Sopa de Betabel
Pureed beet soup topped with toasted pepitas
This traditional Mexican soup uses pepitas for a creamy texture without dairy.
4 quart saucepan with lid (or larger)
1 t. oil
1 t. salt + more to taste
1-2 small onions
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
2-3 c. vegetable stock or water + more as needed
4-6 c. roasted red beets, roughly chopped
½ c. toasted pepitas + more for garnish
Sauté onion in oil over medium heat until translucent. Add bay leaf and thyme, cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add beets and cover with stock or water, bring to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool uncovered.
In a blender, add pepitas, ½ c. cooking liquid and ½ c. cooked beets. Cover and, beginning on the lowest setting, puree. Turn up the speed and blend until the mixture is completely smooth. (Add more liquid as necessary to get it moving. Be sure to return to the ‘low’ setting each time you start it up.) Once truly creamy, add half of the remaining soup and blend. Add the rest and blend again. Add stock or water 1 T. at a time if necessary. Taste and season with salt. Serve warm or chilled, top with toasted pepitas.
Putting hot liquids in a blender is dangerous! Everything should be no hotter than 175°, and cooler is better. When seasoning, consider the saltiness of your stock and whether the pepitas are already salted. ¡Buen provecho!
Roasted Beets:
1-2 lbs. red beets of similar size
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
½ t. kosher salt
1-2 sprigs of thyme
Trim beet greens at their base, don’t cut into the beet itself. Scrub beets to remove grit, rinse and pat dry. Add to a small baking dish and drizzle with vinegar and oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to combine. Add thyme, if using.
Cover tightly with two layers of tin foil and bake at 450° for 45-75 minutes, shaking the pan every 25 minutes, listening for the beets to soften. Remove from oven and let stand 10-20 minutes. The beets should be tender and easily pierced with a fork. Peel beets when cool enough to handle.
Red + gold beets with their tops
