This spicy chilli bean soup is a warming, flavour-packed bowl of comfort, with hearty beans and a satisfying kick of chilli. It's a lovely option when you fancy a homemade soup that's a little more exciting than the usual vegetable varieties.
Perfect for lunch or a light dinner, this soup is easy to adapt to your preferred level of heat and works well with crusty bread for dipping. Make it as mild or fiery as you like, and enjoy a comforting bowl whenever you're craving something warming and full of flavour.
The original recipe is from the BBC Good Food website. We really enjoy beans and a bit of spice, so I decided this would be a perfect soup to try for providing comfort and heat!
The prep is minimal for making this hearty soup...it's full of flavour, comforting and the fresh lime when serving adds a lovely hit of freshness.
TipS
- Optional variations:
- Black bean soup - use black beans for a variation with a slightly different texture and flavour. Adjust the seasoning and liquid to suit the beans.
- Chilli bean and sweetcorn soup - add sweetcorn for sweetness and extra texture. The works well with a chilli-based soup if the flavours complement the original recipe.
- Creamy spicy bean soup - blend part of the soup after cooking the beans and peppers to create a thicker texture. You may not need to add cream, as some beans naturally help to thicken the liquid.
- Spicy vegetable and bean soup - add extra vegetables like diced carrots or celery for a more vegetable-rich version, adjusting the cooking time as needed.
- This spicy chilli bean soup recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reduce the chilli in the recipe to suit your taste. If the soup is already too hot, try adding more of the non-spicy ingredients or a little extra stock, provided the consistency remains right. A cooling topping such as yoghurt may also help when serving.
Kidney beans, cannellini beans, black beans and mixed beans can all work well, depending on the flavour and texture you want. Follow the recipe's recommendations or choose a suitable cooked bean as a substitute.
Yes - if the recipe allows. Tinned beans are convenient because they are already cooked. Drain and rinse them if the recipe recommends it, then adjust the simmering time so they heat through without becoming too soft.
Yes - but dried beans need appropriate preparation and cooking before they are added to a soup. Follow the instructions for the particular bean variety and make sure the beans are fully cooked before serving.
It depends on the ingredients. A version made with vegetables, beans and vegetable stock can be vegetarian, but a soup made with meat stock is not.
It can be vegan if all the ingredients are plant-based. Check the stock, any sauces and optional toppings, and use a plant-based garnish if needed.
Yes - bean soup is often suitable for making ahead because the flavours have time to develop. Cool, refrigerate and reheat it until piping hot throughout before serving.
Bean soup can generally be frozen in suitable portions. Cool it, transfer it to freezer-safe containers and label them with the date. Defrost and reheat until piping hot throughout. The texture may change slightly, particularly if the soup has been blended.
You can blend part of the soup, mash some of the beans or simmer it uncovered for a little longer to reduce excess liquid. Choose the method that best suits the texture you want.
Crusty bread, ciabatta, flatbread or toast are all good options.
Store it in a covered container in the fridge after cooling, for up to 3 days.
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How to make this Spicy Chilli Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion (approx. 180g), finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 500ml vegetable stock (made from a stock cube or pot)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 400g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 pepper (red, yellow or orange), deseeded and cut into chunky dice
To serve:
- tortilla chips
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole pot and fry the chopped onion over a medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and tomato purée, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until combined. Sprinkle in the spices and cook for another minute.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes, half fill the can with water, and add to the pan. Pour in the stock and simmer on a medium heat for 15 minutes, uncovered. Season, to taste, then whizz using a hand blender until smooth. Add the beans and diced pepper and cook for another 15 minutes, until the pepper is tender.
- Serve in bowls topped with a small pile of tortilla chips and a lime wedge.
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Spicy Chilli Bean Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion (approx. 180g) finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 500 ml (2 ¼ cups) vegetable stock (made from a stock cube or pot)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 400 g (14 oz) tin mixed beans drained and rinsed
- 1 pepper (red, yellow or orange) deseeded and cut into chunky dice
To serve:
- tortilla chips
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole pot and fry the chopped onion over a medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and tomato purée, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until combined. Sprinkle in the spices and cook for another minute.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes, half fill the can with water, and add to the pan. Pour in the stock and simmer on a medium heat for 15 minutes, uncovered. Season, to taste, then whizz using a hand blender until smooth. Add the beans and diced pepper and cook for another 15 minutes, until the pepper is tender.
- Serve in bowls topped with a small pile of tortilla chips and a lime wedge.
Notes
- Optional variations:
- Black bean soup - use black beans for a variation with a slightly different texture and flavour. Adjust the seasoning and liquid to suit the beans.
- Chilli bean and sweetcorn soup - add sweetcorn for sweetness and extra texture. The works well with a chilli-based soup if the flavours complement the original recipe.
- Creamy spicy bean soup - blend part of the soup after cooking the beans and peppers to create a thicker texture. You may not need to add cream, as some beans naturally help to thicken the liquid.
- Spicy vegetable and bean soup - add extra vegetables like diced carrots or celery for a more vegetable-rich version, adjusting the cooking time as needed.
- This spicy chilli bean soup recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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