← Nouns Cooking · Mexican

Ingredients

• 500 g cooked pinto beans (or 2 drained tins)
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 chipotle in adobo
• 1 tsp Paprika
• ½ tsp Cumin
• ½ tsp Dried oregano
• 750 ml vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• 3 tbsp oil for frying the tortilla strips
• 4 tbsp Mexican crema or sour cream
• 60 g Queso fresco, crumbled
• Salt

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 min, until soft. Add the garlic, tomatoes, paprika, cumin and oregano and cook for 4 min, until the tomatoes break down.
2. Add the beans, chipotle and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 min.
3. Blend until smooth (carefully, in batches, or with a stick blender). Return to the pot, loosen with water if it is too thick and season with salt.
4. Meanwhile, fry the tortilla strips in hot oil for 1–2 min, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crema, cheese and a tangle of crispy tortilla strips.

Tips

• Black beans work just as well and give a darker, earthier soup.
• Skip the crema and cheese (or use a plant-based crema) for a vegan bowl.
• Check the stock is gluten-free if you need it to be (some stock cubes contain wheat).

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Maricruz Avalos Mexican Please