This Mexican-inspired Soup is one of my go-to weeknight meals: quick, healthy, and made from pantry staples. This customizable recipe is perfect for using up leftovers or pulling together an easy dinner on a busy evening.
I started making some version of this soup in graduate school in 2006 or 2007 - nearly 20 years ago! I tossed together a dish loosely based on a tortilla soup that I made with my friend Kate once, when I barely knew what I was doing. I bought parsley instead of cilantro by mistake - so even now I still taste a leaf before I buy it!
Although I generally call this "Mexican Soup," it's really a flexible, Mexican-inspired recipe rather than a traditional version. This light meal hits the sweet spot of healthy, comforting, and easy. It happens to be vegetarian and vegan, and leftovers make for a satisfying lunch the next day.
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Why I Love This Mexican Soup
I adore this Mexican-ish soup and keep coming back to it, year after year, because it's:
- Versatile - perfect for using up a variety of leftovers
- Light and healthy - I balanced my grad school stress-baking brownie habit with lighter lunches like this soup. These days I don't emphasize calories, but this soup remains nourishing and satisfying without being heavy
- Pantry- and freezer-friendly - made entirely from staples you can keep on hand
- Vegetarian and vegan-friendly - use vegetable broth, and skip the cheese to keep it vegan
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what I use to make this Mexican-inspired soup. Many of these ingredients can be substituted, but here's the basics:
- Vegetable oil
- Onion and garlic
- Cumin and oregano
- Diced tomatoes
- Chickpeas, black beans, or other beans
- Hominy or corn
- Quinoa or brown rice
- Bouillon or broth
- Water
- Lime juice
Onions and minced garlic, sauteed in a small amount of vegetable oil, are the foundation of this soup. Frozen chopped onions work great; their mushy texture cooks down. I used jarred minced garlic. If you're short on either of these, be sure to add a little salsa to the soup.
Cumin and oregano are commonly used in Mexican food. There's not a great substitute for either. Add both spices to taste. Bonus - neither of these are spicy hot!
I add diced tomatoes, but you can add crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce; be sure that they don't have flavors like basil listed as ingredients. A can of tomatoes with green chiles also goes well in the soup, but does make it spicy. Use a small amount of tomato salsa if you don't have tomatoes.
I added chickpeas (garbanzo beans) to the Mexican soup this time because I had leftovers from making my Stewed Chicken and Chickpeas, but I usually use black beans. Beans add protein and fiber and make the soup more filling. White beans, red beans, and pinto beans are also great to include. Whatever you use, drain and rinse canned beans before adding them to the soup.
Hominy is what really makes this soup special. Hominy is corn that's been treated with lime (the mineral, as was traditional in Mexico). Although it's not a commonplace pantry ingredient, I started keeping a can on hand just so I could make this soup. With the addition of hominy, the soup reminds me of pozole and seems more "authentic." Before I used hominy, I added frozen corn to bulk up the soup instead. Soup made with corn will taste brighter and less earthy.
I add quinoa to the soup to make it more filling. Quinoa will really soak up the liquid in the leftovers. Brown rice also works, but I prefer quinoa because it has more protein and fiber. If you only have white rice, use 1 cup of the water in the soup to cook it separately, and serve the soup over it; white rice will become mushy in the broth over time.
I usually use bouillon instead of broth, but either is fine. Choose vegetable bouillon if making this recipe vegetarian.
Lime juice added at the end brightens the soup; bottled lime juice is fine here.
Why To Rinse Quinoa Before Cooking
Quinoa is a South American seed that's cooked as a grain. The outside has a bitter coating that should be rinsed off; you'll still taste it if you don't rinse it, even in flavorful soup. Some quinoa you buy may be pre-rinsed; the package will tell you if you have to rinse it or not.
How to Make Mexican Soup - Step-by-Step
A huge reason of why I love this soup is that it's so easy to make. It's largely hands-off.
- Saute the onion for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
- Stir in the cumin and oregano, then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, hominy, quinoa, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-30 minutes, stirring the bottom occasionally.
Taste, stir in the lime juice, and adjust the seasonings as you'd like. Then serve!
Hint: You'll need to adjust the seasonings depending on if you add salsa or additional ingredients. Be sure to taste the soup before you serve it!
Serving Suggestions and Storage Tips
Toppings we love: My daughter stirs lots of shredded Cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese into very hot soup so it melts in; she doesn't complain about eating soup this way! I top mine with tortilla chips, so I can use up the last few in a bag.
Fresh garnishes: If you plan ahead, I recommend cilantro, avocado, or thinly sliced radishes for contrast. I've enjoyed them all in this soup!
