Vegetarian Posole with Pinto Beans and Poblano Peppers

This vegetarian posole is a full-bodied Mexican soup that gets its rich flavor from peppers, warm spices and lots of hominy. This meatless version replaces the meat with pinto beans and plenty of veggies!

Much of my fall-cooking mentality involves having as many soups and stews as possible bubbling away on the stove at all times, so that come winter when I'm too cold to leave the apartment or need something warm when I come in from outside, I have a freezer stocked with all sorts of cozy comfort foods.

Unfortunately, my significant other is not as enamored with the mentality that soup is all you need in life. So while I'm totally okay with making a meal out of a loaf of bread and a warm liquid to dunk it in, he refuses to call something dinner unless it requires you to chew.

I can't really say that I understand this approach to eating-hello, ice cream for dinner!-but I am occasionally open to compromise. Especially if it comes in the form of a big bowl of hearty, richly spiced vegetarian posole on a brisk fall night.

Posole is typically not a very vegetarian-friendly dish, as it often relies on the roasting and braising of large cuts of meat to create layers of flavor.

However, when you really get down to the nitty gritty of what makes posole posole, it's the hominy - not the lamb shank or the pork butt. Hominy is essentially maize kernels that have been dried, soaked and boiled until tender, in a manner similar to how you would prepare dried beans.

Though you can buy it in dried form, it is most readily available as a canned good (look for it in the section of your supermarket that sells canned beans) and requires only a quick rinse before using.

For this meatless posole, I've adapted a classic recipe from Food & Wine. I've kept the hominy, which is great for adding lots of bulk and staying power, and added in a few cans of pinto beans for the same purpose.

Chipotle chili powder and poblano peppers give the stew a smoky, spicy umami flavor, while coriander, cumin and cinnamon are added into the mix for an extra layer of warmth.

In terms of heat, I kept it fairly mild because not everyone in my household likes it spicy, but adjust the amount of chili powder to your liking.

Because I can't eat soup or stew without throwing in a few veggies, carrots, tomatoes and zucchini are used to flavor the broth and infuse it with a bit of sweet-tartness.

The result is a stew with a mix of textures and flavors in every bite, to satisfy both the most ardent of soup enthusiasts and those that are a little bit more reticent in conceding their soup love. Let's dig in!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Hominy. The heart of any posole. Canned white hominy is the easiest option; La Preferida white hominy is a good pantry pick. Golden (yellow) hominy works just as well and is a little sweeter. If you cook dried hominy from scratch, you'll need about 3 ½ cups cooked.
• Pinto beans. They stand in for the meat and make the stew filling. Black beans or kidney beans are easy swaps, and cooked-from-dry beans are great if you have them (about 3 ½ cups).
• Poblano peppers. Poblanos bring a mild, earthy heat. Anaheim peppers or a green bell pepper plus one seeded jalapeño make a good substitute.
• Ground chipotle chili powder. This is where the smoky flavor comes from. Look for pure ground chipotle, such as Frontier Co-op ground chipotle, rather than a chili powder blend. Smoked paprika plus a pinch of cayenne will do in a pinch, but the flavor will be milder.
• Cinnamon stick. Just one stick adds a subtle warmth that makes the broth taste like it simmered all day. Fish it out before serving. A small pinch of ground cinnamon can stand in if that's all you have.
• Fire-roasted tomatoes. They add a charred sweetness that plain diced tomatoes can't match. Regular diced tomatoes will work, but add an extra pinch of chipotle to make up for the lost smokiness.
• Vegetable broth. Use a good-quality store-bought broth or make your own vegetable broth from kitchen scraps. Taste before salting, since store-bought broths vary a lot in sodium.

Helpful Tips

Let the vegetables brown. Don't rush the first step. Giving the onion, poblanos, zucchini and carrots a few minutes to pick up some golden color builds a deeper, richer base for the broth, which matters in a meatless posole.

