Sopa Tarasca
Michoacán Bean Soup
Michoacán's answer to bean soup: a smooth pinto or bayo bean purée deepened with soaked ancho chile, finished tableside with crisp ancho rings, crema, and queso fresco.
Sopa Tarasca
✦ Antes de Empezar
Before you cook
I can't find bayo beans for Sopa Tarasca — what should I use instead?
The recipe already builds in that substitution: pinto beans work just as well as bayo beans for the smooth, thick purée base, so use whichever you can find.
Ingredientes· 12View
Bean-Tomato Base
- 3 cupsCooked Pinto Beansdrained
- 3 mediumRoma Tomatoesroasted
- 1/2 mediumWhite Onionroasted
- 2 clovesGarlicroasted
- 2Dried Ancho Chilesde-stemmed, sliced into rings
- 5 cupsChicken Broth
- 1Fresh Epazote Sprig
- to tasteSalt
Toppings
- 8Corn Tortillascut into strips and fried
- 1/2 cupMexican Crema
- 1/2 cupCotija Cheese or Queso Frescocrumbled
- 1Avocadodiced
Instrucciones
5 pasosRemoja el chile ancho
Soak the ancho chile
Toast and soak one ancho chile. Reserve the second chile for frying into garnish rings.
Licúa los frijoles
Blend the beans
Blend the beans, bean broth, tomatoes, soaked ancho chile, onion, and garlic until smooth.
Fríe el puré
Fry the purée
Fry the purée in lard for 10 minutes.
Agrega el caldo
Add the broth
Add the chicken broth gradually and simmer for 15 minutes; the soup should be thick but pourable.
Sirve
Serve
Adjust the salt and serve with tortilla strips, crema, cheese, and the crisp ancho rings.
Authentic Culinary Gear for this Recipe
Heritage Mexican cooking relies on dedicated craft tools to develop authentic blisters, toasts, and emulsified textures.
10.5" Heavy Cast Iron Comal
Distributes high, dry radiant heat for charring poblanos, toasting chiles, and warming tortillas.
Cast Iron Tortilla Press (8")
Heavy calibrated leverage to press fresh heirloom masa dough into thin, supple rounds with zero sticking.
Heirloom Masa & Dried Chiles
Single-origin Mexican dried chiles (Ancho, Guajillo, Pasilla) and heirloom nixtamalized corn masa.
✦ Recommended gear reflects genuine kitchen utility standards. Outbound links support our independent culinary archive.