Have you tried this Roasted Poblano Soup yet?!
It's one of my favorite recipes on the site, and I've been gobbling it up over the past couple weeks.
It's bursting with flavor and yes, it's spicy so consider yourself warned! That's what keeps me coming back to it 🙂
How To Make Poblano Soup
Not pictured is the smell of roasted poblanos wafting through your house. But trust me, it's included with this recipe and it has the ability to instantly change your mood.
4-5 poblanos seems to be the sweet spot for this recipe. Poblanos don't have much heat, but when you use a bunch of them it adds up!
This photographed version used 6 poblanos and was right on the threshold of too spicy for most of us. If you want a milder version I would recommend roasting all of the poblanos but only adding half or two-thirds of them to the pan to start with. Once blended, take a taste, and if you want more heat simply add more poblano. Are Poblano Peppers Hot?
Give the poblanos a good rinse and roast them in the oven at 400F. 15 minutes later they'll look like this:
I usually give them a flip after the first 15 minutes and then put them back in the oven for as long as my stomach will wait:
So that's about 25 minutes total in the oven.
In the old days I would put these in a bag and let them steam up so the skin comes off easier, but not anymore! Most of the skin will come off as is, and I've found that it doesn't affect the flavor if you leave some behind.
Note: it can be beneficial to remove the skin when serving the Poblanos in strips like in Rajas, but mostly for texture purposes and not flavor.
Meanwhile, get a chopped onion sweating in 3 tablespoons of butter until softened.
Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and saute briefly.
To thicken up the soup, we'll add 3 tablespoons of flour and combine well. Giving this mixture a couple minutes over the heat will ensure you don't taste the flour in the final product.
Next we'll add:
4 cups stock
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (optional)
pinch of cumin (optional)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
freshly cracked black pepper
Let simmer for 7-8 minutes or so.
You really don't need much beyond the poblano-butter-onion-stock combo, so you can consider the Mexican oregano optional if not available. More info on Mexican Oregano.
Once you've pulled off as much skin as you can, de-stem and de-seed the Poblanos.
Then roughly chop the Poblano pieces and add them to the simmering mixture in the saucepan.
Bring everything to a uniform temp and then combine well in a blender. Be sure to use caution when blending hot liquids!
Return the soup to the saucepan and give it a taste! I'm always amazed how complete it tastes given such a simple ingredient list.
I used a batch of zero-sodium homemade chicken stock so I added another 1/4 teaspoon of salt at this point. If you're using store-bought stock you probably won't need to add as much salt as I did.
You're left with a pan full of velvety goodness that already tastes good, but don't forget to garnish as it will give you an awesome bump in flavor.
It's amazing what a hint of acidity does to this soup.
I'm using a few drops of Valentina hot sauce, but vinegar or lemon/lime juice would have a similar effect. The acidity brightens up the flavor and makes everything pop.
So good!
I'm also using:
Mexican Crema
freshly cracked black pepper
finely chopped cilantro stems
The flavor burst from the cilantro stems is a real treat in this soup -- it also adds a bit of texture to each bite and that's something I'm more cognizant of lately.
I also wanted to mention that I've tried this recipe with cream mixed into the soup and found that it dulled the flavor of the poblanos too much!
But garnishing with cream and snagging a bit of it for each bite works wonders, so I always drizzle some on top.
That means that once you make your way through the top layer of garnish you have full permission to add another 🙂
Buen Provecho.
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Roasted Poblano Soup
Ingredients
- 4-5 poblano peppers
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups stock
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (optional)
- pinch of cumin (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper
For the garnish (optional):
- finely chopped cilantro stems
- Mexican Crema (or heavy cream)
- hot sauce
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the poblanos and roast them in the oven at 400F. Give them a flip after 15 minutes. They'll be mostly roasted in another 10-15 minutes, so 25-30 minutes total roasting time in the oven.
- Add 3 tablespoons butter to a saucepan on medium heat. Roughly chop an onion and add it to the saucepan, cooking for 5-7 minutes or until softened. Mince 4 garlic cloves and add to the onion, cooking for a minute or so.
- Add 3 tablespoons flour to the onion mixture and combine well. Add 4 cups of stock along with 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (optional), a pinch of cumin (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir well. Simmer for 7-8 minutes.
- Once the poblano peppers have cooled a bit, pull off as much skin as you can but don't worry about getting rid of all of it. Then de-stem and de-seed the poblanos. Roughly chop the poblano pieces and add them to the saucepan.
