Hearty Bean Soup

This is a pantry-staple bean soup that takes 35 minutes start to finish but tastes like it’s been simmering for hours. The combination of canned kidney beans, frozen corn and canned tomatoes means it works year-round, and the chili powder plus cumin gives it a Tex-Mex personality that lifts it above the average vegetable soup.

The brief 10-minute simmer is enough because all the protein comes from already-cooked canned beans. Longer cooking just deepens the flavor a touch but isn’t required, this is built for weeknight speed.

Don’t drain the canned tomatoes. The juice goes into the soup and contributes both liquid and flavor. Draining wastes the part of the tomato that does the most heavy work in the broth.

The optional tablespoon of sugar is worth using. Canned tomatoes can be sharply acidic. A small amount of sugar rounds out the broth without making it sweet, just balanced.

The shredded cheddar on top is doing more than decoration. It melts into a gooey layer as you stir, thickening the soup slightly and adding a salty creamy contrast to the beans and tomato.

Kitchen Tips

• Rinse the canned kidney beans well to wash off the starchy canning liquid that can muddy the broth.
• Toast the chili powder and cumin in the oil with the aromatics for 30 seconds to bloom their flavors.
• For a thicker soup, mash a cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon, this releases starch and bodies up the broth.
• Top with chopped fresh cilantro along with the cheese for color and freshness.

Variations

• Add a cup of cooked ground beef or shredded chicken for a heartier protein boost.
• Swap kidney beans for black or pinto beans for a different flavor profile.
• Stir in a chopped chipotle in adobo with a teaspoon of the sauce for smoky heat.