Mexican bean soup

Warm a pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and then add the diced onion and red pepper. Cook for 4 minutes until softened, and then add the crushed garlic cloves, dried oregano, cumin powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Cook for a further minute.

Add the drained and rinsed pinto beans, kidney beans, and canned diced tomatoes. Cover with the vegetable broth and mix together. Cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Squeeze in the juice of the lime, and blend to the desired consistency. Season with salt and serve warm, with a side of tortilla chips.

Tips & tricks

This soup is exceptionally straightforward to make, so our top tip would be to prepare all of the ingredients ahead of cooking so you have them ready to add to the pan when needed. Allowing the onions and peppers to cook and caramelize first, before adding the other ingredients, adds a welcoming depth of flavor so we’d highly recommend not skipping this step.

To get the desired consistency of your soup, either cook it uncovered, as we’ve suggested, for a thicker soup, or cover it whilst simmering for a thinner, smoother texture. Of course you can gently use a hand blender in the pan to adjust the consistency as desired too.

In the recipe above we’ve suggested serving with a handful of tortilla chips to dip into the soup, but you could also crunch these over the top of the soup like a Mexican-style crouton. Or try dolloping a hearty helping of fresh guacamole on top.

The best beans to use

You might find this soup on menus listed under alternative Mexican bean soup names, such as charro beans, but it refers to a similar recipe as the one we’ve shared above. Charro bean soup tends to feature pinto beans, as a traditional Mexican ingredient. We’ve included kidney beans also, for added texture and flavor, but other chefs will use bean varieties like black beans. Or you can make a variation on this soup called Mexican garbanzo bean soup, using chickpeas. Find your favorite bean variety to use in our guide to 17 types of beans.

Storage

You can store leftover Mexican bean soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Make sure it’s fully cooled before you transfer it to the fridge, and reheat on the stove before consuming it again.

Recipe variations

As with most soups, the twists you can place on this recipe really are quite endless. Other Mexican ingredients like corn will work beautifully in this soup, and you could add a grain like rice or quinoa to it for a more filling alternative. If you’re cooking an entirely Mexican-themed meal for guests, get stuck into the world of Mexican cooking, and serve this soup alongside a plate of indulgent cheesy quesadillas. And when you’re ready to travel, there’s a soup to try from every corner of the world, from Japan’s miso soup to Vietnam’s pho.