Refried Bean Soup

• olive oil↗2 teaspoons
• large onion↗1

  chopped (1 cup)

• medium green bell pepper1

  chopped (1 cup)

• fresh garlic cloves↗2

  minced or 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

• vegetable stock or chicken stock↗14 cups
• Mexican-style tomatoes or diced tomatoes seasoned with jalapenos↗14 1⁄2 ounces
• black beans or homemade black beans↗15 ounces

  defrosted if frozen

• red kidney beans or homemade red kidney beans↗15 ounces

  defrosted if frozen

• fat-free refried beans16 ounces
• ground cumin↗1⁄4 teaspoon
• black pepper↗

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a 4 1/2-quart dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the pot as you chop. Seed and coarsely chop the bell pepper, adding it to the pot as you chop. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are tender, 2-3 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the garlic to the pot. Stir in the broth and the tomatoes with their juice. Raise the heat to high. Rinse and drain the black beans and kidney beans and add them to the soup pot. Add the refried beans and the cumin and stir well. Cover the pot and let the soup come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the soup is heated through and the flavors have blended, 5-7 minutes. Season with black pepper and serve.