Sopa de Frijoles

This sopa de frijoles (bean soup) recipe is bold, hearty, and satisfying! Creamy pinto beans are seasoned with cumin, Mexican oregano, and chipotle peppers, creating a spicy, smoky, and earthy dish. Serve it with fresh cilantro, radish slices, and vegan cheese for the ultimate comfort food.

You can never have too many quick and easy soup recipes up your sleeve, whether it’s fava bean soup, vegan lentil soup, or this sopa de frijoles. It’s made with just 10 ingredients and comes together in one pot, making it perfect for meal prep.

Why I love this recipe

This sopa de frijoles recipe comes together in 30 minutes, making it a go-to for fuss-free weeknight dinners. Once simmered, the soup has a rich, comforting texture and a savory blend of flavors from the cumin and chipotles, with a tangy hint of lime.

All you need is a stockpot and a blender or immersion blender. But, the best part is how well it keeps in the freezer! Prep it in advance and keep it on hand for grab-and-go meals for the family or yourself all week long.

Ingredient notes

All of the ingredients required for this sopa de frijoles are easily accessible and budget-friendly. Find a full breakdown and suitable substitutes below!

Pinto beans
Pinto beans and bayo beans are pretty interchangeable in sopa de frijoles, adding a creamy, hearty, and slightly sweet element. I recommend cooking your beans from dry, but canned beans are a convenient option when you’re short on time.

Substitute: Black beans, red kidney beans, or white kidney beans all work, too. For more protein content, try adding vegan chorizo, jackfruit carnitas, marinated tofu, or vegan bacon.

Chipotles
These are an easy way to add a smoky, spicy kick to the soup, enhancing its complexity. Use store-bought chipotles in adobo, or try making your own adobo sauce and marinating chipotle peppers.

Substitute: Try rehydrated guajillo, pasilla, or ancho chiles to switch up the flavors. A more readily available option is smoked paprika with hot sauce.

Tomatoes
Canned diced tomatoes give this dish more of a Tex-Mex feel. Fresh chopped Roma tomatoes are another option, though they may yield a less intense tomato flavor.

Mexican oregano, cumin
These two seasonings are commonly used in Northern Mexican dishes to add warm, slightly citrusy, and earthy flavors. Don’t mistake Mediterranean oregano for Mexican oregano — the two are quite different.

Substitute: Paprika, coriander, cayenne, and ancho chile powder are other great additions. No Mexican oregano? The next best substitute is marjoram.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to the recipe card.

How to make

Learn just how easy it is to make sopa de frijoles with my step-by-step instructions. Look for the tips in green throughout this section for consistent and successful results! Also, you can watch my video tutorial down below!

Preparation

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse canned pinto beans to remove excess sodium and help with digestibility.

Cooking

Step 1
Heat some olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic, cumin, and Mexican oregano, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Sautéing the spices with the aromatics helps to unlock their flavors, creating a more robust and hearty base for your soup.

Step 2
Stir in the canned diced tomatoes, cooked pinto beans, and vegetable broth or water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Simmering helps to integrate the flavors, but be sure to keep the heat low enough to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom and burning.

Step 3
Use an immersion blender or standalone blender to blend roughly ⅓ of the soup along with 2 chipotles in adobo until smooth.

When you’re blending hot soup, always proceed with caution! Use a regular blender filled only halfway. Remove the center lid piece so steam can escape, cover it with a kitchen towel, and start at a low speed to prevent splatters.

Step 4
Return the blended mixture to the pot and stir. Let it simmer for a few more minutes, then squeeze in fresh lime juice and season it with salt and pepper. Adjust the final seasonings based on your flavor preferences. Happy eating!

Serving suggestions

Garnish your sopa de frijoles with lots of garnishes like fresh diced white onions, cilantro, radishes, almond cotija, cashew crema, lime wedges, avocado cubes, and totopos.

You can even serve it with a slice of dairy-free bread, sourdough bread, or vegan garlic bread and a side of apple walnut salad for a complete and well-balanced meal.

Cooking tips

Cook dry beans: I highly recommend making your beans from scratch if you have time. It enhances the flavor and texture in a way that canned beans cannot match.

Use fresh spices: The flavors are much more intense when your spices are freshly ground or at least stored in airtight jars.

Cook low and slow: Keep the soup at a gentle simmer to meld the flavors together without overcooking the beans or veggies.

Add lime juice at the end: To preserve the fresh, vibrant flavor, stir in the lime juice at the end of the cooking process.

Rest the soup post-cooking: Let the soup rest off the heat for a few minutes before serving it. This gives the flavors a chance to meld and intensify.

Frequently asked questions

Storing & reheating

Sopa de frijoles stores really well, and you could even argue that it’s better after the first day! Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to containers.

Fridge
Sopa de frijoles can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. I prefer glass since it doesn’t absorb flavors and keeps the soup tasting fresh.

Freezer
Freezing this soup is another great option! Pour the cooled soup into heavy-duty freezer bags or containers, leaving a little space for expansion. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. I suggest freezing it in portion-sized containers or bags for easy thawing and reheating.

Reheating
Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it on the stove over medium until warm, stirring occasionally. You can also heat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring periodically to ensure even heating.

Serving size

This sopa de frijoles recipe typically serves 6 people, so it’s great for quick and easy family meals, especially if you have a busy household. Plus, the recipe easily doubles or triples if you’re like me and prefer to batch-cook for the week.

I always recommend preparing larger quantities of soup because it takes no extra effort but gives you the convenience of freezing single servings for future use. It’s one of my favorite budget and time-saving kitchen hacks!

Watch how to make it

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Recipe

Note: I’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.