Sopa de Conchas (Mexico)
Sopa de Conchas, a.k.a. Shell Soup, is a broth-based soup with shell pasta, pureed tomatoes, onions and garlic. It's hot, it's full of Mexican flavor and it has pasta. What's not to love?
Equipment
- Normal Kitchen Utensils
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Small or Medium Shell Pasta
- 2 Quarts Water
- 6-7 Large, Ripe Roma Tomatoes
- 1 Medium Yellow or White Onion
- 6 Cloves Garlic
- 1/4 C Vegetable Oil
- 1/4 C Chicken Bouillon
- Fresh Cilantro (Optional)
- Lime Wedges (Optional)
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Peel the onion and garlic. Quarter the onion and tomatoes.1 Medium Yellow or White Onion, 6 Cloves Garlic
- Blend the onion, tomatoes, garlic, bouillon and a teaspoon of salt until smooth. Add a little of the water if need be.6-7 Large, Ripe Roma Tomatoes, 1/4 C Chicken Bouillon, Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.1/4 C Vegetable Oil
- Add the dry pasta to the hot oil and stir roughly every 30 seconds for 6-7 minutes, until the pasta darkens and begins to give off a nutty aroma.1 Lb Small or Medium Shell Pasta
- Pour in the tomato mixture and water, and crank the heat to high.2 Quarts Water
- Bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat back to medium. Cook another 15 minutes, until the pasta is tender and the froth from blending the tomatoes/onions has cooked off.
- Test the seasoning for salt and pepper. I'll usually end up adding 1/2 tsp of each.
- Serve the soup hot , garnished with the (optional) cilantro. I really like to top it with a squeeze of (optional) lime juice, though that may not be super authentic.Fresh Cilantro, Lime Wedges
Notes
If you want the soup more watery, try adding up an extra cup of water at a time, up to an additional quart. I recommend adding an additional teaspoon of bouillon per added cup of water.
You can also replace all the bouillon and water in this recipe with chicken stock.