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This easy Instant Pot Pinto Beans Vegan Posole is a delicious Mexican stew that is packed full of flavor. Ready in just 30 minutes, with rich spices, crunchy veggies, and chewy hominy - this healthy soup is perfect for a quick one-pot meal.
My Instant Pot has been a lifesaver on busy weeknights, when I want something hearty, filling, and flavorful but do not have time to spend standing in front of a stove all day. And while posole is not typically a vegetarian or vegan friendly dish, I love the deep spices that give posole such a satisfying and warming feel. Since the base of posole (spices + hominy) are vegetarian friendly, I figured why not replace the traditional meat with healthier beans and create a vegan posole in my Instant Pot! The result was a version of Instant Pot Pinto Beans - just "dressed up" with Mexican spices, hominy and classic posole flavors. Top it with diced red onions, diced tomatoes, cilantro, lime, guacamole, crushed tortilla chips (or for a non-vegan option: Plain Greek Yogurt or Shredded Cheese) - and you have got yourself an easy weeknight meal that feels like it's been cooking all day!
Kitchen Tools and Equipment You'll Need to Make this Instant Pot Pinto Beans Vegan Posole Recipe
How to make this Instant Pot Pinto Beans Vegan Posole - Step by Step
Step 1: Turn the Instant Pot to saute on low. Add olive oil through garlic, saute 5-10 minutes
Step 2: Add the cumin, chili powder, ancho chili powder, coconut sugar and salt. Saute another 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Add tomato paste, bay leaf, pinto beans, hominy and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Secure lid of the instant pot. Press "pressure cook" and set timer to 15 minutes. Natural release.
Step 5: Top with anything you like! (e.g. cilantro, lime, avocado, etc)
What makes this Instant Pot Pinto Beans Vegan Posole Healthy?
- No Meat: Posole is typically made with pork - which has been shown to increase a person's risk of developing heart disease. This version of posole replaces meat with pinto beans which are high in fiber and plant-protein.
- Healthy Fats: This recipe uses olive oil (instead of animal fat) for cooking, as well as heart healthy avocado for a topping!
- High in Fiber: Each serving of this recipe has 8g fiber and 8g protein.
- Tons of Veggies! You are literally eating the rainbow with this soup. We've got tomatoes, spinach, multi-colored bell peppers and red onions - all of which are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are all important for your overall health.
- Low in Calories: Each serving of this dish is only around 200 calories, which means you can go back for seconds and even thirds completely guilt-free (and I promise, if you go back for thirds you will be full for a LONG time! 🙂 )
Will Kids Enjoy This Instant Pot Pinto Beans Vegan Posole?
While the name of this dish might be a mouthful for little ones, this posole is a great way to get your kids to eat some extra veggies (since they are pretty hidden amidst the beans, hominy and toppings!) I recommend putting out a "toppings bar" for kids - so they can pick whatever they want to go on top of this posole. If you have kids that are particularly sensitive to spice, you can always cut the quantity of spices in half before you make this dish. And for kids who don't even like the look of veggies, you can puree all the veggies together and add them into the "broth" - so they are completely hidden!
What is posole?
Posole is a traditional Mexican soup or stew. Typically it is made with pork, but my vegetarian version makes pinto beans the star of the show. Posole is typically served at New Year's Eve as well as other large celebrations throughout Mexico.
What is the Difference Between Corn And Hominy?
The difference between corn and hominy is that hominy is whole corn kernels that have been soaked in a lye or lime solution, and are then washed to remove the hulls and excess solution. The result is a puffy, giant corn that has a meaty, chewy texture.
How To Store Or Freeze Vegan Posole
This recipe makes enough for a large crowd with plenty of leftovers! The leftovers will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container for about a week or can be frozen for up to three months.
To freeze, transfer the posole to freezer containers or bags with as little air as possible to prevent freezer burn. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, and warm over low heat on the stovetop or microwave.
What to serve with this Instant Pot Pinto Beans Vegan Posole
A good pozole is all about the toppings! My suggestions are:
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Avocado or guacamole
- Chopped radishes
- Chopped green onions
- Diced tomatoes
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Crushed tortilla chips
- If you don't have an instant pot or pressure cooker, you can make pozole on the stove top, it will just take a little longer.
- Ready-to-eat Hominy is sold in the canned section of the supermarket. You can also cook it yourself but it takes much longer! If you choose to cook dried hominy on your own, follow the same process as you would for dried beans.
- This recipe is already naturally gluten free and vegan! The main thing to keep in mind is to omit the shredded cheese and yogurt from the toppings if you want to make this recipe strictly vegan.
- You can experiment with different types of beans in this recipe: black beans, kidney beans, even navy beans would all work well. Or you could do a combination of beans and make this a 4 bean posole!
- Feel free to mix up the veggies used in this dish. I used bell peppers and spinach primarily, but you can use anything you have in your fridge.
- Don't forget the toppings! Our favorites include: Cilantro, Lime juice, Avocado or guacamole, Chopped radishes, Chopped green onions, Diced tomatoes, Plain Greek Yogurt, Shredded Mexican cheese blend, Crushed tortilla chips.
Top tips to make this Instant Pot Pinto Beans Vegan Posole recipe
Be sure to check out these other healthy vegetarian soup and stew recipes!
If you have tried this Instant Pot pinto bean vegan posole recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!
