By Kathypatalsky
This is my go-to soup recipe for a hearty bowl-in-a-meal kind of dinner. This Spicy Cozy Chili Bean Soup is filled with veggies, red kidney beans and plenty of spicy (yet mellow enough for the whole family) chili pepper flavors. And did you know that kidney beans, which I add to this soup, are not just a good source of fiber and vegetarian protein – but they are also high in antioxidants due to their deep brick red color. In fact, red kidney beans fall just below wild blueberries in terms of antioxidant capacity. And red beans actually rank above wild blueberries in terms of antioxidants! Crave some beans and make this healthy delicious soup tonight! Plus see the top 20 USDA ranked antioxidant foods list..
Simmer Soup Afternoon. I usually start around 2pm and simmer until dinnertime. By 7pm I am usually starving because they whole house has been filled with cozy, savory soup smells simmering all afternoon long. I grab a fresh loaf of crusty bread, slather on some Vegenaise (sweetish dairy-free mayo condiment) and add a small crunchy side salad for a complete cozy dinner.
It’s true that this soup gets even better the next day and day after that even, but I find a long and low 4-6 hour simmer makes it pretty fantastic even on the first day. And the great part of this recipe is that you can make a few ingredient adjustments based on the veggies/grains/legumes you have in your pantry and fridge. Just remember to add more seasoning if you start tossing in more ingredients.
And don’t forget to check out the antioxidant list below the recipe and see how healthy beans are!
Spicy Cozy Chili Bean Soup
vegan, make one large pot of soup
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cups fire-roasted diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 5 cloves of garlic, diced – or 2 Tbsp minced garlic from a jar
- 1 1/2 cups kidney beans (1 can, drained)
- 1 cup diced white potato
- 1/2 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup spiral pasta or wild rice
- 2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- cayenne (to taste for added spiciness)
- 2 Field Roast vegan Spicy Chipotle Sausages – or Tofurky brand Spicy Italian Sausages – sliced
- 2-4 Tbsp additional dried spices based on what you have in your spice rack.
- greens: 1-2 cups of chopped fresh spinach or kale
- optional: 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (adds a savory flavor)
- salt/pepper to taste
To make:
1. Saute the EVOO and onions in your soup pan until they are translucent. Then add in all the remaining ingredients except for the chopped greens. You can add these just before serving to slightly wilt them into the soup.
2. Bring soup to a boil, cover and simmer on low for as many hours as you can – at least 4 usually does it for me.
3. Add in the greens just before serving. Don’t forget to watch out for those bay leaves when serving. Serve and store leftovers for even yummier soup the next day when it reduces overnight.
Food , Recipes
