Cheese & Chili Soup

Ten cloves of garlic. That’s not a typo, and it’s not negotiable if you want this soup to taste right. Fresh tomatoes, quartered onions, and all that garlic get simmered in rich beef stock with cumin and Italian seasoning, then pureed smooth into a velvety base.

The second stage is where the texture comes in. Onion rings, mild green chili slices, and red bell pepper rings simmer in the pureed soup just until tender, adding color and a gentle crunch. Then comes the best part: sharp cheddar and mozzarella get stirred into the hot soup right in the serving dish, where they melt into stretchy, gooey strands. A cup of chunky salsa goes in at the same time, adding freshness and a little kick.

Serving it immediately after adding the cheese is a must. Wait too long and the cheese clumps and turns rubbery instead of staying silky.

Kitchen Tips

• Puree in batches, not all at once. Hot soup in a full blender can blow the lid off. Fill no more than halfway and hold the lid down with a towel.
• Use the sharpest cheddar you can find. Mild cheddar melts fine but adds nothing interesting. An aged, sharp cheddar brings the tang this soup needs.
• Don’t boil after adding cheese. High heat breaks the cheese proteins and makes the soup grainy. The residual heat of the pureed soup is enough to melt everything.

Variations

• Spicy version: Swap the mild green chili for a jalapeno and use hot salsa instead of mild for serious heat.
• Tortilla soup style: Ladle over crushed tortilla chips and top with sliced avocado and a squeeze of lime.