Cowboy Bean Soup (Vegetarian)

This cowboy bean soup is a meatless take on classic cowboy soup. Kidney, pinto, and black beans take the place of the ground beef, and browned cremini mushrooms add a savory, meaty depth. Yukon Gold potatoes, corn, carrots, and red bell pepper simmer in a smoky tomato and vegetable broth seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.

It’s a real soup, not a chili. There are 6 cups of broth, and mashing a few beans at the end gives the broth body without turning it into a stew. Everything cooks in one pot in about 1 hour 15 minutes and makes about 14 cups, enough for 8 big bowls.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Genuinely vegetarian: Vegetable broth, no Worcestershire sauce (most brands contain anchovies), and nothing meat-based. As written, it’s also vegan.
• Savory without meat: Mushrooms browned hard at the start, bloomed spices, and fire-roasted tomatoes give the broth depth.
• Potatoes that hold their shape: Potatoes simmer first and the beans go in later, so the potatoes turn tender and the beans stay whole.
• Brothy but hearty: Six cups of broth keep it spoonable, and a quick mash of about 1 cup of beans and potatoes gives it body.
• Pantry-friendly: Three cans of beans, a can of tomatoes, and frozen corn do most of the work.

Ingredients

Prep: 20 minutes  |  Cook: 55 minutes  |  Total: 1 hour 15 minutes  |  Yield: about 14 cups (8 servings of about 1 3/4 cups)

Equipment: 6- to 7-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, wooden spoon, potato masher (or a large spoon), ladle

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch coins (about 1 cup)
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium), scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

Ingredient Notes

• Cremini mushrooms: They stand in for the savory depth that ground beef gives a classic cowboy soup. Brown them first, on their own, in a hot pot with room to spread out. Crowded or stirred too early, they steam and turn gray instead of browning.
• Onion, carrots, and red bell pepper: These make the vegetable base. Carrots and red pepper add natural sweetness, which balances the tomatoes, so the soup doesn’t need any added sugar.
• Three kinds of beans: Kidney beans are firm, pinto beans are creamy, and black beans hold their shape and add color. Drain and rinse them to get rid of the starchy canning liquid, which would muddy the broth and add salt. Any three 15-ounce cans of beans will work.
• Yukon Gold potatoes: Yukon Golds hold their shape while they turn creamy inside. Russets break down and cloud the broth. Cut the potatoes into even 3/4-inch cubes so they cook in the same time, and leave the thin skins on.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: They add a light smokiness. Regular diced tomatoes work too. Use the juices, since they’re part of the broth.
• Low-sodium vegetable broth: Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt, since brands vary a lot. Check the label to make sure it’s vegetarian, and taste the soup before adding the final salt.
• Spices: Use a mild American chili powder (a blend of ground chiles, cumin, and oregano), not pure cayenne or hot chile powder. Smoked paprika adds the campfire flavor, and cumin and oregano round it out. Cooking the spices briefly in oil with the tomato paste deepens their flavor.
• Lime and fresh herbs: Two tablespoons of lime juice, added off the heat, brighten the whole pot. Cilantro is traditional, and parsley works if you’d rather skip cilantro.

How to Make Cowboy Bean Soup

1. Brown the mushrooms: Set a 6- to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When it shimmers, spread the mushrooms in an even layer and cook without stirring for 3 minutes. Then stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until their liquid has cooked off and they are well browned.
2. Soften the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the onion, carrots, bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
3. Bloom the garlic, tomato paste, and spices: Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and coats the vegetables.
4. Simmer the potatoes: Add the potatoes, the diced tomatoes with their juices, the vegetable broth, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low, set the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 12 minutes, until a fork slides into the potatoes with just a little resistance.
5. Add the beans and corn: Stir in the kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, and corn. Return to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fully tender but still hold their shape.
6. Give the broth body: Using a potato masher or the back of a large spoon, lightly mash about 1 cup of the beans and potatoes against the side of the pot, then stir. The broth should look slightly thicker and still ladle easily.
7. Finish and serve: Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice and most of the cilantro. Taste and add more kosher salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors taste bright and full. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining cilantro.