- Cook until everything is at a uniform temp and then combine the mixture in a blender. 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 mixture to the saucepan and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Salt to taste. I added another 1/4 teaspoon of salt but keep in mind the salt level will depend on which stock you use.
- Serve immediately but don't forget to garnish! I used Crema, finely chopped cilantro stems, freshly ground pepper, and a couple dashes of Valentina hot sauce.
- The acidity of the hot sauce pairs well with the poblanos so feel free to re-garnish once you make your way through the top layer. Other options for acidity: lemon/lime juice or vinegars.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Got leftover Poblanos? Make some Rajas! Or check out these Poblano Pepper Recipes.
Our latest post is this delicious Avocado Soup.
Still hungry?!
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Cindy I.
Very good!!!! the only change I would make next time I make it, is to decrease the oregano to 1/2 teaspoon. I feel that 2 teaspoons is too much.
Patrick
Thanks much for your feedback Cindy! Cheers.
Carol E
I make this soup frequently. The crunch of cilantro stems adds a perfect touch with a squeeze of lime. Sometimes I mix cream in and sometimes just drizzle as suggested. I do drop tiny squares of jack cheese into the hot soup in the bowls. It is a special treat when you find a little blob of semi melted cheese on your spoon. This soup is easy and Yummy.
Patrick
Ha thanks much for the cheese blob tip Carol, I will try that one out! Cheers.
Grace
I love this recipe, I’ve made it many a times. I lived in Tijuana, MX for the last four years and crema de poblano was my main lunch staple. So thrilled to be able to make this at home. While living in MX I found your recipe and made it for several dinner parties. It is ALWAYS a hit. Delicate but rich, this is a great recipe all around. Thanks!
Patrick
Ahh thanks much for your note Grace, I luv getting a thumbs up from people who are surrounded by the real thing 🙂 Cheers.
R. Bargerhuff
Excellent recipe. My family really enjoys it.
Patrick
Thanks R!
Hannah
This is the most bland poblano soup I have ever had. Yes, it has spice to it but it is super bland.
aliyah
id definitely go shop for this, but it's also just succh a good back pocket for poblanos that have no home. i made it with 2 peppers for whom i knew my culinary imagination this week would not outpace their spoilage & its a perfect little two-serving treat, a little now a little later :). id go reallly easy on the onions as even my greatly reduced amount came thru a bit strong, as did the butter. i might actually brown the onions towards light caramelization or even simply roast with the pepper- it's really about the broth and the peppers here. tiny cilantro stems are indeed a gorgeous addition for texture, i wonder about very thin celery as well for crunch tho that does take it a bit out of Mexican. spiked it with lime at the end & crumbly white cheese similar to cotija. thanks!
Patrick
Hey thanks for your notes Aliyah, so glad you enjoyed this one! Cheers.
Lisa
Absolutely scrumptious soup! I’ve used both chicken stock and vegetable stock when making it, they both come out delicious. I also add some fresh cilantro along with the other spices, and the mexican oregano gives it a truly authentic taste. I sans the cheese and instead stir in about 1/4 cup of cream at the end.
Patrick
Thanks Lisa! So glad this one is a keeper for you, and thanks for mentioning the stock options as that is great for peeps to know. Cheers.
Kim H
The onions and garlic overwhelmed the poblanos. I couldn't even taste them. Maybe the wrong time of year for poblanos, I suppose, which is why I gave it a 3. Hoping sitting overnight in the fridge will help define the flavors. It does look pretty in the bowl, however.
Patrick
Nnnnnooooo so sorry to hear this Kim! It does make me wonder about the poblanos you used so I think it's worth another go at some point. This is one of the most popular recipes on the site and still on regular rotation for me, so please don't give up on it yet 🙂 Cheers.
S
This is awesome! My latest food delivery contained poblanos instead of the green peppers I had ordered (thank you, shopping person, for making the mistake!) I had to google what to do with poblanos. I followed your recipe to the t (ok, I put in regular oregano instead of Mexican oregano but how much difference can there be?) Very, very tasty soup with just the right amount of heat. And, when serving, I topped each cup with a handful of grated cheese to mix in. Very, very good. I think poblanos will be in my shopping list from now on. Thank you!
Patrick
Thanks S, I'm so glad they sent you the wrong peppers!
Sue Euliano
I’ve made this several times and my husband and I absolutely love it!!
Patrick
Thanks much Sue, so glad this one is a hit for you. Cheers.