Tarascan Pinto Bean and Tomato Soup
Sopa Tarasca
Recipe Yield
6 to 8 Servings
Cooking time
35 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
For soup:
- 1 pound ripe plum or roma tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 (about 1 ounce) ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup white onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt divided, or more to taste
- 3 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
- 1 pound cooked pinto beans plus 2 cups of their cooking liquid or 2 14-ounce cans cooked pinto beans plus 2 cups water
- 3 cups chicken broth vegetable broth or water
For garnishes:
- 1/2 cup Mexican style cream
- 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips
- 1 ancho chile stemmed, seeded, diced, deep fried for a few seconds
- 1 avocado, peeled seeded, meat scooped out and diced, optional
To Prepare
- Place the tomatoes, garlic, and ancho chile in a saucepan. Cover with water, and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes are completely cooked through and ancho chile is rehydrated.
- Transfer the tomatoes, garlic, and ancho chile to a blender or food processor, along with 1 cup of the cooking liquid, the white onion, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Puree until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the pureed tomato mixture and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it darkens in color and thickens in consistency.
- Meanwhile, rinse your blender or food processor, then add the pinto beans and 2 cups of their cooking liquid (or water, if using canned beans) and puree until smooth.
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir the bean puree, broth and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt into the thickened tomato mixture. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the soup has seasoned and has a creamy consistency. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Turn off the heat, as it thickens quickly.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with a tablespoon of the cream and top with some cheese, a handful of crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips, a few fried ancho chile crisps and some diced avocado. You can also place the garnishes in bowls on the table to let your guests decide how much of each garnish they want to add to their bowls.
- The soup itself may be cooled and stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because this soup thickens a bit as it cools, you may need to add some chicken broth or water to thin it out when you reheat it.
Comments
130comments inTarascan Pinto Bean and Tomato Soup
jlove101
Feb 05
Amazing soup! We make this often!
Pati Jinich
Feb 08
Yum, I love it as well!
Rick Smith
Jan 21
Awesome! You do such a great job!!!!
Pati Jinich
Jan 27
Very kind of you, thank you!
Anonymous
Nov 15
Can you use passilla chilies instead of ancho?
Pati Jinich
Nov 21
For the garnish I would say yes, but not for the broth, pasilla is way bitter for this 😉
Colette
Sep 29
Hola! My best friend in high school worked in her parents cafe, and this soup was their #1 seller.
Tonight I am making your recipe for our church chili cook-off.
I figured if all the other recipes have meat, yours will be perfect for those who want to try something different. Plus I can brag on you, my favorite chef!
Thank you Patti.
Con Mucho Gusto…
Pati Jinich
Oct 05
Wow, thanks Colette! How did your friends like this soup?
Rik
Jan 14
Tenía que hacer la receta después leí la. Todo estaba en casa excepto los anchos, usė un guajillo. Diferente, claro pero todavía muy sabroso.
¡Que fácil y delicioso.
I had to make this after reading the recipe. Everything was on hand save the ancho chiles, I used a guajillo instead. Different of course but still very taste.
So easy and delicious.
Muchísimas gracias
Pati Jinich
Jan 30
So glad you enjoyed it Rik!
Kathy
Jan 05
Made this soup tonight. My husband always wants some type of “meat” so I added shredded chicken at the end. My apologies if this isn’t authentic but it was amazing. I also subbed the ancho chilis for chipotle chilis in adobo because that’s what I had. WOW! A bit smokey, spicy, warm and filling. Don’t skimp on the toppings – they’re the icing on the cake! LOVED this recipe and can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!!!
Pati Jinich
Jan 07
No apologies needed Kathy, chicken makes it a great full meal, yay!
Carrie Bulger
Oct 29
Oh, yum, this is wonderful! I made it with cooked dried pintos (from Rancho Gordo) and the last tomatoes I got from my CSA share. So delicious.
Pati Jinich
Nov 02
And so comforting, isn’t it? Un abrazo!
Mary
Jul 24
Pati,I love your program !! Watching you cook brings back wonderful memories of Sunday afternoons when our family got together and my seven Aunt would cook the most wonderful meals.Handmade tortillas, tamales,salas ,delicious Mexican dishes.You have inspired me to start cooking more Mexican dishes.
