There are hundreds of weeknights in a year. That’s a lot of dinner! Test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin is here to help. In her series Speedy Does It, she shares whoa-worthy meals you can get on the table like *snaps fingers* that.
Refried beans in soup? Believe us, it’s a trick you’ll want to return to. Stirring a can (we love the Amy’s Kitchen brand) into a pot of hot broth allows the broken-down beans to all but disappear, creating a lusciously thickened base for ground pork flavored with smoky chipotle chiles in adobo. Feel free to go wild with toppings here; anything fit for a bowl of chili would work. Radishes for crunch and cilantro for freshness are a great place to start, but sliced avocado, Cotija cheese, a swirl of sour cream, and/or a handful of corn chips would not be out of place.
Cook's Note: Take note as to the heat level of your chipotles in adobo; some brands are spicier than others, so you can adjust the number of chiles to add according to your preferences.
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
4–6 Servings
Ingredients
2
1
3
1
1
1
1
½
3–5
1
4
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium heavy pot over medium-high. Cook 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add 1 lb. ground pork, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and ½ tsp. ground coriander; cook, stirring and breaking up meat into small pieces, until spices are incorporated, about 2 minutes.
Step 2
Add 3–5 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped, according to preference and 3 Tbsp. adobo sauce; cook, stirring often, until pork is mostly cooked through, 1–2 minutes. Add one 16-oz. can refried beans and 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; stir, mashing beans as needed to incorporate into broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until broth is slightly thickened, 8–10 minutes.
Step 3
Ladle soup into bowls and top with cotija cheese, thinly sliced radishes, and cilantro leaves with tender stems; season with freshly ground pepper. Serve with lime wedges.