Description
This Roasted Poblano Soup is a flavorful and mildly spicy Mexican-inspired soup made with roasted poblano peppers, onions, garlic, and rich stock. The soup is thickened with a butter and flour roux, blended smooth for a velvety texture, and garnished with Mexican crema, cilantro stems, and hot sauce to add brightness and depth. Perfect for a warming meal that highlights the smoky, earthy notes of roasted poblanos.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4–5 poblano peppers
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (optional)
- Pinch of cumin (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
For Garnish (optional)
- Finely chopped cilantro stems
- Mexican Crema (or heavy cream)
- Hot sauce (e.g., Valentina)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Roast the Poblanos: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Rinse the poblano peppers and place them on a baking tray. Roast them for 25-30 minutes total, flipping them after 15 minutes to ensure even charring. The peppers should be soft and blistered with mostly roasted skins.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Roughly chop the onion and cook it in the butter for 5-7 minutes until softened. Mince the garlic cloves and add them to the pan, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make the Roux and Add Stock: Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour into the onion and garlic mixture and stir well to combine, cooking out the raw flour taste for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups of stock while stirring to avoid lumps. Add 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano and a pinch of cumin if using. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Prepare the Poblanos: Allow the roasted poblanos to cool a bit, then peel off as much skin as you can (some skin left is fine). Remove stems and seeds, then roughly chop the pepper flesh. Add the chopped poblanos to the saucepan.
- Blend the Soup: Heat the soup on the stove until everything is warm and uniform in temperature. Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender—cover the lid with a paper towel to prevent hot splashes and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Simmer and Season: Return the blended soup to the saucepan and simmer gently for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed, bearing in mind different stocks have varying sodium levels.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with Mexican crema, finely chopped cilantro stems, freshly ground black pepper, and a few dashes of hot sauce like Valentina. Additional acidity options include lemon or lime juice, or vinegar, depending on your preference.
- Store Leftovers: Refrigerate any leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- This soup is moderately spicy due to the roasted poblanos. For a milder version, roast all poblanos but use only half to two-thirds in the soup initially; you can add more after blending to adjust heat level.
- Using homemade chicken stock is ideal; store-bought stock often contains more sodium, so adjust the salt accordingly.
- Mexican Crema is best used as a garnish rather than mixed into the soup for optimal flavor and texture.
- Hot sauce adds a pleasant acidity and brightness—Valentina is recommended, but lemon/lime juice or vinegar are excellent alternatives.
