Tangy & Savory Mexican Soup
By: Marillyn Beard
Published: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 - 9:23pm

Ingredients




2 quarts chicken or beef stock or combination of water and 
1 cup tomato paste or 3 cups tomato sauce
6 garlic cloves, mashed
1/2 teaspoon – ¾  red chili flakes
1 zucchini, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 red or green sweet bell peppers
2 pounds ground beef or chicken
1/2 cup lime juice (depends on how much tang you want)
Fresh or dried oregano, rosemary & thyme

Sea salt & pepper

Garnishes

Sliced avocado

Chopped cilantro

Cortido

Sour cream

Tortilla chips

Preparation

1 Lightly brown beef or chicken, make sure there is still some pink. If you brown it too much it will taste "dry" in the soup. 2 Bring stock to a boil with tomato paste/sauce. Stir in meat, garlic, chili flakes, zucchini, carrots, onions & bell peppers. Simmer for about 15-30 minutes or till veggies are tender, but still slightly crunchy. 3 Add in lime juice and season to taste with oregano, rosemary, thyme, sea salt & pepper. Serve with garnishes.

About


Really, nothing can go wrong with Mexican soup and it can be made in a variety of ways. Each time I make it... it is always a little bit different, but always consistently savory. This time I had to share this style of Mexican soup because it has reached "perfection"... in my opinion. This recipe is just as much for you as it is for me because I actually want to make this soup again... in the exact same way.
What made it perfect? The lime juice is what made it perfect... giving the soup a wonderful piquant flavor that married well with the tomato & spices. I gave the option of 1/2 cup to 1 cup because I know some would like it tangier than others... I personally loved it right in the middle. Well, maybe more towards the full cup :o)