This easy, fast recipe for refried bean soup is made with canned refried beans. In just ten minutes, you'll be enjoying a creamy, flavorful pinto bean soup loaded with toppings like melted cheese, salsa, green onions and tortilla chips.
I know, this recipe sounds too good to be true. Can you really make flavorful soup with just 3 ingredients in 10 minutes? Yes!
This creamy pinto bean soup is flavorful and filling and so easy to make. If you love the flavor of tacos and burritos, you will love this soup!
Looking for more really easy soup recipes? Try easy tomato soup, Instant Pot red lentil soup and easy, flavorful glass noodle soup.
Looking for easy chili recipes? Try Instant Pot vegetarian chili or Instant Pot sweet potatoes chili or Instant Pot white bean and turkey chili. For the stovetop, try quick and easy ground turkey chili .
Ingredients
You only need 3 Ingredients for this easy soup recipe: Canned refried beans, canned black beans and water.
Canned refried beans: For this soup, buy canned refried beans that are made from pinto beans. You can buy either vegetarian refried beans or traditional refried beans, which are made using lard. Lard is pork fat and gives the beans a meaty pork flavor.
The "best" brand of refried beans is a matter of personal preference. My favorite brand is Rosarita.
Black beans: Whole black beans give the soup texture and some variation in flavor. If you really love pinto beans, you can use whole pinto beans instead of black beans.
Toppings
Toppings are a MUST in this soup! Once the refried bean soup is made, pile on the grated cheese, green onion, salsa, sour cream, cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bring water to a boil. Whisk in canned refried beans until you have a smooth, creamy soup consistency.
Step 2: Add a can of drained black beans.
Step 3: Set out toppings and let everyone add them to their soup bowl.
Step 4: Enjoy your creamy pinto bean soup with melted cheese, green onion, cilantro, sour cream, salsa and crumbled tortilla chips.
For ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Add-ins
Chicken: Add cooked, shredded chicken to the soup.
Pork: Instant Pot pork butt adds the meaty flavor of carnitas to the soup.
Bacon: Crispy, crumbled bacon is another flavorful addition to the toppings.
Chipotle in adobo: These spicy, smokey peppers are in a tangy, seasoned sauce. Adding just a little bit can a lot of lot of spiciness to the soup.
Chili powder or Taco Seasoning: A teaspoon of spices will add more flavor to the soup.
What Are Refried Beans?
Refried beans are a staple of Tex-Mex, Mexican and other Latin American cuisines. The name “refried beans” is derived from the Spanish name, frjoles refritos, which means “well-fried beans."
Refried beans are made by mashing cooked pinto beans (or black beans) into onion that has been sauteed in fat (lard, oil or butter).
The beans can be mashed into a very smooth consistency or the texture can be left thicker with chunks of whole beans. Refried beans can be soupy or thick. Thinning out the consistency is done by adding bean cooking water or broth.
Refried beans are an incredibly versatile side dish that can be served with rice, crispy oven baked tacos, burritos, enchiladas, stewed meat, grilled meat, roasted vegetables and many other main dishes.
Usually, refried beans are made out of pinto beans. If you'd like to cook dry pinto beans, try this recipe for Instant Pot pinto beans. You can also make refried beans out of black beans. To make dried black beans, try this recipe for Instant Pot black beans.
How to Cook Canned Refried Beans
Canned refried beans are ready-to-eat, so all you need to do is heat them up! (They can be eaten cold, but don't taste as good.)
The easiest way to cook canned refried beans is in the microwave. Warm the beans in microwave safe dish with a cover. Stir the beans several times to make sure they are cooking evenly.
You can make the beans taste better by melting cheese over the top of the beans. The easiest way to do this is warming the beans in the microwave with grated cheese.
If you don't have a microwave, the canned beans can be warmed over low heat on the stove. Stir frequently so the beans don't stick to the pot. You can add a little bit of water to make the consistency thinner.
Adding chopped green onions and/or cilantro will also add more flavor to canned refried beans.
Canned refried beans can also be added to quesadillas, tacos, burritos, tostadas, 7-layer dip, or nachos.
Storage and Leftovers
This soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days. Leftover soup can be frozen without any toppings added. Store the soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Refried Bean FAQ
Yes, refried beans freeze really well. Use an air-tight storage container or freezer bag. For the best flavor and texture, use frozen beans within 3 months.
Yes. Refried beans are gluten-free. However, it's always recommended that you read labels and keep an eye out for allergen warnings. It's possible that some brands might add wheat ingredients during the manufacturing process.
According to the USDA, canned refried beans can be safely kept 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, store leftover refried beans in a new container, not the can.
Pinto beans have a slightly earthy flavor and creamy texture. Black beans have a mild flavor and the texture is a little bit firmer. Pinto beans and black beans are very interchangeable. Most recipes that call for black beans will work well with pinto beans and vice versa.
Instant Pot Dried Bean Recipes
📖 Recipe
10-Minute Refried Bean Soup Recipe
This easy, fast recipe for refried bean soup is made with canned refried beans. In just ten minutes, you'll be enjoying a creamy, flavorful pinto bean soup loaded with toppings like melted cheese, salsa, green onions and tortilla chips. The toppings are a must!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 30-ounce can of refried beans (or two 15 oz cans)
- 1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings
- Salsa
- Sour cream
- Grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (about 3 cups)
- Green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
- Cilantro, chopped (about 1 cup)
- Tortilla chips or corn chips, crumbled
Instructions
- In a soup pot, bring the water to a boil.
- Turn the heat down slightly and add the can of refried beans, using a whisk to mix together the beans and water until very smooth.
- Add the black beans.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed- canned beans are usually salty enough.
- If the consistency of the soup is too thick for your liking, add an additional ½ to 1 cup of water.
- Once the soup is hot, it’s ready!
- This simple soup MUST have toppings! Everyone can pile their bowl of soup with grated cheese, salsa, sour cream, green onions, cilantro and crumbled chips.
Notes
Use canned refried made from pinto beans. You can use traditional refried beans or vegetarian refried beans.
This soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days. Leftover soup can be frozen without any toppings added. Store the soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Additional ingredients that can be added to the soup include cooked, shredded chicken or pork, crumbled bacon, spicy chipotles in adobo or a teaspoon of chili powder or taco seasoning.
Jenny Meier
This soup is surprisingly good, the more toppings you add the better! It's a really quick dinner, perfect for busy weeknights or on weekends when you don't know what to cook.