Beans and Rice Taco Soup is a 30 minute, one pot meal that's made with only canned and shelf-stable ingredients. This flavorful and hearty tomato soup is filled with spicy salsa, black beans, corn, rice, and taco seasoning.
When you're stuck at home and can't make it to the store, it can be difficult to come up with tasty recipes with pantry ingredients alone. You'll love my beans and rice taco soup because not only is it flavorful and spicy, but it's made with only canned and shelf-stable ingredients.
Plus, this soup is vegetarian and vegan friendly, as long as you have vegetable broth on hand. And you can easily customize your soup with any beans, canned vegetables, and grains you have on hand.
Top your soup with a dollop of sour cream, a handful of shredded cheese, or enjoy it as is.
Ingredients & substitutions
Beans - Any beans will do for this recipe - I used black beans. Pinto or kidney beans would also work well.
Corn - Canned or frozen corn, or any type of vegetables you have on hand. Green beans, peas, or mixed vegetables would all work in a pinch.
Salsa - The salsa you use will determine the amount of heat in your soup! Use a mild salsa, or half a jar of salsa if you have heat-sensitive family members. More salsa can be stirred into individual bowls for those who like a hotter soup.
Rice - I used regular rice, not instant. If you only have instant rice on hand, or would like to use pasta instead, cook your soup for as long as directed according to the pasta/instant rice directions.
Broth - Use vegetable broth to make this soup vegan. Chicken and beef broth will also work well.
Soup tips and tricks
This soup comes together in a single saucepan on the stove top. It's as easy as dumping all of your ingredients into a pot, stirring, and allowing your rice to cook.
Your soup will continue to thicken as it sits, because the rice will absorb some of the liquid as it cooks. If you'd like a thinner soup, feel free to add additional water as needed. If you have leftovers, you may need to add a splash of water when reheating.
What to serve with taco soup
What to serve with taco soupWant to add a little extra to your soup? I like to serve this soup with a wedge of crusty sourdough bread or a cheese quesadilla.
Try topping your soup with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, or fresh parsley.
📖 Recipe
Beans and Rice Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 15 ounces canned beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup rice, uncooked
- 15 ounces canned corn, drained
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 16 ounces salsa
- 32 ounces broth, chicken, beef, or vegetable
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- In a pot over medium-high heat, add beans, rice, corn, tomato sauce, salsa, broth, and taco seasoning, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low.
- Cook for 20 minutes (for regular rice), or until rice is cooked through. If using instant rice, pasta, or another grain, cook according to package directions. Remove lid and stir pot twice during cooking to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom.
- Remove from heat and add up to two cups of water to thin soup. Otherwise, soup will be thick, like a stew. Allow to set for 5 minutes, then serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- To make this soup vegan, use vegetable broth only.
- Beans - black, kidney, or pinto beans can be used in this recipe.
- Canned corn can be substituted with frozen corn or mixed vegetables.
- Type of salsa used will determine the heat of your soup. Use a mild salsa, or only half a jar of salsa, if you have heat-sensitive family members. Additional salsa can be added to individual bowls for those who'd like hotter soup.
- Regular rice can be substituted with instant rice or pasta if desired. Please consult package directions for cook times and adjust accordingly.
I didn't add the water as I thought it would dilute the soup too much. I added about 3 cups of corn. Also added a bit less than a litre of chicken broth as well as two large chicken breasts. Put a bit of chili powder in there as well. Recipe turned out great.
I was a bit concerned about the rice absorbing too much liquid from the soup and making it too thick so I rinsed and pre-soaked it for 20 minutes or so before throwing it into the pot after about 10 minutes of simmering.
Hi Devin, glad to hear you enjoyed the soup, sounds like you made a great variation! The water is included in the recipe because the rice cooks in the soup (1 cup of rice absorbs 2 cups of liquid as it cooks), so in that step we're adding back the liquid absorbed by the rice.
Just finished making this and it is soo good! Thank you for a fast, easy, and delicious recipe with simple ingredients. Will definitely be making this again.
Very easy recipe. I have added some additional spices as my family enjoys the heat. Add some fresh baked cornbread and it's complete!
Very easy and very tasty. I added a second can of beans but other than that followed the recipe. I will be making this again!!!
Would this work in the slow cooker? If so, for how long would you guess? Thanks.
I have not tried this in a slow cooker, but I think it would turn out just fine. From looking at other similar recipes, I'd guess it would take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours on low (or until the rice is cooked through).
Super easy soup. I needed a meatless soup and this fits the bill. Just dump in the cans and heat!
This turned out great! I made it Vegan, with veggie broth so instead of adding water, I just added a bit more veg broth. I also added a few spoons of cumin and a small amount of chopped Jalapeños, and stirred in some fresh, chopped cilantro at the end. Loved the recipe...loved the no- chopping!
It was delish! Thank you for a recipe with simple pantry staples.
Yum! This looks delicious, I love the simplicity of it! Even more, I love that it’s vegan! (12 years👌🏻) Not too big on rice so I think I may try quinoa... perhaps lentils? cauliflower rice? More beans? So many possibilities.
This turned out so good! Made it with hot salsa, we like spicy food. Topped it with sour cream, cheese, and crispy jalapenos. So easy to make and all in one pan. Will definitely make it again soon. Thanks for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe!