Hearty Pinto Bean Soup
Sopa Tarasca
Serves 6 to 8 Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Can be made up to 4 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated (you may need to add some chicken broth or water to thin the soup out when you reheat it); can also be frozen for up to 3 months
I tasted this soup from the state of Michoacán a couple of years ago while on a culinary research trip in Morelia, the capital. I fell so madly in love with it that I promised every cook I met that I would try anything as long as I could, please, have some sopa tarasca first. It gets its name from Michoacán’s predominant indigenous group, the Tarascos (also called the Purépechas).
Thick and rich, it’s perfect for the cold fall and winter months. Served with garnishes including fresh cheese, diced avocado, and Mexican crema, along with dried chile crisps if you like, it becomes a hearty one-bowl meal.
- 1 ancho chile, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 1½ pounds ripe tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cups Simple Beans from the Pot made with pinto beans, pureed with 1 cup cooking liquid, or two 15.5-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and pureed with 1½ cups water
- 4 cups broth from Mexican Chicken Broth or canned chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco, Cotija, farmer cheese, or mild feta
- ½ cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or sour cream
- 1½ cups Tortilla Crisps
- ½ cup Dried Chile Crisps made with ancho chiles (optional)
- 1 ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted, meat scooped out, and diced
- Place the ancho chile and tomatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with water, bring to a simmer, and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chile has softened and plumped and the tomatoes are soft. Let cool slightly.
- Working in batches if necessary, transfer the chile, tomatoes, and ½ cup of the cooking liquid to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chile-tomato puree and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it darkens in color and thickens. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the bean puree, broth, and salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the soup deepens in flavor and has a creamy consistency. Taste for seasoning and remove from the heat (the soup will thicken quickly).
- Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with about a tablespoon of cheese, some cream, a handful of tortilla crisps, a few dried chile crisps (if using), and some diced avocado—or pass the garnishes at the table and let your guests customize.
