Got Hatch chiles laying around? This Hatch Chile Soup is a keeper and can lead to all sorts of quick meals.
But consider yourself warned, we're using a big ol' pile of Hatch for this soup and it is spicy!
How To Make Hatch Chile Soup
Hatch chiles are relatively mild, but the heat really adds up when you use 8 of them! But this also gives you loads of that delicious Hatch flavor and I think that's when this soup is at its finest.
For a milder version I would probably consider a different soup 🙂 Or you could cut down on the number of chiles used. And if you have the option, some Hatch varieties will be sold as Mild, Medium, or Hot -- this can also make it easier to control the heat.
I'm starting with 1.5 lbs. of fresh Hatch chiles.
This turned out to be 8 medium-sized Hatch chiles. How Hot Are Hatch Chiles?
As usual, you'll want to roast these beauties to extract all of their unique flavor. Sure, you can stick 'em on the grill if you want, but lately I just plop them in the oven at 400F.
30 minutes later they'll look like this:
And your kitchen will smell heavenly!
See all those puffy bits of skin? You can remove the dangling bits, but don't worry about getting rid of every last piece. We're blending this eventually and the skin won't affect the flavor -- it's typically just removed for texture purposes in dishes like Rajas.
You can also de-stem and de-seed the chiles at this point -- just keep in mind that it's much easier to do this once the chiles have cooled down a bit!
Once the chiles are roasting I usually get the onion sweating.
Roughly chop a small onion and get it cooking in 3 tablespoons of butter. You can also throw in 4 whole, peeled garlic cloves.
When the onion starts to brown we'll add 3 tablespoons of flour, mixing well. This will thicken up the soup, but you can consider it optional if you want to avoid flour.
Then we'll add the remaining ingredients:
4 cups stock
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano What is Mexican oregano?
1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper
Let this simmer for a few minutes and then add the roasted Hatch pieces:
Bring everything up to temp and then give it all a good whirl in the blender. Don't forget to use caution when blending hot stuff!
Give the soup a few minutes in the saucepan and now the most important step...
Taste testing!
As with most soups, using the proper amount of salt is crucial and the exact amount will depend on which stock you use.
I used this veggie stock that has no sodium, so I probably had to add more salt than someone who uses a store-bought stock. Your batch will be unique so it's always best to add a pinch at a time until it tastes right to you.
I added another generous pinch of cumin to this batch, but you can consider the cumin optional as I know there are many of you out there who dislike it.
I also added some corn to this batch:
This was canned corn so I just added it in at the end, but if you're using fresh kernels you'll want to give them a bit more time to cook.
And now you can serve it up!
Be sure to add a final dash of acidity as this can really brighten up your soup. I used a few drops of hot sauce, but a squeeze of lime will do the job too.
I also like adding freshly chopped cilantro stems to this soup, but you can consider that optional. Crema would be a good final touch as well.
To turn this into a meal I usually just dip some bean-n-cheese half tostadas in it. Simply add some refried beans and cheese to a tortilla in a dry skillet and cook until you've got light brown spots forming on the underside of the tortilla -- super easy and quite delicious 🙂
Okay, let me know if you've got any questions about this Hatch Chile Soup. It's a great way to take advantage of that delicious Hatch flavor and it's been a welcome change of pace in my kitchen.
Buen Provecho.
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Hatch Chile Soup
Ingredients
- 8 Hatch chiles (or 1.5 lbs.)
- 1 small onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups stock
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 can corn (optional)
- freshly chopped cilantro stems (optional)
- squeeze of lime (optional)
- Mexican crema (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the Hatch chiles and roast them in the oven at 400F for 30 minutes or so. You can alternatively roast them on the grill.
- As the chiles roast you can start building the rest of the soup. Add 3 tablespoons butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Roughly chop an onion and add it to the saucepan along with 4 peeled garlic cloves. Snce we're blending all of this eventually I usually just leave the garlic cloves whole.
- Once the onion has softened you can add 3 tablespoons of flour to the mixture. Stir well until the flour absorbs most of the liquid -- this step will help thicken up the soup but you can consider it optional if you want to avoid flour.
- Add 4 cups of stock along with 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Simmer for a few minutes or until the chiles are fully roasted.
- Once the roasted chiles have cooled a bit you can pull off as much skin as you can, but don't worry about getting rid of all of it. You can also de-stem and de-seed the chiles at this point.
- Add the Hatch chile pieces to your soup mixture and bring everything up to a uniform temp. Then transfer everything to a blender and combine well. Be sure to use caution when blending hot liquids -- I usually just hold a paper towel over any openings just in case you get a geyser.
- Return the blended soup to the saucepan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and be sure to do lots of taste testing! I added more salt to this batch (about 1.5 teaspoons total) but keep in mind the salt level will depend on which stock you use. I also added another generous pinch of cumin to this batch. At this point I also added 1 can of corn (drained and rinsed) but this is optional.
- Serve immediately but don't forget to garnish! I used finely chopped cilantro stems and a couple dashes of Valentina hot sauce. A squeeze of lime and Mexican Crema are good options as well.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for a few days.
Notes
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Byrgen
I made this soup today. I used homemade lamb stock. It is very delicious though I have to admit I used 8 Hatch HOT chilis and it was a bit too hot. I boiled two potatoes and riced them and added to the soup. It is excellent. Topped the bowls with corn cut off the cob. Might actually try melting Oaxaca cheese on top in individual bowls sort like French onion but totally different.
Patrick
Hey thanks much for mentioning your adjustments Byrgen, sounds delicious 🙂 Cheers.
Byrgen
I had a bit of this soup leftover (the soup I added the potatoes to - see above) and used it as a pizza sauce instead of red sauce. And I used Oaxaca cheese and fresh tomato slices. It was fabulous! So many ways to enjoy Hatch chilis, and this recipe is very versatile! Thank you, Byrgen
Patrick
Oooh good one Byrgen, thanks for the ideas! Cheers.
Jan Duncan
What is Crema ?..and where do I get it ? Can't wait to make this soup !
Patrick
Hey Jan! Here's the skinny on Mexican Crema:
Homemade Mexican Crema (plus some substitutes)
Cheers.
Nancy Murdock
Patrick, this soup is amazing, Easy to make, and delicious, it is our go-to dinner on cold rainy days. Well, we also have it on hot, dry days, too. It's in our rotation, and we so appreciate the recipe.
Patrick
Ahh good to hear Nancy, so glad this one is now in the regular rotation! Cheers.
Mobasir hassan
I was looking for a soup recipe for our upcoming family event and i finally got it here. Truly appreciate the way you made this delicious soup. Everything is so nicely described that really helped me. Looking forward for more such recipes in future too.
Patrick
Thanks Mobasir, glad this one is a hit for you! Cheers.
Joy
I couldn't resist the roasted Hatch chiles so I will be making the sopa tomorrow.
The recipe ideas for college kids looks delicioso. No comparison to Ramen plus it gets them used to cooking great food for themselves. Too many people get to adulthood with no idea of how to cook.
Patrick
Thanks much Joy! Yes, for too long I was one of those adults who had no idea how to cook 🙂
Angela Johnson
This looks so good! I’ve never had Hatch chilies (east coast transplant to upper Midwest) but I couldn’t take it any longer - I just ordered 10 pounds. I have loved every recipe of yours I’ve tried, so I’m really looking forward to this one!
Patrick
Ahh good news, 10 lbs. will do the job! The Hatch Enchilada Sauce is a keeper too and a good option if you have leftovers. Cheers.