Spicy Mexicali Three Grain Soup
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
If I only could make one soup for the rest of my life - this would be it!
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 dried Chile de Arbol, stemmed, seeded and broken into one inch pieces
  • 1 Chipotle pepper in Adobo, chopped (or more to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ cup pearl barley
  • ½ cup short-grain brown rice
  • ½ cup bulgar
  • 2 quarts of low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1½ cups diced tomatoes (carton or fresh)
  • 8 cilantro sprigs, plus ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ pound mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced (I used white but shitake would work well too or a combination of your favorites)
  • 1 15-ounce carton black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 medium parsnip, diced
Toppings - ½ cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds or baked tortilla strips which can be made by cutting some tortillas into strips and roasting for about 10-15 minutes in a 375 degree F oven until crisp
Instructions
  1. In a medium sauce pan, rinse and cover the barley with 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 35 minutes; drain. Return the barley to the pan and cover. In another medium saucepan, cover the brown rice with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until tenders, about 35 minutes. Drain the brown rice and add to the barley.
  2. In a medium bowl, cover the bulgur with 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and let stand until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add to barley, rice mixture.
  3. Place the three dried Chile de Arbols in a small bowl and cover with boiling water until softened - about 10 minutes. Chop with plastic gloves.
  4. In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chile de arbol, onion and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, cilantro springs, chipotle pepper and allspice and season with 1 tbsp salt (or less to taste) and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree the soup in a blender and return to the pan.
  5. Add the mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, black beans and parsnip to the pureed soup and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the barley, rice and bulgur and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you would like a little more heat, chop another chipotle pepper in adobo and add. Cook another 5 minutes. Add the ¼ cup fresh, chopped cliantro.
  6. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds or baked tortilla strips. Sprinkle with some chopped cilantro and serve.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 368 Fiber: 11 grams
Recipe by Ordinary Vegan at https://ordinaryvegan.net/mexicalisoup/