Chorizo and Black Bean Sopa Seca
SERVES 4
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Its name might mean “dry soup,” but sopa seca is a really saucy Mexican dish made with thin, coiled strands of toasted pasta, known as fideos, that are baked in broth with tomatoes and capped with melted cheese. To create our own version of this satisfying dish, our first move was finding a supermarket-friendly substitute for the fideos. Vermicelli, broken into pieces and toasted in a hot skillet, worked just fine. Most recipes call for tomatoes plus a variety of dried chiles, but we decided that hot salsa covered all the bases for our six-ingredient recipe. Thin sliced chorizo and black beans added savory, meaty notes and heft. For the cooking liquid, chicken broth gave us an overly salty dish, so we stuck with water, which we added right to the skillet, turning this into an easy, one-pan dinner. Shredded Monterey Jack, which we sprinkled over the hot pasta before covering the pan, added creamy richness and balanced the spicy flavors of the dish. Serve with diced avocado and thinly sliced scallions, if desired. See the Test Kitchen Tip that follows the recipe.
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8 |
ounces vermicelli |
|
1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
|
4 |
ounces chorizo sausage |
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1 |
(15-ounce) can black beans |
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2 |
cups fresh hot salsa |
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½ |
cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese |
1. Break vermicelli into 2-inch lengths, then toss with 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Toast vermicelli over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until browned and resembles color of peanut butter, 6 to 10 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate.
2. Halve chorizo lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Rinse beans and stir into skillet with toasted vermicelli, salsa, and 2 cups water. Bring to rapid simmer, cover, and simmer vigorously, stirring often, until vermicelli is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Off heat, season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle cheese over top. Cover and let stand until cheese melts, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve.