Alright, let’s make some Sopa Tarasca! This is a smooth, creamy soup inspired by Mexican flavors, featuring pinto beans, a blend of warm chili spices, and whole tomatoes. And trust me, you’re going to want a heap of jalapeño corn fritters on top. It’s mouthwateringly good!
Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Sopa Tarasca:
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 chopped onion
- 4 smashed garlic cloves
- 1/2 tablespoon of ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoons of cumin
- One 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes
- Two 14-ounce cans of drained pinto beans
- 2-3 cups of water or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons of salt (adjust to taste)
For the Jalapeño Corn Fritters:
- 1 3/4 cups of frozen corn
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cotija cheese
- Minced jalapeño (to taste – one is usually more than enough)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and/or salt for topping
- 1 cup of vegetable oil for frying
Now, let’s get cooking!
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Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the onion and garlic and sauté until they’re soft and aromatic. Stir in the ancho chili powder and cumin and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and let it all simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, blend the mixture until smooth and return it to the pot.
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Next, puree the pinto beans with water or broth in the blender. Stir this into the tomato mixture in the pot. Let it simmer on low heat until you’re ready to serve.
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For the corn fritters, blend 1 cup of the corn until it’s somewhat smooth. Mix this with the flour, cornstarch, Cotija, jalapeño, and salt. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of corn. Heat several cups of oil in a skillet for frying. When the oil is hot, drop in the corn batter in small balls – about 1-2 tablespoons per fritter (a cookie dough scoop works well for this). Fry until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
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Serve the soup topped with corn fritters, crema, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and anything else you fancy. Enjoy!
If you have an Instant Pot, you can sauté the onion and garlic in it with a bit of olive oil. Add in the ancho chili powder and cumin, and sauté for another minute or two. Then add the tomatoes, pinto beans, and 2 cups of water or broth. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and do a quick release when the soup is done. Blend the mixture until smooth.
Here’s a bonus tip: I’ve made potato eggplant tacos and chicken tacos with the leftover soup – just use it as a simmer sauce to cook your taco filling. It’s super yummy.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
This recipe is for a soup, cooked on the stovetop, and is Mexican-inspired.
Keywords: sopa tarasca, pinto bean soup, bean soup
If you try this recipe, don’t forget to share your masterpiece with us by tagging @pinchofyum on Instagram!
