The Southwestern soup is an essential part of the American Southwestern cuisine or the cuisine of the Southwestern United States. The cuisine is made up of various preparations that are styled after the essentially 'rustic' Southern cooking. The cuisine is said to have been inspired and influenced by Spanish colonial settlers, Native Americans and Mexicans who immigrated to the States.
Southwestern soups, like other preparations of the cuisine, are marked by a heavy use of chilies, tomatoes, black beans, bell peppers, rice, seafood, etc.
Soups have been an important part of the cuisine since the ancient times, when many staples of the cuisine were first prepared and consumed by native settlers. Over the years, the soups evolved and took on various different forms. Today, there are various recipes to make soups in the Southwestern style. Some recipes are, however, more popular than others.
Common Ingredients Used in Various Southwestern Soup Recipes
From vegetables like tomato, corn, cabbage, onion, broccoli, carrot and cauliflower to meats like beef, chicken, seafood and pork, almost everything is used to make the soups of the cuisine. Salsa, red chili paste, corn paste, bell peppers and beans are arguably some of the most widely used soup ingredients and are included in most recipes.
Broth, water, bouillon, oil, salt and pepper are, however, ingredients that are common to all soups. Other ingredients are mostly added to these basic ingredients. Salsa sauce, cheese, shredded cabbage and toasted breadcrumbs are common toppings.
Preparation Overview of Southwestern Soups
A Southwestern soup is generally not a difficult preparation and it mostly takes about 20 to 30 minutes to make a batch of 3 to 4 servings. The time taken, however, largely depends on the quantity to be prepared as well as the ingredients used. A few ingredients, like beef, take longer to cook than others.
To make the soup, all the ingredients are first readied as needed (cleaned, rinsed, diced, chopped, stuffed, sliced, etc.) and then mixed together in a huge pot. The essential ingredients are added and the soup is then cooked. Traditionally, the soups were slow cooked and while traditionalists still stick to this method, modern chefs prefer to use faster cooking methods like hot plates and stoves. Once the desired level of doneness has been achieved the soup is taken off the heating source and it is ready to be served.
Popular Southwestern Soup Recipes
Southwestern Chicken Soup - This is a basic chicken soup flavored with Southern seasoning agents like chili paste, salsa, corn paste etc. Although very healthy, the preparation can be too hot for some.
Southwestern Potato and Beans Soup - This Southwestern soup is made with beans and potatoes as the main ingredients.
Pumpkin Soup - The soup has pumpkin as the main ingredients and is popular for its unique sweet-and-savory flavor. The sweetness of the pumpkin is combined with the hot Southwestern seasonings to create this taste.
Bean soup, taco soup, onion soup and tomato soup are other popular Southwestern varieties.
Southwestern Soups Trivia
In Southwestern cuisine, a soup is much more than an appetizer. It is not uncommon to see a Southwestern soup being eaten as a snack or as a part of the main course.