Pati Jinich
Aug 16
Aw, such sweet memories Mary, thanks for sharing!
Laura King West
May 16
I quickly fell in love with your show recently, and was so excited to try this recipe after watching the episode. It was so delicious and so easy to make. My family is pescatarian and we eat mostly vegetarian recipes. I used veggie broth instead of chicken broth to meet our needs. Thank you so much for such an amazing recipe. Also, my kids loved it! Looking forward to trying a shrimp recipe next…
Pati Jinich
May 18
Thanks so much for the kind words Laura, so glad to hear you have been tuning in and enjoying the show 🙂
Holli Holt
Feb 28
I made this soup and I topped it with diced chunks of Oaxan cheese (which softened very nicely in the warm soup), slices of avocado & some regular tortilla chips. The taste was amazingly rich and had such depth for so few ingredients. My kids loved it and my daughter (who bought me your new book for Christmas) had a great idea for next time… she requested it to be served with a grilled cheese sandwich. I thought that was a great idea! I will for sure make this again! Thank you, Pati!
Pati Jinich
Mar 02
Perfect toppings Holly! And a great idea from your daughter, you can dunk the sandwich in the broth, yummy!
Susan Helmer
Feb 12
Loved the soup. Reminds me of my grandmother who was from Michoacan. I used a hand held blender instead of a regular one and I had lovely chunky pieces left in the soup.
Pati Jinich
Feb 12
So happy the soup brought back sweet memories Susan, glad you liked it!
Kenny
Feb 02
Pati – We made this soup today. Yum!! I can see why it is your favorite soup. The little fried ancho chili pieces are great in the soup. As you say, lovely little surprises of great flavor. Definitely will make again and again. Thanks for the recipe!!
Pati Jinich
Feb 03
Yay, so glad you liked it Kenny!
Rebecca
Jan 31
Looking forward to trying this – one thing I was going to suggest (hopefully I’m not missing it somewhere) is if a recipe you have on your blog is also in one of your cookbooks can you note which one? I have a couple of your cookbooks and love when I can also go there to see it as well. Just a thought!
Pati Jinich
Feb 03
Great suggestion Rebecca, thank you!
Chip
Dec 27
Made it tonight. It was delicious.
Pati Jinich
Dec 27
So happy you enjoyed it Chip 🙂
Heather
Dec 04
I’m excited to make this. I swear I had this soup once: I was staying in Patzcuaro and had heard there was a very good restaurant in a converted gas station on the outskirts of town. It was delicious and I remember the garnish of fried dried chiles & tortillas. Makes me nostalgic to recall that time.
Pati Jinich
Dec 28
Those little tiny hidden gems have the best food ever, right?
Drew
Sep 21
I had seen you prepare this on TV and always wanted to try it. Tonight was my chance. I have to say, this was easy, and absolutely delicious. Thank you!!
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
So happy you finally gave this soup a chance Drew, it is one of my all time favorites 🙂
TWW
Jul 19
Pati…
I really enjoy your videos and can’t wait to try this recipe. Being a carnivore, I am going to add some rotisserie chicken, making this a spin on tortilla soup.
Pati Jinich
Jul 21
That is the perfect idea and you will have a full meal in a bowl. Enjoy the soup 🙂
Anonymous
Jul 02
Yummy Pati, I just made this recipe and absolutely loved it, I think I over fried the ancho chili strips, and I did remember you said quickly, but they didn’t look crispy so I let them go longer, now I know to follow your instructions 😀 love your show
Pati Jinich
Jul 04
So happy you liked this soup, yay 🙂
Jim F.
May 16
Pati, the tarascan soup is absolutely delicious. I make it frequently for friends and family and everybody loves it.
love your show.
Pati Jinich
May 23
Thanks so much Jim! So glad everyone enjoys this soup, yay 🙂
Lynn
Oct 19
Dear Pati,
I have always had trouble finding dried ancho chilies in northern Colorado. BUT, I do have ancho chili powder. How much of the powder would I use?
Love, love, love your show!!