Storage: Store leftovers in glass containers for lunches, as plastic containers absorb flavors. They'll for a few days. Reheat in the microwave. Quinoa often absorbs the liquid, so add a splash of water if necessary.
Freezing: For longer storage, this soup freezes well! See the FAQ below for detailed tips.
Variations and Add-Ins (Tried and Tested)
This Mexican soup is so versatile! Since I developed it in part to use up leftovers, I've tossed all kinds of extras over the years:
- Salsa: Tomato salsa (essential if not using tomatoes, but optional otherwise. Don't add too much or it'll dominate the soup). Green salsa adds a spicy but otherwise subtle flavor.
- Cooked grains: Skip the quinoa and reduce the water by 1 cup. Stir in cooked brown rice during the last few minutes of cooking. For pasta or delicate grains like white rice, reheat separately and serve the soup over them in bowls to reduce mushiness.
- Veggies: Carrots, celery, bell peppers, zucchini, potatoes, or even leftover, unseasoned spaghetti squash.
- Meat: Leftover pork carnitas, chicken, or barbacoa.
Recipe FAQ
Yes! I've frozen leftover Mexican soup many times. Put it into a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of space at the top; liquid expands upward as it freezes. Label the lid with the date, cover, and freeze. I wash and reuse large yogurt tubs for freezing soup; they work great since they're flexible.
Thaw soup in the fridge for several hours, or on the counter for about an hour, before transferring to a pot to heat; yogurt containers are not microwaveable. The quinoa in this soup thickens considerably, so add a splash of water to the soup before you reheat it on low or medium heat, stirring often.
Not really. Although chili powder usually contains cumin, I'd only make that substitution in a pinch. I'd be concerned the soup would taste like chili with that addition, and not like the soup I wanted.
I prefer chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or black beans in this soup. Firm red beans, white beans, and pinto beans will also work well. I usually use whatever unseasoned, leftover beans I have available. Although I regularly toss leftovers into this Mexican soup, I would not recommend adding refried beans or mushy beans, as that would thicken the broth. Whatever beans you add, be sure they don't have seasonings (like basil) that would conflict with the flavors in this soup.
Yes! If you have cooked quinoa, brown rice, or other whole grains, reduce the water by 1 cup and stir the grain into the soup during the last few minutes of cooking time to warm them. If using pasta or white rice that can become mushy, still reduce the water by 1 cup, but heat the grain separately and pour the soup over it in the bowls when you serve it.
Yes! Quinoa and brown rice are naturally gluten-free, so my Mexican Soup can be gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free broth. Be sure to check the ingredient lists before using.
Yes! As written, my Mexican soup is vegan, provided you use vegetable broth and omit cheese; be sure to check the label on your broth.
As written, this soup is spiced but not spicy. To make it spicier, I would add a can of diced tomatoes with jalapenos or spicy salsa. Hot sauce is another good choice; add it to the bowl during serving as desired. You could also add a leftover chipotle in adobo sauce, or its sauce to the soup; start with one pepper, as they can be spicy. Be aware, though, that the smoky sauce may change the flavor of the soup.
Other Mexican- and Latin-Inspired Recipes
Here's some of my other favorite recipes that would go great with Mexican Soup:
Other Favorite Weeknight Meals
Here's some of my other favorite easy meals for weeknights.
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Mexican Soup
Equipment
- large pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (14 grams)
- ½ cup onion (chopped) (½ a medium onion)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can; around 2 cups)
- ⅓ cup salsa (optional; recommended if not using tomatoes)
- 14 ounces black beans (1 can, rinsed and drained)
- 29 ounces cooked hominy (1 large or 2 regular can(s), rinsed and drained)
- ½ cup quinoa (~3 ounces, uncooked; rinse before adding)
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (use bouillon and water if desired)
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons lime juice or lemon juice (optional but recommended if not using salsa)
- cheese, cilantro, or tortilla chips (for serving; optional)
Instructions
- In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add garlic and saute for another minute.
- Add cumin and oregano, and stir to combine. Add tomatoes with their liquid, salsa (if using), beans, hominy, quinoa or rice, bouillon, and water. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil.
- Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for another 15-30 minutes, however long your package of quinoa says to cook. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Taste soup. Add lime juice to make the soup taste brighter, if desired. Add salt and adjust other seasonings to taste.
- Serve with cheese, cilantro, or tortilla chips if desired. Leftovers are delicious.
Notes
[Originally written March 18, 2019. Revised and rewritten October 21, 2025.]
Leona Konkel says
I've made this for the last 20 years because it's delicious and so easy to make! It's my catch-all recipe, perfect for using up odds and ends from my refrigerator. I hope you enjoy making and eating this soup as much as we do!