Low-Calorie • Vegetarian • Gluten-Free

Active 30 min

Total 1¾ hrs (+ overnight soaking time)

Sopa Tarasca

This famous soup from the state of Michoacán in Western Mexico is often made with a base of pureed beans along with tomatoes and dried chiles, which bring a lot of the character to the dish. Here we use ancho chiles, which are sweet, earthy and relatively mild. You could also use pasillas, which have a heat level similar to anchos—or, if you like it hot, gaujillos, which also bring some smoky notes to the pot.

• 1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1½ cups diced onions
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 6 cups water
• 3 dried ancho chiles (see Tip), stemmed and seeded
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• Crumbled queso fresco, lime wedges & tortilla chips for garnish

1. Drain and rinse beans.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and chili powder; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the drained beans and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the beans are tender, 1 to 1½ hours.

3. Meanwhile, soak chiles in boiling water until the skins have softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and chop.

4. Add the chiles, tomatoes and their juice, salt and pepper to the beans. Puree the soup in a regular blender (in batches, if necessary) until very smooth. (Use caution when blending hot liquids.) Serve topped with avocado and garnished with queso fresco, lime wedges and tortilla chips, if desired.

Serves 8: 1½ cups each

Calories 319 | Fat 9g (sat 1g) | Cholesterol 0mg | Carbs 48g | Total sugars 5g (added 0g) | Protein 15g | Fiber 14g | Sodium 433mg | Potassium 1,314mg.

Nutrition bonus: Folate (84% daily value) | Vitamin A (37 % dv) | Vitamin C (36 % dv) | Iron (25% dv).

Ancho chiles are dried poblanos—the glossy, dark green chiles traditionally used in chiles rellenos. Anchos have a fruity, moderately spicy and slightly smoky flavor.