Spicy Fiesta Soup.

I wanted a hearty soup. 

I wanted spice. zip. intensity. 

I wanted Spicy* Fiesta** soup***.

*Spicy because it is.

**Fiesta because of the fun colors of the peppers and it's Mexican flair. 

***Soup because it has a broth base not a tomato base.

Yes, I had this ideal picture in my mind as I looked at the chorizo and pretty yellow and red peppers in my refrigerator. This was exactly what I wanted. Though the ingredients could be transformed into a great chili with the addition of canned tomatoes we decided to go with the thinner broth consistency to hold everything together.  Feel free to add small cooked pasta (like dittalini or cut up rigatoni) into the dish just before serving.  We loved this and hope you will too!  Just don't be surprised at the intense spice! :D 

Ingredients

1/2 lb Spanish chorizo

1/2 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 30oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 15oz cans diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth or bouillon 

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

salt (limit use as the broth is high in sodium)

pepper

Directions

Preheat a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot to medium heat.  Remove chorizo from casing and cook thoroughly. Drain in a colander and set aside.  (You may want to rinse the chorizo and/or dab with paper towels to eliminate the excess grease.)  In the same pot add about 2 Tbsp oil.  Saute onions, garlic, jalapeno, and peppers until soft and fragrant. Stir into drained pinto beans (or other beans of your choice), tomatoes, chorizo, and spices.  Add chicken broth and stir to combine.  Heat to boiling and then lower heat and simmer at least 2 hours.  

Optional: Just before serving place the cooked pasta in the bottom of the individual serving bowls and pour soup over top.  Stir together.