START TO FINISH: 25 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
Sopa seca, which translates to “dry soup” from the Spanish, is a Mexican dish that typically features toasted pasta cooked with broth and tomatoes. The toasted pasta absorbs the liquid, yielding noodles that are “dry,” but rich with the flavors of soup. Toasting the pasta, which first is broken into pieces, creates a rich, nutty flavor foundation and an interesting texture for the finished dish. For our version, we opted to use butternut squash instead of tomatoes. The squash added a pleasing sweetness and paired nicely with the seasonings, transforming the dish into a hearty meal for fall or winter.
Don’t forget to stir the pasta as it toasts; this helps it brown evenly.
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
12 ounces angel hair pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, tender stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped and kept separate
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1¼ quarts low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons lime juice
4 ounces queso fresco cheese, crumbled, to serve
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced, to serve
5 scallions, thinly sliced, to serve
In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Wipe out the pot.
In the Dutch oven, toss the squash with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Return to medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash begins to brown and is almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the cilantro stems, garlic, cumin, paprika and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the toasted pasta and broth, then bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook until the pasta is al dente and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the lime juice and half of the cilantro leaves. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with the remaining cilantro leaves, avocado, queso fresco and scallions.