Erin Alderson's Outrageously Good Pinto Bean Stew

You'll be making this one on repeat

Claiming that this recipe is her favorite one in new book The Yearlong Pantry, this chili/stew has a lot of hype to live up to. And let me tell you — it does! Working from only a few ingredients, and using the ingenious combination of chipotles in adobo and miso paste, it tastes like something that’s simmered for hours and has a lengthy scroll of spices. But the fact is, if you’ve got a half pound of cooked beans on hand, you’re 30 minutes away ladling up a bowl.

The Yearlong Pantry is full of similar gems. Be sure to check out today’s Q&A with Erin, as well as the cookbook, if you’re as much of a fan as I am.

From Erin: “I say I don’t like to play favorites, so let’s keep this between you and me: This stew is my favorite. It’s my ultimate comfort food. The beans in this stew are the real star because they soak up the flavor of the chipotles while keeping their own personality.

“I am rarely without a jar of chipotles in adobo stashed in my refrigerator. While I use dried chiles often, the ease of the canned chipotles is a winner in my book. This stew is loaded with flavor and fairly quick to assemble. If you’re not big on heat, I’d recommend starting with one chipotle and adding more as desired.”

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Chipotle Pinto Bean Stew

Notes from Erin: