Mexican Bean Soup

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This delicious, comforting Mexican Bean Soup topped with avocado and tortilla chips is full of authentic Mexican flavors. Easy, healthy, and versatile, this hearty soup can be made vegan and is naturally gluten free!

We have been making a lot of vegetarian stews in our house lately. Mainly because: as a busy parent, they are such easy go-to-one-pot meals; soups are super easy for kids to eat (and they’re a great way to pack in some extra veggies), and soups are perfect in colder weather!

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, who has turned this soup into a bit of a family favorite. Kids love it, babies love it, and husbands/partners love it too 🙂 If you love Mexican food, you will love this soup!

The best thing about Mexican bean soup is you can add any mix-ins you like, all of which are delicious and healthy. Some of our favorites include: avocado (1 tbsp per bowl), diced red onion, chopped cilantro, a couple of tortilla chips – crumbled, and shredded Mexican cheese (1 tbsp per bowl).

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Great for busy weeknight dinners
• Packed with amazing flavors and fresh veggies
• Moderate heat
• Hearty meatless recipe
• Healthy meal
• The ultimate comfort food
• Perfect for the entire family
• Warming for cold winter days, but delicious any time of year!
• Best Mexican bean soup recipe ever!

🥘 Ingredients

This Mexican veggie soup is packed with healthy ingredients, most of which you may already have in your pantry! For detailed instructions and nutritional information, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Black Beans: You’ll need three cans of beans drained and rinsed. You could also use dried black beans, but it will take longer to prepare. You could also use a combination of beans such as pinto beans, red kidney beans, cannellini beans or navy beans, and black beans.
• Corn: Use frozen corn, or fresh. Frozen is good all year long!
• Red Onion & Red Bell Pepper: You’ll need one red onion finely diced, and 4 bell peppers diced for this hearty meal. For the bell peppers, you can use a variety of colors, or just one color depending on what you like.
• Spinach: If possible, use organic spinach. You’ll need one 10-ounce package of pre-washed spinach.
• Green Chiles: Adds a bit of extra spice and depth. They aren’t super spicy but add a nice flavor.
• Crushed Tomatoes & Vegetable Broth: There are many different types of canned tomatoes. Be sure to use crushed tomatoes. Veggie broth helps to thin out the soup.
• Garlic Cloves And Cumin: This enchilada soup is simply seasoned with 5 cloves of fresh garlic, and 3 tablespoons of cumin. If you want to add more spice and seasoning consider adding bay leaves, chili powder, chipotle chile or chipotle peppers, Mexican oregano, or serrano peppers.
• Toppings: Tortilla strips, diced avocado or guacamole, fresh cilantro, shredded Mexican cheese or grated cheddar cheese would all taste great with this easy Mexican bean soup recipe! For a spicy bean soup, feel free to add hot sauce. To make vegan Mexican soup, just use vegan shredded cheese or omit the cheese altogether.

🔪 How To Make Mexican Bean Soup

Step 1: Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté peppers, onions, and garlic until the peppers and onions are slightly translucent.

Step 2: Add the spinach and cumin when the pepper mix is done cooking. Cook an additional 5 minutes over medium-high heat.

Step 3: Add tomatoes, green chile peppers, and broth – bring to a boil and cook 15-20 minutes until the ingredients are soft enough to puree.

Step 4: Blend with an immersion blender until the soup is smooth. Or use a potato masher to combine the ingredients. Season with salt to taste.

Note: If you’d prefer a thicker base to this vegan enchilada soup you can add one can of black beans to the base of the soup and blend it into the broth. Another option is to stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch with water to create a paste and stir that into the soup.

Step 5: Add whole corn & black beans and simmer on low/med-low heat for 10 minutes until all of the ingredients are cooked through.

Step 6: Serve this hearty dish with toppings and enjoy!

❓Recipe FAQs

🍽 How To Serve

Add a variety of toppings to this Mexican corn and bean soup to take it to the next level! Some of our favorites include:

• Avocado slices or guacamole
• Diced red onion
• Diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, or pineapple pico de gallo
• Chopped cilantro or other fresh herbs
• Crumbled tortilla chips
• Lime wedges
• Lime juice
• Shredded Mexican cheese
• Plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt
• Sour Cream
• Adobo Sauce

Next time I prepare this tortilla bean soup, I’ll serve it with…

• Vegetarian Tacos
• Roasted Pumpkin Salad
• Vegan Mexican Rice
• No Meat Nachos
• or any of these Vegetarian Mexican Recipes!

💭 Expert Tips

• I used frozen corn for ease, but you can use fresh.
• Make it a full meal by serving it alongside other Mexican foods like nachos, tacos, burritos, or even tostadas!
• Feel free to throw any veggies into this Mexican bean and corn soup that you have on hand. Carrots, squash, zucchini, or even sweet potatoes would taste great pureed into the soup!
• To save time, buy pre-chopped onions, peppers and garlic.
• Feel free to add more heat, or if you’re serving this to kids, add less heat.
• Prepare in the slow cooker for a meal that’s ready when you get home!

🍲 More Delicious Vegetarian Soups!

• White Bean and Kale Soup
• Garbanzo Bean Soup
• Butternut Squash Bisque
• Curried Cauliflower Soup
• Tomato Soup From Canned Tomatoes
• Vegan Tomato Soup
• Vegetarian Taco Soup
• Instant Pot Tomato Soup with Cumin

📋 Recipe Card