Mexican Shell Pasta Soup (Print View)
Mexican shell pasta simmered in a flavorful tomato broth with garlic and seasonings. Comforting and ready in 30 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 1 cup small shell pasta (conchas)
→ Vegetables & Base
02 - 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
03 - 1/4 small white onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic
05 - 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
06 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
→ Seasonings
07 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
→ Garnishes
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
11 - 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a blender and process until completely smooth.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the shell pasta and toast, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Pour the blended tomato mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the toasted pasta. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Add the salt, black pepper, and cumin. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro and lime wedges if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The toasted shells soak up the tomato broth in a way that makes every spoonful deeply satisfying, like a hug you can eat.
- It comes together in thirty minutes flat, which means even your most exhausted evening can end with something homemade and comforting.
02 -
- Do not skip toasting the pasta, because untoasted shells turn mushy and release starch that clouds the broth into something thick and heavy instead of clear and soupy.
- Straining the tomato blend is the step most people skip, but it catches the tough tomato skins and onion fibers, leaving you with a silky broth that feels refined without any extra effort.
03 -
- The pasta will continue cooking in the hot broth even after you take the pot off the stove, so pull it from the heat when the shells are just slightly underdone and they will be perfect by the time you sit down to eat.
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find, because the entire flavor of the broth depends on them, and dull tomatoes will give you a flat tasting soup no matter what else you add.