Delicious and hearty, this Pulled Pork Soup brings all the warm flavors of the Southwest.
Isn’t soup a miraculous thing? There are so many different kinds, one to suit every mood. And soup is a blank canvas for whatever you’re craving. When I’m craving Southwestern flavors, I love to make this Pulled Pork Soup. It covers the major food groups–protein, veggies, good carbs from the black beans, and dairy in the sour cream–an entire meal in a bowl! It’s warm, comforting, so flavorful, and one of my favorite ways to use leftover shredded pork.
There is so much to love about this soup, especially the way all the ingredients complement each other while also remaining distinct, entirely their own. Pulled Pork Soup is chunky and hearty, spicy and tangy, and there is also a lovely, subtle sweetness that comes from the corn. All these wonderful flavors in perfect harmony. So good.
Pulled Pork Soup is also really easy to make. As it cooks, it will fill your kitchen with an irresistible aroma, starting with the searing of the pulled pork in some hot oil. Once you’ve cooked and combined the other ingredients and then returned the seared shredded pork to the pot, you’ll scrape up the meat’s browned bits from the pot’s bottom and incorporate them into the rest of the soup to achieve a deep, rich flavor that makes this soup so satisfying.
And the toppings! It’s really fun to serve this soup like a taco bar: a big tureen of soup at one end of the table, followed by little bowls of tangy sour cream, grated cheese, creamy avocado, and cilantro. And then I usually add some sliced jalapenos and crispy garlic (an unusual choice, I know, but it is so great on top of this soup), and I serve it all with tortilla chips and Queso. YUM.
The Beauty of Beans
Black beans are so delicious. Their flavor is deep and savory, and their texture is smooth yet distinct. Served cold in salads or warm, like in Pulled Pork Soup, they add that special layer of tastiness and heft that makes any dish they are a part of so satisfying.
And as if that isn’t enough, black beans are a powerful source of nutrition. High in protein and fiber, black beans are good carbs with a low glycemic index so they are a fine choice for people with diabetes. They are rich in antioxidants, low in fat and calories, and contain no cholesterol, which means they promote good heart health. Black beans contain so many essential vitamins and minerals. All of these great benefits in a tiny bean!
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Pulled Pork Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes well, for up to 6 months, but only if your shredded pork has not been previously frozen (it’s never a good idea to refreeze meat!). Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, which can be done in the microwave or on the stove. (You can also thaw it in the microwave if you don’t like to wait!)
Serving Suggestions
Two things that always seem to go hand in hand with soup are salad and bread, so I love to serve Pulled Pork Soup with Cucumber and Tomato Salad and Jenny’s Cornbread. This soup also pairs really well with Mexican Street Corn Salad and Spiced Tomatoes and Chickpeas on Homemade Flatbread. And no one ever complained about a side of Nachos with Pulled Pork Soup.
This soup is also really versatile when it comes to wanting to change it up to appeal to a variety of tastes. You can always substitute the shredded pork with Shredded Chicken or shredded Slow Cooker Brisket. And you can change up the beans, too: pinto beans, kidney beans, even chickpeas work in this soup. Another great item to add to Pulled Pork Soup is Rice. And if you are like me and love to have things to dunk into soup, there is no better dunker for Pulled Pork Soup than Grilled Cheese!
Pulled Pork Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 can 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can 15 oz sweet corn drained
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder optional
- 2 cups shredded Pork Carnitas or shredded chicken
- 24 ounces tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Corn chips for serving
- Sour cream for serving
- Grated cheese for serving
- Fresh cilantro leaves for serving
- 1 avocado diced, for serving
Instructions
- Warm Up: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat.
- Sear Meat: Add the shredded pork and cook for 1 minute until slightly browned, then remove from the saucepan.
- Sauté Veggies: Add the garlic and onion to the saucepan. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Then, stir in the bell pepper and cook for another minute until it softens.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the pork to the saucepan and add the black beans, sweet corn, tomato puree, broth, and spices, excluding salt and pepper.
- Flavor Build: Stir the mixture, scraping any browned bits from the pork off the bottom of the pan to infuse the soup with rich flavors.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and let it simmer rapidly for 3 minutes to meld the flavors together. If using crushed tomatoes, simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Season: After simmering, taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with corn chips, sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro, and diced avocado. Enjoy your meal!
This is a great recipe, especially for using leftover pulled pork. I added some tomato paste, ancho chili pepper and 2 tsp of worcestershire sauce to add even more depth. The entire family loved it! Will be making it again!
Glad to hear that you all loved this recipe! Thanks for reading.
Made this on a day when I had leftover carnitas & cleaned out the fudge & cupboard. No black beans so I used garbanzo instead. Added a little caldo de pollo to the broth. Delicious. Great for a cloudy weekend. Thank you!
That sounds like a perfect way to use up leftovers! So glad you enjoyed it! 😊