Hi everyone,

I love tortilla soup! The spicy tomato broth, the tortillas, the avocado, the cheese floating around in there is all delicious.

The only problem with tortilla soup for myself is that I find it often isn’t hearty enough for a full meal. Yes, I have had some tortilla soups that have been, but I have found others not heavy enough to satisfy my often voracious appetite all on its own.

Beans and sausage to the rescue!

This soup is my attempt to bolster tortilla soup into a heartier meal. I have taken my tortilla soup broth and have added chorizo sausage, black beans, corn and vegetables to make it more of a meal. Garnish with cilantro and cheese, as well as sour cream if you happen to have some.

TIPS:

• For an even better broth use fresh tomatoes and roast them in the oven. Click here for instructions
• Feel free to add any extra ingredients you want – chicken, avocado, tortillas, whatever floats your boat!

This soup is very easy to make and freezes just great for meals on the go. It is spicy and will fill your hungry belly!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for printable Word version of recipe:
Chorizo Sausage and Black Bean Soup

___________________________________________________________

Chorizo Sausage and Black Bean Soup
This soup incorporates the traditional taste of a Mexican tortilla soup into a more hearty version, good for a complete meal.

INGREDIENTS:

5 – 6 cups chicken broth
*1-28 oz. can stewed tomatoes blended, or 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 onion, sliced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced – keep seeds if you want a spicier/hotter soup
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt, more if desired
Pepper to taste

3 chorizo sausages, sliced into circles, then half circles (use 2 if you are adding other meat, see below)
1 can corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
Leftover chicken or pulled pork, broken into small stringy pieces (optional)

To garnish:

Grated cheese
Sour cream
Green onions
Cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large soup pot, fry onions, garlic and minced jalapeno pepper in oil.
2. Add carrots and fry. Then add peppers. Cook for a few minutes.
3. Add chili and cumin powder to pan. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Add broth and crushed/blended tomatoes.
5. At this point, if you want a smoother broth, you can blend the broth (I like to use a hand blender in the pot.) If you are low on time or want a chunkier soup, proceed to step 6.
6. In a frying pan, fry chorizo sausage. If you are using cured sausage, only fry for a couple of minutes. If you are using fresh sausage, fry until cooked. Add chicken/pulled pork (if you are using) and fry for a few minutes. Add corn and red pepper and fry for another minute or two.
7. Add contents of pan and black beans into soup.
8. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
9. To serve, garnish with grated cheese, green onions and cilantro.

*Alternatively, you can use 8-10 fresh tomatoes that have been roasted in the oven. Click here for roasting instructions. Blend before adding to soup