Pumpkin Tortilla Soup

This soup was a nice change from our usual pureed vegetable or lentil soups.  It also doesn't have curry or chickpeas in it.  Like I said, it was a nice change for us.  Usually, I tend to shy away from "Tortilla" soups due to the spice they tend bring along.  But this one had pumpkin in it, and I'm a sucker for pumpkin.

I got the recipe over here, and I tweaked it a lot.  After I got done making it, I realized there was no protein component.  So I added black beans and corn, and I'm so glad I did.  Some of the bites with avocado in it make me think of Texas Caviar.

A definite do-over!  I would, though, say tortilla chips are a must.  There was just something missing and I think that's what it was.  I also made a big pot of Spanish rice to go with this, and we ended up mixing the leftover soup with the leftover rice to stretch it a little bit and that was absolutely delicious.

Pumpkin Tortilla Soup

Serves 8-10

What You'll Need:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 TBLS oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 4 oz can chopped green chiles
• 1 15oz can 100% pumpkin puree
• 2, 15 oz, cans diced tomatoes, with juice (for a fuller flavor, make sure one can is fire roasted)
• 5 c vegetable broth
• 2 can black beans, rinsed and drained (can you red kidney as well)
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 TBLS lime juice
• S & P to taste
• 1-2 ripe avocados, cut into chunks, for garnish
• cilantro
• corn chips

What You'll Do

• Saute the onion and pepper for about 5-7 minutes.  Add in garlic and spices and saute another 2 minutes.
• Add everything else (minus lime juice), stir, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.
• Stir in lime juice before serving -- season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Top each bowl with chunks of avocados, tortilla chips, and cilantro.