Happy October 2nd! Cooler fall weather is upon us! I also realize it’s been a minute since I last posted. Essentially, I took a summer vacation off as I moved to Utah and got situated in a new apartment and job. But what better way to return to the blog, then to write a post on homemade tortilla soup?
I found a recipe on tortilla soup on Pinterest years ago, and since then I have perfected the recipe based on what I thought tasted good. This soup is ideal for those mild fall and winter days, when one is fighting off a cold, or just when you want to be a boss b**** in the kitchen (or at least I feel that way when I make this dish). Tortilla soup can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week, and it tastes just as good reheated on the stove. In fact, I actually had some left overs tonight and it was delicious.
I am definitely not going to pretend I am a master chef, but you seriously cannot go wrong with this recipe. You’re welcome in advance and I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoke paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper for taste
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup mesa flour diluted in 1/2 cup of water
- 1 can black beans
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 lime
- Optional toppings: sliced avocado, tortilla chips (will need corn tortillas to make these homemade), coja cheese, hot sauce, and sour cream, etc.
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat and add diced red bell pepper and diced jalapeño peppers (for more spicy flavor, keep seeds). Sauté for roughly five minutes.
Once peppers are browned, add minced garlic, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper to skillet and coat. Cook for an additional minute.
In a separate pot, heat stock and season with salt and pepper for taste. Bring soup to a boil.
Add diluted mesa to stock. Then add the bell pepper, jalapeño, garlic, and seasoning mixture to stock.
Turn the stock pot to low and cover. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
After allotted cook time, add the drained and rinsed black beans, corn, diced cilantro, and lime juice. Continue to cook (covered) for an additional 5-10 minutes.
While you are waiting for the tortilla soup to finish cooking, prepare fixings. This would even be a great time to make the homemade tortilla chips if you opt into this.
Homemade tortilla chips:
Of course, tortilla soup is not tortilla soup without the toppings. Especially not without the tortilla chips topping! So let me break it down on how to make these simple, yet tasteful, additions.
All you need to do is cut six corn tortillas into small stripes. In a bowl, mix with two tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste. Spread in an even layer on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes (the longer you bake them, the crisper they will get).
And there you have it- homemade tortilla soup, with all the fixings your little heart desires. Bon appétit!
