickeners such as roux, because you can easily control the thickness by how much stock you add.
Personally, I would also refry the beans from scratch - maybe using canned beans, but frying, mashing and adding lard/oil and salt to taste - because to me this tastes better than canned refried beans, and only takes about 10 minutes to do.
Beans and corn go very well together, so leave the soup simple for the first try; leave some beans chunky for texture, and add corn until there is 'enough' according to your personal preferences.
Seasoning you can also do by feel - use garlic, a mild crushed pepper, and a touch of cumin to begin with. Start with a small amount of seasoning, and increase to taste.
Finally, consider serving the soup with a spoonful of salsa and a dollop of sour cream on top, or if you don't like the texture of salsa, maybe a swirl of hot sauce instead.
Experiment away! The only thing I’d suggest is if you feel the need to add sour cream I’d suggest yogurt instead. Sour cream separates and gets a little weird when heated whereas yogurt takes to...
Experiment away! The only thing I’d suggest is if you feel the need to add sour cream I’d suggest yogurt instead. Sour cream separates and gets a little weird when heated whereas yogurt takes to it very well and should work better for you.
If you want something similar to an authentic Mexican bean soup, you could try something like this. You just need beans, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle or some other chile, oregano, and...
If you want something similar to an authentic Mexican bean soup, you could try something like this. You just need beans, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle or some other chile, oregano, and vegetable or chicken stock. For more texture, you could add in a can of whole beans and optionally smush some of them. (This will also help thicken the soup.)
Optional toppings: avocado chunks, crumbly Mexican cheese, or sour cream. I would eat it with tortilla chips for the crunch, but that's up to you.
I wouldn't use a roux, milk, or cream. To thicken a soup, you need carbohydrates or protein. (Look at the nutrition label on chicken stock. The more protein it has, the more it will thicken your soup.) Beans will give you that on their own. Just make sure to use enough oil if you have fat-free refried beans.
Using flour might make the soup gummy or gluey. I don't think milk would taste good with pinto beans, and you don't need it to get a good, hearty consistency.
I'd be interested in hearing how this turns out vs just straight up pinto beans. I feel like texture wise I'd want more of the beans vs refried canned.
Also what about creamed corn to help your milk flavor profile or do you think that'd be too sweet?
Instead of crushed tomatoes I think a diced with chilies can of tomatoes drained would add better. Not 100% though, sounds like a soup I'd try and I too am a can of refried bean eater.
I just came across a recipe for a red bean soup that sounds like a good jumping off point for a bean soup of your choice:
Quick Red Bean Soup
1tbsp Veg oil
1 cup ham or smoked sausage , finely chopped
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup Green Pepper, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp minced garlic
4 15oz cans of red beans, drained & rinsed
6 cups chicken broth or stock
2 tblsp green onions, chopped
In a pan with oil heated cook the ham/sausage, onions, celery, green pepper, bay leaves and cayenne until lightly caramelized (6 minutes).
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the red beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Use a potato masher to mash some of the beans ( I've used an immersion blender). Cook about another 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves. Stir in green onions and serve.
I've varied the seasonings (adding cumin and sometimes chili powder) and the veggies (mushrooms!) as well as skipping the meat entirely.
It might be better to use the chicken broth as the base of the soup, reserving the cream/sour cream until the end. Then add only enough of these to obtain the desired level of dairy-creamy as contrasted to the bean-creamy element.
This is for two reasons; cream and milk tend to mute flavours quite severely, so they are a bit hazardous as a soup base because you then need quite a lot of effort to ensure the bean flavour comes through clearly. Secondly, milk and to a lesser extent cream, can curdle/react unpleasantly with higher-acid elements - in this case mostly the tomatoes/salsa.
This isn't going be a soup that needs additional thickeners such as roux, because you can easily control the thickness by how much stock you add.
Personally, I would also refry the beans from scratch - maybe using canned beans, but frying, mashing and adding lard/oil and salt to taste - because to me this tastes better than canned refried beans, and only takes about 10 minutes to do.
Beans and corn go very well together, so leave the soup simple for the first try; leave some beans chunky for texture, and add corn until there is 'enough' according to your personal preferences.
Seasoning you can also do by feel - use garlic, a mild crushed pepper, and a touch of cumin to begin with. Start with a small amount of seasoning, and increase to taste.
Finally, consider serving the soup with a spoonful of salsa and a dollop of sour cream on top, or if you don't like the texture of salsa, maybe a swirl of hot sauce instead.
Experiment away! The only thing I’d suggest is if you feel the need to add sour cream I’d suggest yogurt instead. Sour cream separates and gets a little weird when heated whereas yogurt takes to it very well and should work better for you.
If you want something similar to an authentic Mexican bean soup, you could try something like this. You just need beans, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle or some other chile, oregano, and vegetable or chicken stock. For more texture, you could add in a can of whole beans and optionally smush some of them. (This will also help thicken the soup.)
Optional toppings: avocado chunks, crumbly Mexican cheese, or sour cream. I would eat it with tortilla chips for the crunch, but that's up to you.
I wouldn't use a roux, milk, or cream. To thicken a soup, you need carbohydrates or protein. (Look at the nutrition label on chicken stock. The more protein it has, the more it will thicken your soup.) Beans will give you that on their own. Just make sure to use enough oil if you have fat-free refried beans.
Using flour might make the soup gummy or gluey. I don't think milk would taste good with pinto beans, and you don't need it to get a good, hearty consistency.