Many thanks ~
Pati Jinich
Oct 22
Hey Lynn, thanks for reaching out. Before using the powder, I would try to substitute Anchos with maybe Guajillos or Mulatos, but if you cannot find them either, then use just 1 tsp of the powder to flavor the broth. Good luck!
Ryan
Sep 08
I love your show. This recipe looks delicious but I was wondering if I could use canned tomatoes?
Pati Jinich
Sep 17
Of course Ryan, go ahead and enjoy!
Erin H
Aug 23
I watched this episode today on the TV and thought it would be perfect for supper tonight. I went out in my garden and picked a basket of Roma tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes. A few peppers and thawed out some handmade chicken stock. Wow! So delicious…I sprinkled some crumbled up queso fresco that I had made with milk from my dairy goats last week. My husband loved it, I loved it and we have lots left over! Thank you!
Pati Jinich
Aug 26
Wow Erin, how awesome that you can just go out to the garden and pick what you need. Organic ingredients always make up for great flavors, enjoy!
Paulette
Jun 16
I made this for the family, I’m a grandma that lives with my kids and grandkids. I made extra large amount with only one ancho chili as the grandkids can’t take much heat. I think next time I can add a bit more as even the six year old ate three bowls. There were some unexpected visitors that loved it also! It’s quick easy and delicious!
Pati Jinich
Jun 18
Thanks for the feedback Paulette! I just love when the little ones enjoy my recipes so much. Hugs to all 😉
Pati
May 05
Hi Pati,
I love watching your show. I prepared this recipe for my husband and he loved it! The recipe was also easy to follow. Thank you.
Pati Jinich
May 11
Thank you Pati, glad to know you guys loved this Sopa 😉
Kat
Mar 26
Hello, could you add a link to your pinto bean recipe?
Pati Jinich
Mar 27
Of course Kat, here you go… http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/border-pintos/
Kelly
Mar 01
I actually think two cans of beans are not enough.
I lb of dried beans = 6 ot 7 cups. 2 cans of beans = about 4.5 cups. I added a third can of beans.
Pati Jinich
Mar 01
Well done Kelly! Every recipe has an opportunity for the cook to make it more to his/her liking 😉
Susan W.
Feb 29
Hello Pati, I love your show and you! I could watch you all day. Just finished making this lovely soup. My question is the amount of pinto beans you used. The recipe calls for 1 pound of cooked beans. Is this the weight before or after cooking them? I made the recipe with a pound of dry beans which ends up to be way more than the equivalent of two 14 oz. cans of pinto beans. I am guessing I put too many beans in the soup. Fortunately, it tastes really good, but wondering if it would be better with a lesser amount of beans. Thanks Pati
Pati Jinich
Mar 04
Yes Susan, 1 lb refers to cooked beans 🙂 Maybe your version was a bit thicker than mine, but if you liked it that way, do not change it!
RosarioJulia Gordovez
Dec 22
Hi Pati, love your show. I made this soup, day after Thanksgiving, with some changes as my daughter in law has celiac disease. I found that the dried ancho chiles were packaged in facilities that may have wheat….so I substituted fresh passilla peppers and broiled all veggies before puree, used homemade turkey bone stock for liquid….found gluten free packaged pinto beans too….turned out really great no left overs. Thank you for your passion and sharing these recipes.
Pati Jinich
Dec 23
I’m so glad you were able to adapt the recipe to meet your daughter-in-law’s needs. I hope you guys enjoy many more recipes.
Jayme Ugarte
Dec 20
Gracias Pati for inspiring me and my husband to make this delicious soup! We made it the day after watching you on PBS and it’s so yummy! We cant wait to make it for our mother who we know will love it!!! Your a joy to watch and your dishes are so beautiful! Keep shining your light and inspiring us with your passion for cooking.
Pati Jinich
Dec 20
Aw thank you so much, Jayme!
Linda
Nov 27
Pati, where in the grocery store is the Mexican crema? It looked like it came in a jar. Is it refrigerated? I’ve never used it before but see it called for in many recipes.
Pati Jinich
Nov 29
Exactly! Look for it in your dairy aisle.
EllenMarie
Nov 20
I just watched Pati make this on her show. Since the pinto is my favorite bean, I made it today following her recipe to the tee. So delish! I did, however, change up the garnishes and used grated Colby cheese, Fritos, and a diced serrano, which I had on hand. It’s my new go-to bean soup.
