Rustic Pinto Bean Soup with Zesty Cilantro-Almond Pesto

1. Soak the Pinto Beans

Place the dried pinto beans in a large pot. Cover them with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pot from the heat and let the beans soak for an hour.

2. Cook the Vegetables

While the beans are soaking, heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, chopped leeks, celery, and carrot. Cook these vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but not browned.

3. Combine Beans and Vegetables

After the beans have soaked, drain them and add them to the pot with the softened vegetables. Stir in the finely chopped garlic, broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and the cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours.

4. Add Crushed Tomatoes

Once the beans are cooked, add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and let the soup simmer uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Puree and Combine Soup

Carefully transfer about half of the soup to a blender and puree it until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir to combine.

6. Serve with Pesto and Hot-Pepper Sauce

Finally, heat the soup through. Ladle it into bowls and top each serving with a dollop of Spicy Cilantro–Marcona Almond Pesto and a dash of hot-pepper sauce like Sriracha. Enjoy!