Southwestern Refried Bean Soup

5m
Prep Time
15m
Cook Time
20m
Ready In


"A thick soup that is great for the fall/winter. It's easy, tasty, filling, and healthy! Makes good use of your stock of canned goods too. If your craving heat add more jalapenos or chipotle. If you're craving meat add ground beef or chicken. This can easily be made vegetarian too."

Original is 6 servings
  • Options to serve with

Nutritional

  • Serving Size: 1 (395.7 g)
  • Calories 547.2
  • Total Fat - 3 g
  • Saturated Fat - 0.5 g
  • Cholesterol - 0 mg
  • Sodium - 510.1 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate - 111.6 g
  • Dietary Fiber - 22.7 g
  • Sugars - 7.4 g
  • Protein - 23.4 g
  • Calcium - 137.3 mg
  • Iron - 5.6 mg
  • Vitamin C - 21.3 mg
  • Thiamin - 0.9 mg

Step by Step Method

Step 1

In a large saucepan, combine everything up to the cumin.

Step 2

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Stir in salt and hot sauce to taste, if desired. Remove from heat.

Step 3

Serve with assorted options, if desired.

Tips


No special items needed.

Editorial Notes

The ingredient tips, suggestions, variations, facts, questions and answers below are not edits to the original author's recipe. They are not meant to imply any change would improve the recipe. They're offered for convenience, alternative ideas, and points of interest. If you have any comments about them, please post in the Help & Ideas forum.


  • For a spicier soup, use canned jalapenos or chipotle peppers instead of diced green chilies.
  • For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

  • Substitute the canned corn niblets with fresh or frozen corn kernels for a more vibrant flavor and texture. The benefit of this substitution is that fresh or frozen corn will have a much sweeter taste and more crunchy texture than canned corn.
  • Substitute the canned black beans with cooked dried black beans for added nutrition. The benefit of this substitution is that cooked dried beans are higher in fiber and protein than canned beans, making the soup more nutritious.

Vegetarian Version Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the ground beef or chicken. Add more vegetables to the soup, such as diced bell peppers, chopped mushrooms, or celery.


Spicy Version Replace the chicken broth with spicy vegetable broth and add a diced jalapeno pepper. Increase the amount of chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder to give the soup a spicy kick.


Cilantro Lime Rice: A flavorful side dish to accompany this Southwestern Refried Bean Soup. The combination of cilantro and lime adds a zesty, fresh flavor that pairs perfectly with the soup.


Mexican Street Corn: A delicious side dish to serve with this Southwestern Refried Bean Soup. The combination of grilled corn, mayonnaise, chili powder, and cotija cheese gives this dish a smoky and savory flavor that complements the soup perfectly.




FAQ

Q: How can I make this soup vegetarian?

A: To make this soup vegetarian, simply omit the chicken broth and replace it with vegetable broth. You can also omit the ground beef or chicken if desired.



Q: Can I freeze this soup?

A: Yes, you can freeze this soup. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then heat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

6 Reviews

QueenBea

A tasty and easy soup we enjoyed, thanks for sharing your recipe here.

5.0

review by:
(28 Feb 2013)

Sheri

This soup comes together really well and I ate it with glee. I love Mexican food and this really won me over. I topped it with a spoonful of sour cream and it was really awesome Engrossed!

5.0

review by:
(20 Nov 2012)

LindasBusyKitchen

We don't have spicy refried beans here so I made my own by using a regular can of refried beans and then adding in some jalapenos and a little cayenne pepper. The soup was very tasty and just spicy enough to make it interesting. I love this new soup and will have it again over the winter. Served it with cheese over the top that melted from the heat of the soup and it was delicious T! Thanks for sharing it with us! Linda

5.0

(2 Oct 2012)

BrookeTheCook

I'd say it makes good use of items already on hand - makes it easy to do without much pre-planning. I used the veggie broth. We topped ours with sour cream, shredded cheese and green onion - really pretty too!

5.0

review by:
(31 Jan 2012)

Dreamer_in_Ontario

I made two versions of this delicious soup last night. One was made as the recipe is written and to the other I added browned ground beef and an onion. Both were delicious.

0.0

(27 Nov 2011)

KittenCal

I absolutly loved this soup, it was so eacy to make, I did brown some ground beef with an onion and a jalapeno pepper before adding in all the other ingredients, I have some left over so I froze it for another meal and will look forward to have that soon. This was tagged for Recipebook tag forum game, thanks for sharing this great recipe Engrossed!

5.0

review by:
(19 Nov 2011)

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Fun facts:

Fun Fact 1: This Southwestern Refried Bean Soup is inspired by the traditional Mexican dish, frijoles refritos, which translates to "well-fried beans". It is believed to have been created by the Aztecs in the 16th century.

Fun Fact 2: The canned goods used in this soup are popular ingredients in Tex-Mex cuisine, which was developed by Tejanos in Texas in the late 19th century. It is a combination of Mexican and American flavors, and is now a staple in many US households.