Pati Jinich
Nov 21
Sounds like some great garnishes, EllenMarie!
Ben
Nov 09
Just saw this soup video on PBS the other night! Looking fwd to making my first soup ever. How important is de-skinning the tomatoes? That’s the one thing I dont see myself doing, or minding, if it just means a little more texture to the end product. Thanks!
Pati Jinich
Nov 19
You don’t need to de-skin the tomatoes…enjoy the soup, Ben!
Kim
Nov 05
Great recipe! I didn’t have an ancho chile and ended up using a smaller, more bitter one. To sweeten things up I added raisins to the blender (although had I thought of this ahead of time I would have simmered the raisins with the tomatoes, garlic and chile). Thanks Pati, love your show!
Pati Jinich
Nov 13
That’s great that you made the recipe your own, Kim!
Martha E Munguia
Oct 30
Love rhis soup especially if freshed cook beans and homemade chicken stock. It’s easy, wholesome and nutritious, my family loves this soup!!!!
Pati Jinich
Nov 02
So glad the family loves it, Martha.
Tricia
Oct 06
This is a straightforward soup and is pretty simple to make. I roasted fresh tomatoes and pressed them through a sieve to form a sauce. I then followed the directions as written. The soup is flavorful and has a creamy consistency, I will make it again. Thanks Patti!
Pati Jinich
Oct 10
That’s awesome that you roasted your own tomatoes, Tricia.
Haley
Sep 29
Hey Pati, I love your show so much . I just made this soup and I like a little more spice . What would you recommend but also keeping it authentic.. Thank Haley
Pati Jinich
Oct 19
You can add a jalapeño or serrano (or a couple!) along with the tomatoes as they cook….enjoy the soup, Haley!
Rosa
Sep 29
Love it!! I made with more garlic, 2 ancho chiles and used can black beans. Will make again.
Pati Jinich
Sep 29
That’s great, Rosa!
Amy Guerra
Jul 21
Muy Rico! The only thing I did different was to use an equal amount of Sweet 100 tomatoes from our garden (we are overflowing!) and I used Guajillo chile, as that is what I had on hand. This is so good! Thank you Pati! We love your show and watch every Saturday.
Pati Jinich
Jul 22
Oh fresh tomatoes are always a great edition, Amy!
Alf
Jun 25
Traditional, earthy and delicious folklore of Mexico.
Pati Jinich
Jul 01
Thanks, Alf!
Lisa
Jun 14
Getting ready to make this soup, Pati! Can leftover soup be frozen?
Pati Jinich
Jul 08
The leftovers can be frozen. Enjoy, Lisa!
Cheryl
Jun 01
If I am using canned beans, do I need to drain them, first? Thank you Patti! I love your recipes and seeing you make them on TV! It inspires me to cook, and my husband is so happy!
Pati Jinich
Jun 04
Either way will work, Cheryl. Just make sure to add additional water (about 2 cups) when using canned beans. Have fun cooking!
Erin
May 24
Thanks for the recipe. I am excited to have it. I have been looking for it since I visited Tarasca in 1998. What a memorable cultural and culinary experience.
Pati Jinich
May 27
Oh I’m so glad you found the recipe…and I hope it brings back many more good memories of your travels, Erin.
Angrlina
May 12
I was looking for nutrition information on the soup. It taste so wonderful
Pati Jinich
May 12
Oh I don’t track nutritional information…but I’m so glad you enjoy the soup, Angrlina.
Cecilia Miller
Apr 15
This is the second time I made this soup. My husband and I love it. I did add a second ancho chili and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt. It was more tasty for us. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Pati Jinich
Apr 17
I’m so glad you adapted it and made the recipe your own, Cecilia!
Anonymous
Mar 15
I am a gringo that likes to cook for my wife’s mexican vegetarian relatives, I omited the chicken broth for veggie. I also made the beans from scrath in my instsa pot. It was a big hit, and everyone wanted the recipe. Thanks!
Pati Jinich
Mar 18
So happy to hear this!
Edith Velasquez
Feb 26
How many calories per serving?
