Recipe: Pinto Bean and Basil Barley Soup

This seasonal soup once served at Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes is clean and refreshing, and perfect for anyone on a plant or whole-food based diet.

The following is an official Souplantation-provided recipe originally printed by the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2009.

Makes about 1 gallon

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 1/2 cups 1/4-inch diced red onion
• 1 1/2 cups 1/4-inch sliced celery
• 1 1/2 cups 1/2-inch diced carrot
• 6 cups canned pinto beans with liquid, divided use
• 10 cups water
• 3/4 cup barley
• 4 tablespoons vegetable base (found near bouillon in the soup aisle at the grocery store)
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons chopped basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

• In a large soup pot, heat the canola oil. Saute the red onion, celery and carrot until tender.
• In a blender, puree 3 cups of the pinto beans with liquid until smooth.
• To the soup pot, add the water, barley, vegetable base, black pepper, cayenne pepper, bay leaves and pinto bean puree.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until barley is tender.
• Remove bay leaves from soup. Add remaining 3 cups pinto beans with liquid, basil and parsley. Simmer 5 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.