Simple Mexican Bean Soup with Crispy Tortilla Chips

What is it about relaxation that leaves one so exhausted? I spent a whole day being pampered and fed, and was utterly exhausted by the time I got home. And yet, despite having a rather large lunch I was ravenous come evening. So: tired? Check. Hungry? Check. Feeling the need for something nutritious and delicious after a little over indulgence? Check. What was my answer? Soup! Well, let’s face it, it was going to be a soup or a salad and I didn’t want the latter – but I did want something I could have with some tortilla chips I’d bought on impulse earlier. And so, mexican bean soup arrived in my dinner bowl!

Did I mention I was feeling lazy? And tired? So, because of that, this is another dish that runs along the line of my one pot chilli in more than just Mexican taste and theme! It’s mostly tinned goods to keep things simple and easy. It comes together in under 30 minutes and you can adjust the heat to your taste buds by either adding a little less, or plenty more, chilli powder!
Or you could do what I do and pile on the jalapenos and shake on some hot sauce.

I really recommend the tortilla chips – sprinkle on broken ones, or top with whole chips, both are epic. They add a great crunchy dynamic to the usual soup experience! You don’t have to put them on top of the soup, that’s just me. You can serve them on the side too!

So – it can be hot and spicy, or it can be mild and easy on the tongue. It’s also packed with good stuff from all the beans it’s crammed with (hence the ‘Mexican bean soup’ name!) – in total there’s (about) 14g of protein per serving – which isn’t too bad for “just a bowl of soup!”

Why is eating beans so good?

I’m no expert by any means, but I can Google, and I do take both my health and those I feed on a daily basis very seriously. So, I eat beans! Or if you want to get fancy legumes. This soup has not only black and kidney beans in it, but also pinto beans too (from the refried beans). Benefits of such tasty beans include:

high in fibre
high in protein
full of slow-release energy
lots of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients
thiamin for brain cell/cognitive function

Make a batch!

There’s only two people in my household – yet this recipe will happily feed five. If you go heavy on the bread or tortilla chips, you could probably even stretch it out to six! Why such a large amount of soup? For leftovers! I popped two tupperwares in the fridge and one in the freezer as soon as they’d cooled down and lunch for the next day was sorted. The freezer portion will be kept for whenever I don’t fancy cooking, or need a lunch for work and have nothing in… and no other leftovers.

I discovered pretty quickly that, with the refried beans in there, this Mexican bean soup really thickens in the fridge into what’s practically a chilli! So – you could have it over a potato or rice the next day to switch things up. Or, just loosen it down to a soup consistency with a few tablespoons of water… or red wine. You know, if you have a bottle open.

Simple Mexican Bean Soup Recipe

Need dinner in a hurry? This simple Mexican bean soup takes less than 30 minutes to make and 2/3 of that is hands off!

Prep: 3 minutes
Cook: 27 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Author Luci Rebecca, Made by Luci
Serves 5
Calories 252

Ingredients

1 medium onion (chopped)
1 x 400g tin refried beans
1 x 400g tin cooked black beans, drained
1 x 400g tin kidney beans, drained
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
150g frozen sweetcorn
1 cup (250g) salsa
2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Tortilla chips, to serve

Directions

Put a large saucepan over a medium heat, add a few tablespoons of water and cook the onion until translucent (mine takes about 5-7 minutes).
Add all remaining ingredients to the pan and stir well.
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Serve topped with whole or crushed tortilla chips.