Mexican chili soup is a hearty, tomato-based one-pot meal with ground beef, beans, corn, and warm spices, served hot with fresh toppings. This Mexican-style version is filling without being complicated, and its broth is easy to adjust from thick and stew-like to light and soupy. Chili soup varies from kitchen to kitchen, so treat the beans, vegetables, and garnishes as flexible rather than as one fixed traditional formula.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral cooking oil, such as canola or avocado oil
- 1 pound (450 g) 85–90% lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup (150 g)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped, about 1 cup (150 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 tablespoon (9 g)
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) chili powder
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (about 0.5 g) dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon (about 0.5 g) cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces (411 g), with their juices
- 1 can tomato sauce, 15 ounces (425 g)
- 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 can pinto beans, 15 ounces (425 g), drained and rinsed; about 1½ cups (255 g) beans after draining
- 1 cup (165 g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- For serving, as desired: ½ cup (56 g) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar, ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, ⅓ cup (10 g) chopped cilantro, 1 avocado (about 200 g), diced, and 2 cups (30 g) tortilla chips
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Chop the onion and bell pepper, mince the garlic, measure the spices, and drain and rinse the pinto beans. If using frozen corn, there is no need to thaw it first. Having these ready before the pot heats makes the short sauté steps easier and helps keep the garlic from overcooking.
- Brown the beef, 8 minutes. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring and turning the meat so it browns evenly. Check the thickest pieces with a food thermometer; ground beef must reach the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). If there is a large amount of rendered fat, carefully spoon off most of it, leaving a little behind for flavor.
- Soften the vegetables, 4 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Avoid letting the garlic darken, which can give the soup a bitter edge.
- Bloom the seasonings, 1 minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne if using, tomato paste, salt, and black pepper. Stir continuously for about 1 minute so the spices coat the meat and vegetables and the tomato paste darkens slightly. This brief step helps the seasonings taste rounded rather than raw.
- Simmer the soup, 24 minutes. Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then lower the heat so it simmers steadily without splashing. Partially cover the pot and cook for 24 minutes, stirring once or twice. A gentle simmer lets the flavors come together while keeping the beef tender.
- Add the beans and corn, 8 minutes. Stir in the rinsed beans and corn. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is hot and the beans are warmed through. Stir in the lime juice, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, or cayenne. If the soup is thicker than you like, add broth or water in ¼-cup (60 ml) increments; if it seems too thin, simmer it a few minutes longer before serving.
- Serve. Ladle into warm bowls and set out cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and tortilla chips. Add the toppings at the table so each person can choose how creamy, fresh, or crunchy to make their bowl.
Tips
- Choose the chili powder thoughtfully. In this recipe, chili powder means a mild American-style blend of ground chiles and seasonings, not pure ground chile. If you only have a hot chile powder, start with 1 tablespoon (about 8 g), taste near the end, and add more gradually; pure chile powder can be much hotter and less balanced.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can make the broth reduce too quickly and cause the soup to spit. If it becomes thicker than intended, loosen it with a little broth or water. If you prefer a richer, more concentrated bowl, leave the lid off for the final few minutes and stir so nothing catches on the bottom.
- Adjust the seasoning at the end. Broths and canned tomatoes vary in saltiness, while lime can make the spices taste brighter. Taste after the beans and corn are hot, then add salt, pepper, lime, or cayenne in small amounts. Adding all the heat at the start can make it harder to judge the finished soup.
- Use the beef fat and pot wisely. Browning creates flavorful browned bits on the bottom, so scrape them up when you add the liquids. Drain excess fat if the finished soup would feel greasy, but do not rinse the beef; rinsing removes flavor and can splatter hot grease.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the soup as a complete lunch or dinner with warm corn tortillas, a simple green salad, or a small side of Mexican-style rice. Tortilla chips are handy for scooping and add crunch, while a squeeze of lime at the table gives the tomato broth a fresher finish. For a more substantial meal, offer a modest bowl of rice alongside rather than stirring it into the pot; that keeps the rice from soaking up broth while the soup is stored.
Set toppings out in separate bowls if serving a group. Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar melts into the hot soup, sour cream softens the chile and tomato flavors, and cilantro and diced avocado add fresh contrast. If you want crisp texture without chips, thinly sliced radishes or chopped green onion also work well. Put only the amount of toppings you expect to eat into each bowl, especially dairy and avocado, rather than mixing them into the whole batch.
Variations
Make it milder or hotter. Leave out the cayenne for a gentler soup, or serve hot sauce on the side so everyone can adjust their own bowl. For a deeper chile flavor, add 1 minced chipotle pepper from a can and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of its adobo sauce; this makes the soup smokier as well as hotter. Taste before adding more, because chipotle can quickly dominate.
Swap the beans or vegetables. Black beans or kidney beans can replace pinto beans in the same drained amount, and a cup of diced zucchini can be added with the corn. The result will not taste exactly the same, but the method and simmer timing remain much the same. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them to remove some of the packing liquid and excess salt.
Use ground turkey instead. Replace the beef with 1 pound (450 g) ground turkey and use chicken broth or beef broth. Turkey is leaner, so keep an eye on the pot and add a teaspoon of oil if it sticks. Cook ground turkey to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer, before adding the liquids. Its flavor is milder, so a little extra cumin or smoked paprika can help maintain a full-bodied soup.
Make a meatless pot. Omit the beef and use 1 additional can of beans, drained and rinsed, plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil. Brown the onion and pepper in the oil, then follow the same seasoning and simmering steps. For more substance, add 1 cup (150 g) diced mushrooms with the vegetables; they release moisture as they cook, so allow them to soften before adding the spices.
Storage and Reheating
Let the soup stop steaming heavily, then refrigerate it in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours of cooking. Shallow containers help it cool promptly. Store the soup without its toppings for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Keep avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and chips separate, since they do not hold their texture as well in stored soup.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled soup in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 2–3 months for best quality, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat it from frozen over low heat with a splash of broth, stirring as it loosens. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat on the stovetop or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. Stir during microwave reheating so the temperature is even, and do not leave cooked soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Mexican chili soup ahead?
Yes. Cook the soup through the bean-and-corn step, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it without garnishes. The flavors may meld as it sits, and the broth can thicken slightly, so add a small splash of broth when reheating if needed. Add lime juice and fresh toppings just before serving for the brightest flavor and best texture.
How can I make the soup thicker?
Simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes, stirring frequently, so some liquid evaporates. You can also mash a few beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in; their starch thickens the broth without needing flour. Avoid adding a large amount of thickener at once, since the soup will continue to thicken as it cools.
Can I make it without beans?
Yes. Leave the beans out and add another cup (165 g) of corn, or use diced zucchini or extra bell pepper instead. Since beans add both volume and thickness, the finished soup will be a little lighter. You can simmer it uncovered briefly to concentrate the broth, or serve it with rice or tortillas for a more filling meal.
What can I use instead of beef broth?
Chicken broth or vegetable broth works, though each changes the flavor slightly. Chicken broth keeps the soup savory but a little lighter, while vegetable broth makes it suitable for a meatless version. Low-sodium broth gives you more control over the final seasoning; if using regular broth, wait until the end to add extra salt.
Is this soup very spicy?
As written, it is usually mild to moderately warm, but heat depends on the chili powder blend. The cayenne is optional, so omit it for a milder pot and offer hot sauce or sliced fresh chile separately. If the soup turns out hotter than you wanted, add more broth or tomatoes and serve it with sour cream or avocado to soften each spoonful.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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