Expert Tips

• Give the mushrooms space and time. Use a wide pot, spread them out, and leave them alone for the first 3 minutes. Browning is where most of the savory flavor comes from.
• Cut the potatoes evenly. Cubes of 3/4 inch are tender after about 22 minutes of total simmering (12 before the beans go in and 10 after), without falling apart.
• Add the beans later. Canned beans are already cooked. Ten minutes in the pot is enough to flavor them, and longer simmering makes them split and turn mushy.
• Keep it a soup. If the soup gets too thick, especially after sitting, stir in hot vegetable broth or water, 1/2 cup at a time. For a thicker bowl, mash a little more of the beans.
• Salt at the end. Broths and canned beans vary in salt. Taste after adding the lime, which makes the soup taste saltier and brighter.

Variations and Substitutions

• Spicier: Add 1 seeded, minced jalapeño with the onion, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chile powder with the spices.
• Different beans: Swap in any 15-ounce cans you like, such as navy, great Northern, or chickpeas. With cooked dried beans, use about 1 1/2 cups of each.
• Sweet potatoes: Replace the Yukon Golds with peeled sweet potatoes cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Check them after 8 to 10 minutes of simmering, since they soften faster.
• Add greens: Stir in 3 to 4 cups of chopped kale with the beans, or a few handfuls of baby spinach just before the lime.
• Rounder flavor: If your tomatoes taste sharp, stir in 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or brown sugar with the lime. Taste first, though. Usually the carrots, pepper, and corn add enough sweetness.

What to Serve with Cowboy Bean Soup

Top each bowl with diced avocado, a spoonful of sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack, crushed tortilla chips, or lime wedges. Cheese and dairy toppings make it vegetarian rather than vegan, so choose a cheese made with non-animal rennet if that matters to you. Serve it with a wedge of cheesy jalapeño skillet cornbread for dipping.

For more cozy bowls, see our fall soup recipes roundup and our full collection of soup recipes. If you’d like a beef version with a similar hearty feel, try our vegetable beef soup.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing

• Refrigerate: Cool the soup and refrigerate it in airtight containers within 2 hours. It keeps for 3 to 4 days. It thickens as it sits because the potatoes and beans soak up broth.
• Reheat: Warm on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of broth or water to loosen it, until it’s steaming hot (165°F). In the microwave, heat single portions covered, stirring every minute.
• Freeze: Freeze in freezer-safe containers, leaving about 1 inch of headspace, for up to 3 months. Potatoes can turn soft and a little grainy after freezing. If you plan to freeze most of the batch, you can leave the potatoes out and stir freshly boiled potato cubes into the soup when you reheat it. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Make ahead: The flavor deepens overnight, so this is a good soup to make a day ahead. Add a fresh squeeze of lime and the herbs after reheating.

Cowboy Bean Soup FAQ

What is cowboy soup?

It’s a rustic, one-pot American soup that usually combines ground beef, beans, potatoes, corn, and tomatoes in a smoky, chili-spiced broth. This vegetarian version replaces the beef with three kinds of beans and browned mushrooms.

Is cowboy soup the same as chili?

No. Cowboy soup is brothy and full of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and corn. Chili is much thicker and more focused on chiles. This soup uses chili spices but keeps plenty of broth.

Is this cowboy bean soup vegan?

Yes, as written. Every ingredient is plant-based. Check that your vegetable broth and chili powder contain no animal products, and keep the toppings plant-based, such as avocado and tortilla chips.

Can I use dried beans?

Yes. Use about 4 1/2 cups of cooked beans in total (about 1 1/2 cups of each kind), cooked until tender before you add them to the soup. Salt the soup to taste, since home-cooked beans are usually less salty than canned.

How do I make the soup thicker or thinner?

For a thicker soup, mash another cup of beans and potatoes, or simmer uncovered for a few more minutes. For a thinner soup, stir in hot broth or water, 1/2 cup at a time.

Can I freeze cowboy bean soup?

Yes, for up to 3 months. The beans and broth freeze well, but the potatoes can turn soft and grainy. If you’re cooking a batch mainly for the freezer, leave the potatoes out and stir in freshly boiled ones when you reheat it.

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