it's finally been chilly enough throughout the entire day that i can comfortably wear a couple of the sweaters i bought for "winter". most people i talk to say this warm, sunny winter isn't normal for this time of year, so consider me very grateful. but you know that feeling at the end of summer when you want the heat to dissipate, and all you want to do is hunker down, make a pot of soup, and wear your biggest comfiest sweater? well i feel i've been having one of those moments for months, and finally the cool weather has come! and i celebrated by choosing the coziest dish i could find among the beautiful pages of my friends sonja and alex's new book, pretty simple cooking! if you don't already know sonja and alex, they are the lovely duo behind the blog, a couple cooks; and their podcast, a couple cooks podcast. their blog focusses on whole food, vegetarian recipes. they're the kind of recipes we all want to reach for: delicious, fun, accessible, and not intimidating!
their book is a reflection of that philosophy, too! admittedly, i get into dinner ruts all the time, so i always flip to the mains section of the cookbooks i own for ideas and inspiration. and now with amesy, i really only choose recipes with accessible, easy-to-prep ingredients, and easy-to-execute recipes. and as soon as i opened the pages of pretty simple cooking i was met with a flurry of recipes that i cannot wait to make! on the list is: darn good vegan chili, their burrito bowl with lime crema(!), falafel burgers, and their rainbow soba noodle bowls. i've already made this delightful tortilla soup which has been so satisfying to eat on these chilly nights, along with their bliss bites (basically an inside out peanut butter cup, but with good-for-you ingredients!) which are the easiest to make, and hit the spot every time i'm craving something chocolatey.
this soup though! it's super satisfying and so, so tasty. i'm not the biggest chipotle person, i usually use chipotle powder (because i'm a wuss and usually add a teeny pinch), but i love the flavor here. it brings a depth to this soup it wouldn't have had without it. i ended up having to skip the corn because i was shopping with amesy and forgot to get it at the store. but i could see adding some cooked sweet potato or carrots could be great here too if you're like me and forget ingredients all the time! but the best part are the tortilla strips - they're the perfect little nod to a traditional tortilla soup and make everything taste 100 times more amazing, plus they're baked, and taste just as good as the fried version!
wishing you all a cozy week ❤️
chipotle black bean tortilla soup | gf & v
Reprinted from Pretty Simple Cooking by Sonja and Alex Overhiser with permission from the publisher.
print the recipe!
| serves 4 to 6 |
- 6 6-inch corn tortillas
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (fire roasted, if possible)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)*
- 1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 radishes, for garnigh
- 1 lime, for garnish
- 1 handful cilantro, for garnish
- hot sauce (optional)
method
- preheat the oven to 375°F.
- make the tortilla strips: brush the tortillas lightly with olive oil on each side. using a pizza cutter, slice them in half, then into thin strips. place the strips on a baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.
- make the soup: peel and dice the onion. dice the green pepper. peel and mince the garlic. drain and rinse the beans.
- in a large pot of dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. add the green pepper and the garlic and saute for 2 minutes. stir in the oregano and the cumin for 1 minute. add the tomatoes, beans, corn, adobo sauce, broth, and kosher salt. bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. taste and add additional adobo sauce or kosher salt if desired.
- prepare the garnishes: slice the radishes. slice the lime into wedges.
- to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and allow to cool to warm. garnish with tortilla strips, radishes, torn cilantro leaves, hot sauce, and plenty of lime juice.
alex and sonja's notes:
*use 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can, the peppers and remaining sauce can be reserved (or frozen) for future use.
GF* for gluten-free, use gluten-free adobo sauce (check packaging prior to purchase).
similar recipes:
BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHILI W/ CILANTRO YOGURT
SPICY CHICKPEA STEW W/ QUINOA PILAF
WEEKNIGHT PEANUT VEGETABLE CURRY