Swirl Tortilla Soup with Toasted Black Beans
There was a restaurant that we used to go to when I was a kid that had the most amazing blended tortilla soup. It seemed like such a novelty back then, but now tortilla soup is a fairly common stand-in for chili—often a lighter alternative. This recipe is partially a nod to my memory of “that great tortilla soup” and equally a nod to chili. The toasted black beans give it a hint of hearty “chili-ness,” but the rest of the soup’s texture is exceptionally light and smooth—especially with the added swirl of yogurt, Mexican crema, or sour cream. It’s a perfect meet-in-the-middle bowl.
- 1 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper (seeds and ribs removed), chopped
- 4 large or 6 small garlic cloves, halved
- 2.5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1.5 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. sweet paprika
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 28 oz. can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 3 c. low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable broth (avoid mushroom-based vegetable stocks)
- 6 6-inch yellow or white corn tortillas, cut or torn into pieces (see TIP A)
- 1 14-16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt, Mexican crema, or sour cream (thin the yogurt or sour cream with 2-3 tbsp. milk if desired)
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Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Then add all of the remaining Soup ingredients (carrots through corn tortillas) and bring to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce heat to low and let simmer partially covered for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables and tortillas soften. Stir occasionally.
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Meanwhile, pile the black beans at the center of a large rimmed baking sheet and top with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gently toss the beans with your hands and then spread them in an even layer across the baking sheet. Put in a pre-heated 425° oven for 15-20 minutes or until the beans split and become crispy. Once done, remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
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After the soup ingredients have softened, work in batches to purée the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender directly into the pot. Blend until smooth throughout. Keep the puréed soup warm over low heat until ready to serve.
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Portion the soup into serving bowls and top each bowl with a few dollops of yogurt, Mexican crema, or sour cream. Drag your spoon through the dollops to create a swirl pattern. Add a small mound of toasted black beans to the center of each bowl. Serve any remaining beans on the side. See TIP B for make-ahead and freeze instructions.
TIP A: For this recipe, you want to be sure to use 100% white or yellow corn tortillas (not wheat or flour blend), and typically the less fat content, the better. Corn tortillas with too much added fat do not break-down as easily in the soup.
TIP B: This is a great soup to make-ahead and freeze for a rainy day. After you purée the ingredients, transfer the soup to an air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 weeks. When ready to serve, defrost and re-heat slowly over a low flame. Toast the beans as the soup re-heats.