Sopa de Coditos con Picadillo
Comida Casera on a Tuesday: Weeknight Suppers from the Homeland
It is the smell of a Tuesday afternoon in a borderland kitchen—the earthy, toasted aroma of dry macaroni hitting hot oil. This isn't the heavy, cheese-drowned Tex-Mex of strip mall restaurants; it is comida casera, the thrifty, aromatic home cooking of the Mexican-American diaspora. The grandmother's secret here is unapologetic: you must toast the dry pasta so it holds its bite in the broth, bloom the cumin directly in the rendered beef fat, and rely on the savory punch of commercial bouillon. It is a bowl of deep comfort built for the reality of an American weeknight, tasting exactly like home.
Ingredients
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- small elbow macaroni1 cup
- 80/20 ground beef1 lb
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic2 med clove
- ground cumin1 tsp
- Mexican oregano1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- canned tomato sauce8 oz
- tomato paste1 tbsp
- hot water5 cup
- Knorr beef or chicken bouillon powder1 tbsp
- Russet potato1 med
- frozen mixed vegetables1 1/2 cup
- zucchini1 small
- fresh cilantro1/4 cup
- Colby Jack or Monterey Jack cheese1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Toast the macaroni in hot oil.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the dry macaroni and stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until it blisters and turns a rich, nutty golden-brown. Watch it closely so it does not burn, then remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the residual oil in the pot.
- 02
Brown the ground beef in the residual oil.
Add the beef to the pot, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until fully browned and no pink remains, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain all but about a tablespoon of the rendered fat.
- 03
Sauté the aromatics and bloom the spices.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the beef, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions soften. Sprinkle the cumin, Mexican oregano, and black pepper directly onto the meat, stirring for 30 seconds to wake up the essential oils in the spices.
- 04
Add the tomato base and simmer the liquids.
Stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste, cooking for one minute to remove the tinny canned flavor. Pour in the hot water and bouillon powder, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil.
- 05
Return the pasta to the pot and simmer with the hearty vegetables.
Add the toasted macaroni, diced potato, and frozen vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
- 06
Stir in the zucchini and finish the soup.
In the last 5 minutes of simmering, add the diced zucchini and half of the cilantro so they retain their texture. Serve hot in deep bowls, garnished with the remaining cilantro and a generous handful of shredded cheese to melt into the broth.
Notes
Do not fear the bouillon.
Commercial bouillon powder is the true, unapologetic backbone of mid-century Mexican-American home cooking. It provides a distinct savory baseline that liquid boxed broths simply cannot replicate.
Manage the consistency.
This is a sopa aguada, meaning a wet soup. The macaroni will continue to soak up broth as it sits; add a splash of water or extra broth when reheating leftovers to restore the original texture.
From Cook Tex-Mex.