Black Bean and Rice Soup can be made in the slow cooker or on the stove, and this tasty vegetarian soup has been a hit. The soup only has a small amount of rice, and the addition of lime and cilantro makes it extra tasty!
PIN Black Bean and Rice Soup to try it later!
I first made this Black Bean and Rice Soup in the slow cooker when black beans had been on my mind, and this recipe was one of those intuitive ones that swirled around in my brain for a few days and then suddenly I found myself in the kitchen making it. This has happened to me for years, but luckily when I started blogging I learned to write the recipes down.
The soup was flavorful and delicious, with earthy beans, sour lime juice, and spicy cilantro all combined in a healthy soup without a drop of fat, salt, or gluten, and although I used chicken broth, it could easily be vegetarian or vegan if you used vegetable stock. I’ve made this recipe so many times for parties when I wanted a vegetarian option and it’s always been a hit. And now there are also stovetop instructions if you prefer to make it on the stove.
Get new recipes via email:
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
What if you’re not a cilantro fan?
If you’re someone with the tastebuds that make cilantro not appealing, just use more thinly-sliced green onion instead of the cilantro.
Do you prefer to use dried beans instead of canned?
If you prefer not to use canned beans, just cook dried black beans in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot for this recipe. Two cans of beans is equal to 3.5 cups of cooked beans.
How to Make Black Bean and Rice Soup:
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- In a 3.5 Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link), combine beans, tomatoes, chicken or vegetable stock, onions, garlic, cumin, oregano, Ancho chile powder, and Chipotle chile powder.
- Cook on low 6-8 hours (or on high 3-4 hours.)
- When beans and tomatoes are very well done (even starting to fall apart), it’s time to add the rice. You might be tempted to use more rice, but trust me, 1/4 cup will be perfect.
- If you were cooking on low, turn the slow cooker to high.
- Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- Then stir in the fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro and cook about 5 minutes.
- Serve hot, with more lime and cilantro to add at the table.
- Check the complete recipe below for stovetop instructions.
More Tasty Soups You Might Like:
The Top Ten Low-Carb Soup Recipes on Kalyn’s Kitchen
Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker Soup Index
Ingredients
- two 15. oz. cans black beans with liquid
- two 14.5 oz. cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (see notes)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tsp. minced garlic (or more)
- 1 T ground cumin
- 1 T dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- 1 tsp. ground Ancho chile powder (see notes)
- 1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle chile powder (see notes)
- 1/4 cup white long-grain rice (see notes)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (see notes)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more)
- additional fresh limes to squeeze on at the table (optional)
Instructions
- In small Crockpot, combine beans, tomatoes, chicken or vegetable stock, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano (affiliate link), Ancho chile powder and Chipotle chile powder.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours (or 3-4 hours on high), until tomatoes are disintegrating and beans are starting to fall apart.
- When soup has reached the consistency you want, turn Crockpot to high if you were cooking on low. Add 1/4 cup rice and cook until rice (affiliate link) is done, about 30 minutes.
- Add fresh lime juice and cilantro and cook 5 minutes more. Serve hot, with additional fresh lime pieces for each person to squeeze into soup and more cilantro if desired.
Stovetop Directions:
- Increase the stock to 2 1/2 cups. Combine beans, tomatoes, chicken or vegetable stock, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano (affiliate link), Ancho chile powder and Chipotle chile powder in a 3-4 quart saucepan and simmer on low for about 60 minutes (or until the tomatoes and beans are well done.)
- If the liquid has reduced quite a bit, add 1/2-1 cup water, then add the rice and simmer for 30 minutes more, or until rice is tender.
- Add fresh lime juice and cilantro and cook 5 minutes more. Serve hot, with additional fresh lime pieces for each person to squeeze into soup and more cilantro if desired.
Notes
Use homemade chicken stock if you prefer. Use vegetable stock or broth to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan.
If you don’t have ground Ancho chile (affiliate link), use any chile powder or mild ground chile you have on hand. If you don’t have ground Chipotle chile pepper (affiliate link) use any spicy ground chile you have on hand, or a dash of hot sauce.
I use Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice (affiliate link) which is the lowest-glycemic type of white rice.
I used my new favorite Crock-Pot 3.5 Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe. Any slow cooker that’s 3-4 quarts will work.
Recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 174Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 869mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 12gSugar: 4gProtein: 10g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Soup like this Black Bean and Rice Soup with a lot of low-glycemic ingredients and just a little rice is a perfect choice for Phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet. Use Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice (affiliate link) or brown rice to keep this South Beach friendly. Soup with beans and rice would be too high in carbs for a stricter low-carb diet plan.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Soup Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there. Click here for more Slow Cooker / Pressure Cooker Recipes on my other site!
Historical Notes for This Recipe:
Black Bean and Rice Soup was updated February 2013 with better photos and instructions. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2021.
Share This:
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.
The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.
But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.
Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.
And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.
What makes the best keto chili?
Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.
In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.
Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.
Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.
But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.
Can you make keto chili ahead of time?
I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.
It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.
So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.
The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!
Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.
Tips for making Short Rib Chili
Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.
Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.
Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.
Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.
Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.
Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.
Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.
Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food?
Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.
Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
Print
Pin
Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone in short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- ⅓ cup beef bone broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.
Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Short Rib Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)
Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319
% Daily Value*
Fat 35.4g54%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Protein 22.6g45%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Join the Conversation (0)
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
Hi, I'm Alex!
I love sharing easy, healthy, and family-friendly recipes that anyone can make at home.
Be the first to comment on this recipe!