Name: Tarascan Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1¼ cup Pinto Beans, cooked with some cooking liquid; 250 g Tomato, roughly chopped; ½ Onion, roughly chopped; 2 clove Garlic, peeled; 1 Dried Ancho Chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 Dried Guajillo Chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1½ tbsp Neutral Oil, divided; 2 Corn Tortillas, cut into thin strips; ½ tsp Dried Oregano, crumbled; ¼ tsp Ground Cumin, for seasoning; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; 1½ cup Water, for blending and simmering; ¼ cup Queso Fresco, crumbled; 2 tbsp Mexican Crema, for serving

40 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Method

Toast the dried chiles briefly on a dry pan until fragrant, then soak them in hot water until pliable.
Blend the softened chiles with tomato, onion, garlic, cooked pinto beans, and the measured water until smooth.
Heat the measured oil in a pot, pour in the blended soup base, and cook until the raw aroma softens and the color deepens.
Season with oregano, cumin powder, and salt, then simmer until the soup is smooth, lightly thick, and spoon-coating.
Fry or toast the tortilla strips until crisp, then serve the soup with tortilla strips, queso fresco, and crema.

How to tell it's done

The finished soup should be velvety and pourable, with a gentle bean thickness rather than a heavy paste.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not burn the dried chiles while toasting; even a few dark scorched spots can make the soup bitter.

What to serve it with

Serve hot with extra tortilla strips on the side so they stay crisp.

Common mistakes

The soup is bitter.: Toast the dried chiles for seconds only, until they smell fragrant and turn pliable. Ancho and guajillo scorch fast, and one burnt chilli carries bitterness through the entire pot.
The texture is grainy.: Blend longer than feels necessary, then pass it through a sieve if you want it properly smooth. Chile skins and bean hulls both resist a blender, and a Tarascan soup is meant to be velvety.

Substitutions

Mexican Crema — Use a mild cultured cream only if Mexican crema is unavailable.

Storing and reheating

Keeps four days in the fridge and freezes for three months. It thickens as it stands; loosen with water or stock. Fry the tortilla strips fresh — stored ones soften and there is no reviving them in soup.

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Ingredients