About this recipe
This soup is perfect for the days when you don’t feel like cooking and the fridge is looking empty. I like to keep a couple of cans of beans and a jar of nopales in the pantry for exactly those emergencies.
With just those two, you can pull together a soup that’s delicious, comforting, and full of flavor. It’s vegetarian, easy to make with home-cooked beans if you have them, or faster with canned beans. And when you add crispy tortilla strips made in the air fryer, it turns into a nutritious, satisfying meal.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The perfect balance of earthy beans + the bright texture of nopales.
- Light and healthy, great if you’re looking for a meatless option.
- Super flexible — use whatever you have on hand (black or pinto beans, jarred or fresh nopales).
- Easy to dress up with white rice, noodles, or even shredded chicken if you want
Ingredient notes
- Black or pinto beans (canned or 3 cups cooked with their liquid)
- Vegetable broth or water
- Onion and garlic
- Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- Nopales — jarred or cooked fresh
- Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- Corn tortillas, cut into strips and crisped in the air fryer
- Optional toppings: queso fresco, cotija or panela, cilantro or epazote
How to make sopa de frijol con nopal
If you’re using canned beans and they taste a little too salty, give them a quick rinse but save some of the liquid for flavor. If you’re using home-cooked beans, don’t throw away the cooking liquid — that’s where all the flavor lives.
In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and let it soften slowly until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Next goes the garlic, thinly sliced or finely chopped — cook for just 30 seconds to release the aroma without burning.
Add the beans with their liquid and the broth (or water). Bring everything up to a gentle boil. Season with oregano and salt to taste. Lower the heat and let it simmer 10–15 minutes so the flavors meld together.
While the soup simmers, make the tortilla strips. Near the end, stir in the nopales. Serve the soup hot, topped with crispy tortillas, extra nopales, crumbled queso fresco if you like, and a few sprigs of cilantro or epazote.
Cooking tips
- Beans: use what you have — black, pinto, or even bayo. Each gives the soup a slightly different flavor and color.
- Texture: For a creamier texture, blend part of the beans with broth and return to the pot. Leave everything whole for a lighter soup.
- Spice: stir in a chipotle in adobo or a dried pasilla chile for a smoky kick.
- Nopales: if using fresh, boil them first with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to reduce the slime. If using jarred, rinse them well before adding.
- Tortilla strips can be made in the oven, skillet, or air fryer. For extra flavor, sprinkle with chili powder or paprika before crisping.
- Toppings: besides queso fresco, try diced avocado, a drizzle of crema, or thinly sliced radishes for freshness.
- Meal prep: store the soup without tortilla strips; add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Sopa de frijol con nopal with tortilla strips
A simple, flavor-packed soup made with black or pinto beans, fresh or jarred nopales, and crispy tortilla strips. Nutritious, cozy, and perfect for busy weeknights.
- Soup pot
- 2 cans black or pinto beans (or 3 cups cooked beans with liquid)
- 3 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 jar nopales in strips (or 2 cups cooked fresh nopales)
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- Salt to taste
- 4 corn tortillas (cut into strips, crisped in the air fryer or oven)
- Optional: queso fresco (cilantro or epazote)
- If using canned beans and they’re very salty, rinse lightly but save some of the liquid. If using home-cooked beans, keep part of the cooking broth.
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Stir in beans with liquid and broth. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Season with oregano and salt. Lower heat and simmer 10–15 minutes.
- Add nopales near the end and cook 2–3 minutes, just to warm through.
- Serve hot with tortilla strips, extra nopales, queso fresco, and fresh herbs.
- Black beans give a richer flavor and darker color, while pintos are milder.
- Blend a portion of the soup for a creamier texture.
- About the Author
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I’m Ale Graf, a Mexican living in Texas and the creator of AleCooks and Piloncillo&Vainilla. I share easy, family-friendly recipes—some Mexican, mostly plant-based—that can be enjoyed all day, every day. My focus is on recipes that bring people together around the table, making mealtime simple, delicious and meaningful. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino, and my recipes have been featured in numerous online magazines and publications.
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