Tomatillo Bean Stew

This simple, Mexican inspired vegan tomatillo and pinto bean stew has so many comforting flavors to warm you up as the weather cools down. Tart-sweet tomatillos, carrots, cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano and smoked paprika stir wonderful depth into the stew, making it taste like it took you hours to make. Pinto beans add nutty flavor and lots of protein and fiber. This is a vegan, nut-free, soy-free and gluten-free recipe.

Tomatillo and pinto bean stew in bowl with a spoon.

For the longest time I used tomatillos mainly to make delicious salsa verde and, occasionally, as a substitute for green tomatoes in recipes like green tomato stew and green tomato dal. But of late I've been trying them out in recipes like this amazing tomatillo and pinto bean stew I have for you today, and I am blown away!

Mexican tomatillo stews often contain meats like beef and pork, and instead of those I add healthy protein in the form of pinto beans, which I love. Pinto beans are nutty and hearty and they look so pretty in nearly anything and especially in this stew.

Tomatillos are in season from early summer until fall, so if you can still find them in your market grab some up and cook up this stew. Serve it over a bed of rice or with a crusty hunk of bread for the perfect fall dinner.

Why you will love this recipe

It is packed with flavor from the tomatillos, carrots, cumin and coriander. You don't need too many ingredients for this recipe but the ones you do use are handpicked to add the most deliciousness.
It is very easy to make. This is a one pot recipe with easily found ingredients.
It is designed for convenience. You can use canned pinto beans or cook your own.
It is so healthy. The tomatillo and pinto bean stew is packed with veggies, including carrots and leeks, and it has heart healthy beans. Each serving has 9 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber, and it all comes at a cost of just 188 calories.
It is nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free and vegan. Everyone can eat it!

Ingredients and substitutions

Extra virgin olive oil. Any vegetable oil, including peanut oil, grapeseed oil and avocado oil, will do.
Garlic. This adds an exquisite, aromatic base to build other flavors on.
Leeks. The leeks add a pop of color and are lovely here, but you can use onions or shallots as a substitute.
Celery. Celery adds fresh flavors and body to this hearty stew.
Jalapeno peppers. To add some delicious heat. If you are adventurous when it comes to heat you can even make this with habanero peppers (use no more than a fourth to a half of a pepper because habaneros are very, very spicy, and be sure to deseed). Habaneros add amazing flavor and dimension to this stew.
Tomatillos. These are the stars of this recipe and they add amazing tart-sweet flavor that is spectacular with the beans.
Ground coriander. Ground coriander has a lovely, lemony, fresh flavor that is great with beans.
Ground cumin. The earthy flavor of cumin grounds the tomatillos and adds a nice Mexican touch.
Smoked paprika. This adds some smokiness to the recipe as well as a hint of spice.
Mexican oregano. This is not to be confused with the Italian oregano. Use marjoram as a substitute.
3 cups pinto beans. Use two 14-oz cans, drained and rinsed. Or cook up 1 cup dried pinto beans. You can also use black beans in this recipe.
Parsley. This is for garnish and a pop of fresh flavor at the end.
Salt and ground black pepper.
Tortilla chips. Optional, for garnish.

Vegan pinto bean and tomatillo stew in black bowl.

How to make tomatillo bean stew

Place the oil in a Dutch oven or large stockpot or saucepan. Add the garlic and heat the oil over gentle heat, stirring the garlic, until it becomes lightly golden and aromatic.
Add the leeks and jalapeno peppers with salt and ground pepper to taste. Saute a couple of minutes.

Stir in the tomatillos. Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, smoked paprika and Mexican oregano. Mix, cover, and let the tomatillos cook over medium low heat for five minutes.

Add the beans to the pot along with a cup of water or vegetable stock or the bean cooking liquid (if you cooked the beans yourself). Stir, cover, and let the flavors meld together over medium heat for another five minutes.

Add a cup or two more of liquid to the pot depending on how thick you want the stew to be. Stir well and bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Check seasoning, then turn off heat. Garnish with parsley and crushed tortilla chips, if using. Serve hot.

Mexican bean tomatillo soup in black bowl with soup spoon.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use green tomatoes to make this stew?

Yes, green tomatoes will be great in this recipe. They are not as tart as tomatillos but the stew will be differently delicious.

Do I need to roast the tomatillos first?

There's no need to roast the tomatillos for this recipe. They go into the pot raw and they will cook up to a lovely sweet and slightly tart flavor.

How to cook pinto beans in the Instant Pot without soaking.

Rinse the dried beans, then place them in the Instant Pot liner with 5 cups water. Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes. Let pressure release naturally or force release after 10 minutes.

Can I make this stew in the Instant Pot?

To make this stew in the Instant Pot, set the IP to the "saute" function and proceed until step 5. Then add the cooked or canned beans to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for five minutes. Let the pressure release naturally or force-release after 10 minutes. Check seasoning, garnish with parsley, and serve.

What can I serve this stew with?

Serve over rice or with a hunk of crusty bread. Or just eat it by itself.

Storage instructions

Refrigerate: Refrigerate for up to four days.
Freeze: Freeze the stew in a freezer safe container for up to three months.
Reheat. Reheat stew in a saucepan or in the microwave. If frozen thaw before reheating.

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