Bloom the spices. Stirring the chipotle, cumin, coriander and oregano into the hot oil for 30 seconds before adding any liquid wakes up their flavor. Keep the spoon moving so they don't scorch, and add the hominy and beans as soon as they smell fragrant.

Start low on the heat. Chipotle powders vary in strength from brand to brand. If you're cooking for people who don't love spicy food, start with 2 teaspoons, taste after simmering and stir in more at the end. It's much easier to add heat than to take it away.

Rinse the hominy and beans well. The liquid in the cans is starchy and salty. A good rinse in a colander keeps the broth clear and bright and gives you more control over the seasoning.

Finish with lime and salt. The splash of lime juice at the end is what makes all the flavors pop. Taste the posole after adding it and adjust the salt; a stew this hearty usually needs a little more than you'd expect.

Variations

• Posole rojo style. Toast and soak 2 to 3 dried guajillo or ancho chiles, blend them with a cup of the broth and stir the purée into the pot for a deeper red, more traditional broth.
• Posole verde style. Swap the fire-roasted tomatoes for 1 cup of salsa verde or roasted tomatillos and add a handful of chopped cilantro at the end.
• Extra veggies. Stir in diced sweet potato or butternut squash with the carrots, or wilt in a few handfuls of chopped kale or spinach during the last few minutes of simmering.
• Heartier protein. Add a can of black beans along with the pintos, or top each bowl with crispy baked tofu.
• Slow cooker posole. Brown the vegetables and bloom the spices on the stove, then transfer everything except the lime juice to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Stir in the lime juice just before serving.

Serving Ideas

Half the fun of posole is the toppings. Set out small bowls of shredded green cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, diced white onion and lime wedges so everyone can build their own bowl. Crushed tortilla chips add a nice crunch, and a crumble of queso fresco or a spoonful of sour cream is delicious if you're not keeping it vegan.

To round out the meal, serve the posole with a wedge of homemade vegan cornbread, warm homemade tortillas or a cheesy vegan quesadilla for dunking. That last one is a great way to win over anyone who, like my significant other, insists that dinner requires chewing.

Storing & Freezing

Let leftover posole cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Like most stews, it tastes even better the next day once the spices have had time to settle in. Reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water, since the hominy and beans soak up some of the liquid as it sits. Keep the fresh toppings separate and add them just before serving.

This posole freezes beautifully, which makes it perfect for stocking up in the fall. Freeze it in freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving about an inch of room for expansion, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stove until steaming. The zucchini will soften a bit after freezing, but the flavor holds up well. Add a fresh squeeze of lime after reheating to brighten it back up.

More Cozy Vegetarian Soups & Stews

If you love this vegetarian posole, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:

• 17 Best Vegetarian Chili Recipes
• Easy Vegan Taco Soup
• Easy Greek Lentil Soup
• Vegan Chickpea Stew

📖 Recipe

Vegetarian Posole with Pinto Beans and Poblano Peppers

from Oh My Veggies

A hearty, smoky vegetarian posole loaded with hominy, pinto beans, poblano peppers and veggies in a warmly spiced broth. It's naturally vegan, freezer-friendly and perfect for chilly fall nights.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

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Equipment

• large stock pot

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 red onion, medium, diced
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
• 4 carrots, medium, diced
• 1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches long
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chili powder, plus more to taste*
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 30 oz canned hominy, drained and rinsed
• 30 oz canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 14.5 oz canned fire roasted tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it's hot, add the onion and salt and sauté until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the poblano peppers, zucchini and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon stick, oregano, chipotle chili powder, cumin and coriander. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the hominy and pinto beans to the pot and stir to coat them in the spices. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes (with their juices) and the vegetable broth and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
• Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the lime juice, then taste and season with more salt and chipotle chili powder if desired. Serve hot with your favorite toppings, such as shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, avocado, cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

*May also be called chipotle chile powder or chipotle chili pepper, depending on the brand.

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 1851mgPotassium: 775mgFiber: 14gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 8035IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 5mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: mexican soup recipe, Vegetarian Posole, Vegetarian Posole with Beans and Poblano Peppers

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