Cream of Green Chile Soup Recipe

Cream of green chile soup
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Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This cream of green chile soup is based on one served at Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero, California. Duarte's is also famous for its cream of artichoke soup. For the indecisive among us, they are willing to give you a bowl with half artichoke and half green chile. The amount of cream in this recipe may scare some people.

Note that this soup is all about the chiles. Hatch chiles are preferred, If you use a different kind, you may well end up with a soup that is entirely too spicy. This version is spicy, yes, but in a gentle way. If you want it truly spicy, try adding a jalapeño or serrano chile to the mix.

Ingredients

  • 20 large fresh mild green chiles 

  • 1 large onion

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 3 to 4 cups store-bought or homemade chicken broth

  • 1 cup heavy cream

Steps to Make It

  1. Roast the chiles until they're browned all over. You can do this using either the stove-top method or the broiler method. Set the chiles aside for at least 15 minutes to cool; then peel off the blistered skin. Pull off the stems and remove any seeds, then put the chiles in a large bowl to collect any juices.

  2. Peel, trim, and chop the onion.

  3. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. While they cook, peel and chop the garlic; add it to the pan and cook, stirring, another minute or so until the mixture is very fragrant.

  4. Add the chiles and broth (3 cups for a thicker soup, 4 cups for a thinner soup) to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook until the vegetables are extremely soft and flavors have blended, about 15 minutes.

  5. Whirl the mixture in a blender or food processor until super smooth. Whirl for at least 2 minutes (this may seem like a long time) to achieve a velvety texture.

  6. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in the cream. Gently heat until the soup is heated through. Add more salt to taste, if you like.

    Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

    Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat-resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292 Calories
25g Fat
15g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 16g 79%
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 1231mg 54%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 30mg 149%
Calcium 113mg 9%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 352mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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