This Mexican soup is hearty, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make. It’s packed with vegetables and beans, naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, and perfect for weeknight dinners, batch cooking or potlucks.
Recipe Difficulty – Very Easy
Table of Contents
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredients to make Mexican Soup
- Substitutions
- Variations
- How to make Mexican Soup
- Leftovers
- Recipe FAQs
- More Soup recipes
- You might also like
- Rate it…
- Mexican Soup Recipe
Why this recipe works
This Mexican bean and tortilla-style soup is versatile and reliable. It comes together quickly, freezes well, and can be adapted to suit tastes — spicier, milder, meatier, or loaded with extra vegetables.
The slight blending step creates a creamier texture without adding dairy, while leaving most of the ingredients whole keeps a satisfying bite. Toasted corn tortillas or strips give a pleasant crunch that complements the broth and beans.
Ingredients to make Mexican Soup
- Olive oil – for sautéing the aromatics.
- Onions – add sweet, savory depth.
- Garlic – enhances umami and aroma.
- Jalapeño peppers – remove seeds for a milder heat.
- Salt and pepper – to taste.
- Taco seasoning – brings the Mexican-inspired spice blend.
- Chopped tomatoes – canned tomatoes add body and acidity.
- Black beans – drained and rinsed for protein and fiber.
- Sweetcorn – drained and rinsed for sweetness and texture.
- Vegetable stock or broth – forms the soup base.
Optional toppings:
- Toasted corn tortillas – cut into strips and crisped for garnish.
- Avocado – diced for creaminess.
- Lime slices – for squeezing over the finished soup.
- Coriander (cilantro) – chopped, for a fresh citrusy finish.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and nutrition information.
Substitutions
- Vegetables: Add or swap vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, or carrots.
- Beans: Pinto beans or cannellini beans work well instead of black beans.
- Seasonings: Adjust spices to taste — chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, or extra garlic are all good options.
- Stock: Use chicken broth if you prefer a non-vegetarian base.
Variations
- Spicy: Add chopped green chiles, a chipotle in adobo, or extra chili powder.
- Deluxe: Top with cheese, sour cream, or crunchy tortilla chips for a richer finish.
- Kid-friendly: Omit jalapeño seeds or reduce the amount of pepper for a milder version.
How to make Mexican Soup
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onions, slice the garlic, and dice the jalapeños. Remove seeds from jalapeños if you want less heat.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for about 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for another minute.
Step 3: Stir in the taco seasoning, chopped tomatoes, black beans and sweetcorn. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Step 4: Remove roughly one-third of the soup and blend until smooth in a blender or food processor. This adds body while keeping most of the soup chunky.
Step 5: Return the blended portion to the pot, stir to combine, reheat gently, and taste for seasoning.
Step 6: For toasted tortilla strips, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Brush corn tortillas lightly with oil, cut into thin strips, place on a baking sheet and toast 3–4 minutes until crisp. Serve the soup with avocado, lime wedges and chopped coriander if desired.
Hint: If you prefer a chunkier soup, skip the blending step and serve as-is.
Leftovers
Allow the soup to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. The soup also freezes well for up to two months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Make it ahead and refrigerate for up to four days or freeze for up to two months. Portioning before freezing makes reheating easier.
Yes. This broth-based soup is high in vegetables, fiber and plant protein from the beans, making it a nutritious meal option.
More Soup recipes
- Beetroot Soup
- Carrot and Lentil Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Celeriac Soup
- Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup
- Leek and Potato Soup
- Mushroom Soup
- Parsnip Soup
- Pea Soup
- Tomato Soup
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Rate it…
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Mexican Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1½ tbsp Taco seasoning
- 1 can chopped tomatoes, (400g)
- 1 can black beans, drained, rinsed (400g)
- 1 can sweetcorn, drained, rinsed (240g)
- 1 litre vegetable stock/broth
Serve with (optional):
- Toasted corn tortillas
- Chopped avocado
- Lime slices
- Chopped coriander
Instructions
-
Prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onions, slice the garlic and dice the jalapeños. Remove seeds if desired.
-
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and jalapeño and cook 1 minute.
-
Add taco seasoning, chopped tomatoes, black beans and sweetcorn. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
-
Blend about one-third of the soup until smooth and return it to the pot to thicken the broth.
-
Reheat gently, adjust seasoning, and serve with optional toasted tortilla strips, avocado, lime and chopped coriander.
Notes
Substitutions & Variations: See the substitutions and variations section in the post for ideas.
To Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
To Freeze: Freeze for up to two months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.
Tip 1: Mix and match vegetables based on what you have on hand.
Tip 2: This recipe scales well — double it for batch cooking.
Tip 3: Add cooked ground beef or shredded chicken to make a heartier taco-style soup.