Roasted Poblano Soup

I’ve been tweaking the measurements in this Poblano Soup recently and thought I would repost it for anyone who’s new to it.     

It’s one of my favorite recipes on the site, and it’s the perfect antidote for cold, grey days.    

And yes, it’s spicy so consider yourself warned!

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

The key to this Roasted Poblano Soup is getting creative with the garnish. Crema, cilantro stems, and a dash of acidity will turn it into something otherworldly. So good!

4.54 from 79 votes

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 3 people

Calories: 292kcal

Author: Patrick Calhoun | Mexican Please

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

This soup is spicy!  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. 

 

I used homemade chicken stock with this recipe. Store-bought stock typically has a higher sodium level so adjust accordingly.

I used Valentina hot sauce to add a hint of acidity, but there are lots of options for this: lemon/lime juice, vinegars, or your choice of hot sauce.

I tried this recipe with cream mixed into the soup but didn't like it as much. I preferred it when the cream was used as a garnish.

Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

Got leftover Poblanos?  Make some Rajas!  Or check out these Poblano Pepper Recipes. 

Our latest post is this delicious Avocado Soup.