SERVES 6 TO 8 · GF, DF, VEGAN ADAPTABLE
One month I was testing soup recipes like crazy for my upcoming Mexican cooking class and nothing was hitting the mark. Finally I decided to follow the advice I give my students: when you have a recipe that you love, start tweaking the flavors to create something totally different. I turned to my Late Summer Minestrone recipe and adapted it with Mexican spices and toppings. The verdict—a winner! You can easily serve this soup as a full meal since it is really substantial and provides a complete protein with the beans and rice together. If you really need more, serve it with the Mexican Salad (here) or a simple quesadilla.
2 tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 medium-size onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 medium-size carrots, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 pound fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or 1 (18-ounce) jar, diced with juice
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken (not vegan) or vegetable stock (for homemade, see here)
½ cup uncooked white or brown, long- or short-grain rice
4 small zucchini, cut into medium dice (about 4 cups)
1½ cups cooked pinto beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
Handful of greens, such as spinach, baby kale, beet green leaves or Swiss chard, coarsely chopped (optional)
Optional toppings: crumbled Cotija cheese (omit for DF), julienned radish, avocado, GF/DF tortilla chips
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat and add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the onion translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the spices and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
2. Add the tomatoes with their juice, half of the cilantro, and ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Cook for 5 minutes more, until the tomatoes are fragrant.
3. Add the stock, rice, 1½ teaspoons of salt, and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so that the soup simmers. Cook for about 10 minutes for white rice, 30 minutes for brown.
4. Add the zucchini and beans and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the rice is tender.
5. Add the chopped greens, if using, and stir until wilted. Serve with the remaining chopped cilantro and your desired toppings.
6. To freeze, follow the instructions here for freezing stock.
TIP: Soups with grains tend to thicken up as they sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator. To bring them back to a thinner consistency, warm them on the stove and then add extra stock or water.