Hearty pinto bean soup is perfect for cooler months. This rich, filling soup is loaded with tender pinto beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and incredible spices. Keep it thin and brothy or blend it all together for a thick, creamy soup. Either way, you’ll love these flavors!
What Makes Pinto Bean Soup So Good
- There’s a ton of delicious flavor here. I mean! Pinto beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, cayenne, cumin, chili powder… Every bite is better than the last.
- Pinto bean soup is incredibly hearty, so it’s nice and filling, plus it’s a nutritious meal. The pinto beans are a great source of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and antioxidants.
- It fits a variety of dietary needs! Whether you’re gluten free, grain free, dairy free, or vegan, you can fit a bowl of pinto bean soup into your day. Unfortunately, though, there’s no easy way to make this one low carb or keto-friendly since beans are the stars here.
Key Ingredients for Pinto Bean Soup
Pinto Beans – I used canned pinto beans here to keep things simple, but you can absolutely cook your own from dry instead. Our Instant Pot Pinto Beans (No Soak!) is super easy and gives you perfect beans for pinto bean soup. Just make sure to cook them before starting this soup – dry beans won’t work here.
Fire-Roasted Tomatoes – You could use regular diced tomatoes, but I highly recommend using fire-roasted! They have so much more flavor because they’re flame-charred before they’re diced and canned.
Chef’s Tips
- You can make this pinto bean soup with different types of beans if you want/don’t have/don’t like pinto beans. The taste will be different, obviously, and you may need to make adjustments to the cook time depending on the beans you use. And you’d need to call it something else if you’re not using any pinto beans at all!
- If you’re not avoiding meat, add a little browned ground beef or chorizo to the soup to make it even more substantial. Both types of meat would pair well with the flavors in the soup.
- My favorite pinto bean soup toppings are lime juice, cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and diced tomatoes. You could also serve this soup with a nice, crusty bread or a piece of cornbread. A little shredded Mexican cheese would also work well sprinkled on top, as would crushed tortilla chips or a dollop of sour cream. For extra texture in the soup, remove 1 cup of pinto beans before puréeing the soup, then return them to the saucepan before serving.
You’ll Love These Soup Recipes, Too!
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Seafood Soup
- Slow Cooker Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- Keto Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
- Tomato Bisque
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Pinto Bean Soup
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Immersion blender (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- cilantro optional, for serving
- lime juice optional, for serving
- diced tomatoes optional, for serving
- chopped scallions optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add diced onion and stir to coat with oil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until onions are just translucent.
- Add garlic. Cook 1 additional minute or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. Stir to coat onions and cook 1 additional minute.
- Stir in vegetable stock, pinto beans, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat. For smoother, thicker consistency, use immersion blender (see Notes for standard blender) to blend soup in saucepan until desired consistency is achieved. Season soup (blended or unblended) with salt and pepper to taste, then portion into bowls, add desired toppings, and serve warm.
Notes
- No immersion blender? No problem. See the notes below for tips to purée your soup in a standard blender.
- Fill the blender no more than halfway. You may have to blend your ingredients in a few batches.
- After pouring the liquid into the blender, let it sit a few minutes to cool slightly before blending.
- Before blending, remove the center cap from the blender lid and cover the hole with a dish towel instead. This will keep pressure from building up inside the blender. Keep your hand on the lid to hold it down while blending.
Nutrition
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Jasmine Comer is a food photographer and recipe developer from North Carolina. She grew up in the kitchen watching her mom cook all types of delicious meals. In 2016 she established Lively Meals, a food blog where she creates healthy recipes. This led to creating recipes for other blogs as well. In her free time she enjoys exploring new places and spending time in nature. Ultimately she’s grateful to be doing work she loves—cooking good food and sharing it with people.
Vicky Ford says
Great soup. Very quick and easy with wonderful flavor. I topped it with grated cheese, a dollop of sour cream and some homemade salsa. hubby loved it!!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad this was a hit for you and your husband, Vicky! Those toppings sound divine.
Sabrina says
great soup, thank you, pintos are a regular part of my diet, but have never made them into a soup, and great flavors too
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
They’re so great in soup! Glad you tried this recipe and enjoyed it. 🙂