Pati
Feb 26
I don’t track nutritional information….
Justin R
Oct 01
That’s the best answer I’ve ever read!
Kari S
May 01
: )
Allen
Feb 02
Pati,
I cooked your “Tarascan Soup” today and I love it. I even found the Mexican Style Cream and the Queso Duro Blanco which added to the great flavor.
Pati
Feb 03
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Allen.
Ria in Chiberia, IL
Feb 01
I love soup and after -50 below wind chill in Chicago this week, this is going to hit the spot…thank you Patti..
love the show
Pati
Feb 02
Oh wow…stay warm, Ria.
Ria Lisa
Feb 02
It was delish…wish I can post a pic
Pati
Feb 03
🙂
Ondrea
Jan 29
Look forward to making this for my 94 year old Nana who is from Guadalajara and still loves her chile’s and beans! My husband and I love watching your show and we recently got my Nana hooked. She now records it and says watching your show reminds her of home ☺️ Thanks Pati!
Pati
Jan 30
Say hi to your Nana for me, Ondrea!!
Tal
Jan 28
Excelente! The flavor was absolutely delicious and I thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Pati
Jan 28
Super!
Martha Munguia
Jan 22
I made this again but I used home made beans and homemade chicken stock!! Wow, the flavor was out of this world! It was better than the first time! Omg! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, we love all of your recipes! They are all keepers! Thank you for your dedication to educate us about this wonderful cuisine!
Pati
Jan 23
Thank YOU Martha for giving my recipes a try and for your kind words!
Erin DeNova
Jan 13
Made this tonight. Turned out delicious. gracias Pati.
Pati
Jan 14
Yay!
Verokings
Jan 12
Pati. It was so much fun cooking this soup, I have to confess I added additinal heat and shredded chicken to it 😊. Thank you so much it was so delisious it warmed my tummy and heart. ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Pati
Jan 14
I’m glad you made the recipe your own!
Martha E Munguia
Jan 12
Omg! Wonderful, flavorful, easy, move over tomato soup! Highly recommend for everyone to try. Next time I make homemade beans I will set aside some in the freezer label for this soup! It was a hit for lunch today’s menu. Thanks Pati.
Pati
Jan 14
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, Martha.
Alicia Lule
Jan 11
Looks easy to make and delicious.
Pati
Jan 14
I hope you give it a try and love it, Alicia.
Randy
Jan 10
Pati, just wondering if I can blend 2 Serrano chilies with the tomatoes onions and garlic ?
Pati
Jan 11
If you want more heat, go for it, Randy!
Annette S.
Jan 02
Delicious soup, used canned skinned plum tomatoes and canned pinto beans. Yum!
Pati
Jan 03
Thank you Annette!
Ruth A.
Jan 01
This soup is delish. Roma tomato’s not available, I used the one I
canned this summer. This is going to be my favorite soup😍
Pati
Jan 02
So happy to hear that it will be a favorite, Ruth.
Leslie
Dec 29
HI Pati! I’m making the soup for the 1st time. But I was thinking about using Peruano beans. Would this be good too? Thanks!
Pati
Jan 01
Sure, Leslie! Have fun making the soup.
Anne107
Dec 24
Hi, Pati, I am out of pinto beans, but I have black beans, good mother stallers, and ojo de cabras. May I substitute one of them for the pintos? Thank you!
Pati
Jan 01
Go for it, Anne!
Robert Macias
Dec 12
I made it a few days ago and in addition to the dried Ancho chili I added what we used to call an Ortega Chile or Anaheim Chile, brunt the skill off, seeded & deveined it and pureed it with the rest of the elements… It came out pretty, but not too. spicy… A go to dinner on a cold, cold night…
Pati
Dec 13
Oh so glad you made the recipe your own, Robert!
Fred
Dec 09
Made it for lunch today and it is so easy with canned pinto beans. I used one ancho and it could have used two. Next time I will remove the tomato skins before putting them in the blender.
Pati
Dec 10
So glad you had a yummy and easy lunch, Fred!
Robin Ponce-Edgington
Dec 02
Omg, I made this today and it was so good!
Pati
Dec 03
So happy to hear this, Robin.