We’re in luck that Hatch Chile season aligns with the start of September and typically cooler temps. This Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup warms the tummy and tingles the tongue. Slightly spicy with the taste of fresh roasted chiles, creamy potatoes and cheese, it’s comforting to the max. This soup comes together with a few simple ingredients and you don’t have to roast your own chiles, you can use already roasted jarred varieties.
Hatch Chiles
If you have ever been in New Mexico, during Hatch Chile season, when the aroma is everywhere? If you are a chile lover, it’s mouthwatering. The aroma of freshly roasting chiles as well as fresh chiles everywhere you look. I love Hatch Chiles, the flavor is smokier than their cousin, the Anaheim Chile. Don’t get me wrong, in a pinch, for sure I roast Anaheim chiles, but Hatch are a true treat. This year I ordered from The Hatch Chile Store to make my Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup and I was not disappointed. They were fresh, large chiles ready to roast!
So a little info on the infamous Hatch Chile. The varietal grows in the Hatch Valley area of New Mexico. But New Mexico, on a whole, produces this varietal that is popular in New Mexican, Arizonan and Sonoran cooking. I consider it a real regional gem. They are available in a variety of heat: mild, medium, hot and extra hot.
What do you do with a bounty of chiles? You roast them and freeze them! They freeze well but a little caveat is that sometimes the heat of the chile becomes pronounced when frozen. This is why I always buy mild just in case the heat turns up and it’s not unbearable to eat.
How to roast chiles for this Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup
Don’t be intimidated by roasting chiles. It’s actually easy, but you just have to have everything prepped and be careful with the flame. The how to guide below shows Poblanos, but the same method applies to Hatch or Anaheim chiles.
How to roast chiles in the oven
If you don’t want to deal with an open flame, roast your chiles in the oven. Preheat oven to 425º F. Place chiles on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly spray with oil. Do not use Pam, use canola or olive oil spray.
Place baking sheet in oven and roast for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, with tongs, flip them and roast for about 10 more minutes. The skins on the chiles should be charred but not burnt. Once they are ready, remove from oven and place the chiles in zip bag, paper bag or wrap in a kitchen towel. Let them rest for about 15-20 minutes and then remove the charred skins. Chiles are ready to use.
How to make my Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup
I had been eyeballing the recipe for Cream of Green Chile soup from the old cookbook from El Paso Chile Company. My Mom and I make our own similar version that is chunkier, but I’ll admit I was very curious about this version. With some adjustments, we made this Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup and it is amazing! I’ve made it a second time and am equally delighted by the results.
The flavor profile of the soup is a little smoky, with mellow creaminess that comes from the potatoes, cheese and cream. The original recipe called for two bay leaves which seemed like a heck of a lot, but in the end, it worked perfectly. Unless you have a major aversion to bay leaf, cut back to one, but if you enjoy the flavor, go for the two. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
This Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup comes together in about 45 minutes (once chiles are roasted) from start to finish on the stove top. I like to top this soup with extra roasted chile, roasted corn, chopped tomato, cilantro and cotija cheese. (Cotija cheese is a Mexican cheese very similar to Feta in both taste and texture.)
This soup freezes well. Once frozen, allow to defrost and heat soup to a simmer on low for 5-10 minutes. Serve with any choice of the suggested toppings. Scroll down for full recipe details and enjoy!!
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Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup
Equipment
- Immersion blender or blender
- 4 qt pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 6 whole Hatch or Anaheim, roasted, peeled and chopped 1 cup of roasted green chiles (if using jarred, drain excess liquid)
- 4 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 cups onion chopped, white or yellow
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Oregano, Mexican dried
- 2 whole bay leaves dried
- 4 cups broth chicken or vegetable
- 1 1/2 lb potatoes baking, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 tsp salt kosher
- 1/4 tsp pepper fresh ground
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 2 cups cheese Colby Jack, Jack or Mozzarella cheeses
Toppings
- tortilla strips, baked or fried or tortilla chip strips
- green chiles finely chopped
- tomato, seeded finely chopped
- cilantro leaves, chopped
- corn fresh or frozen, pan roasted or grilled
Instructions
Roasting Chiles
- On your stovetop, over high flame, place peppers on stove grate or grill.
- With tongs, carefully rotate peppers as they begin to char.
- Using tongs, keep rotating chiles until they are completely charred.
- Remove from flame and place charred chiles in a paper bag, zip type bag or kitchen towel. Close bag, or zip bag. If using kitchen towel, wrap chiles well so the steam doesn't escape.
- After about 15 minutes, the charred skins should come right off. Once you have peeled all the chile peppers. Remove stems and seeds and use for your recipe.
How to make Creamy Potato Hatch Chile Soup
- In a 4 qt pot or dutch oven, over medium heat, melt butter and add onion, garlic, oregano, bay leaves and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in chicken or vegetable broth, potatoes, and add salt and pepper.
- Lower heat and simmer, stirring the mixture in between, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
- Add 1/2 the roasted chiles and using an immersion blender (see below for regular blender) puree all the ingredients. About 1-2 minutes. Soup should have a cream soup consistency.
- If you are using a blender, allow the soup cool slightly before adding hot liquid to the blender container. Pulse until the soup has a cream soup consistency.
- Add remaining chiles, cheese, whipping cream and stir until fully combined.
- Simmer on low until soup thickens. About 10 minutes.
- Top soup with tortilla strips, fresh tomato, roasted chiles, roasted corn, cilantro and a little Cotija cheese. (all optional)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Looks amazing! We can’t get enough of Hatch green chile when it’s in season! Thanks for sharing. PS… love your Eva Mendes Catalina dishware! Perfect for this lovely Southwest recipe.
Let me know what you think if you make it! Love Hatch Chiles! Those dishes were a clearance buy at Macys many years ago. 🙂
This soup was delicious! Last year my husband and I drove across the country to New Mexico and brought back with us a giant sack of Hatch chile. Now I am trying to finish up using a freezer full of roasted chile. I used all red in this recipe and it was wonderful—the perfect balance of creamy and spicy, and very comforting!
How wonderful to hear Briana! We are just about at Hatch Chile once again, and I know full well about a freezer full of chiles. So happy to hear you enjoyed it!