Bean and Green Chili Soup

PIn it

Introduction

This one-pot soup combines cooked rice, beans, and green salsa into a filling dish that comes together in under an hour. The black bean soup mix forms the base, while refried beans add body and creaminess without cream. It’s a straightforward weeknight dinner that scales easily and reheats well.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cup (480 ml) cooked rice
• 1 can (16 oz, 450 g) refried beans
• 1 can (16 oz, 450 g) black beans
• 1 small can (4 oz, 110 g) green salsa
• 1 ⅓ cup (300 ml) dried, bulk black bean soup mix
• Sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring 1 cup (240 ml) dry rice and 2 cups (480 ml) water to a boil.
2. Turn heat to low and steam rice for 25-30 min (or prepare rice using rice cooker).
3. Prepare soup mix by combining with 3 cups (720 ml) boiling water, then simmer about 5 minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients and rice to soup.
5. Heat through, stirring occasionally.
6. If desired, just before serving, spoon a teaspoon of sour cream in to the middle of the bowl.

Variations

Skip the rice: Omit the rice entirely and add an extra can of black beans for a brothier, bean-forward soup that’s faster to prepare.

Bulk it with vegetables: Stir in diced zucchini, corn, or bell peppers when you add the canned ingredients; they’ll soften during the heating step and add texture without changing cook time significantly.

Spice it up: Add diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne to the soup mix when it simmers, or use hot salsa instead of mild green salsa for more heat.

Top instead of stir: Reserve the sour cream and serve it on the side so each person can control the richness and creaminess to their taste.

Make it heartier: Crumble cooked ground beef or shredded chicken into the soup in step 5 for added protein.

Tips for Success

Cook rice separately first. Preparing the rice while the soup mix simmers ensures both are ready at the same time and gives you better control over rice texture than cooking everything together.

Don’t skip the simmer step for the soup mix. Those 5 minutes allow the dried beans to hydrate and soften slightly before the canned beans are added, creating better flavor and texture.

Stir the soup occasionally while heating. The refried beans can stick to the bottom of the pot if left untouched, and occasional stirring ensures even heating and prevents scorching.

Keep sour cream on the side. Adding it right before serving keeps it from melting into the hot soup and lets you control how much cooling effect it has on each bowl.

Storage and Reheating

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits; thin it with water or broth when reheating if you prefer a looser consistency. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through (5–7 minutes). Alternatively, microwave in a bowl at 50% power for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway through. This soup does not freeze well—the rice becomes mushy and the texture breaks down.

FAQ

Can I use canned rice instead of cooking it from scratch? Yes. Use 2 cups of canned or microwaveable rice and skip steps 1 and 2 entirely, adding the rice directly in step 4. This cuts prep and cook time to about 20 minutes total.

What’s the difference between the black bean soup mix and the canned black beans? The soup mix is a dried blend of beans and seasonings that creates the broth base when simmered; the canned beans add body and texture. Both are essential—don’t substitute one for the other.

Can I make this without sour cream? Absolutely. The sour cream is optional and purely for topping. The soup is fully flavorful and satisfying on its own, or you can top it with diced avocado, cilantro, or diced onion instead.

How do I know when the soup is ready to eat? Once you’ve added the rice and remaining ingredients and stirred everything together, the soup is ready as soon as it’s heated through. There’s no simmering step required after step 4—just warm it to serving temperature while stirring occasionally.