Jalapeno Corn Fritters add a clever twist on a traditional Sopa Tarasca

I love that I found this recipe! So of course, I had to share it with you.

First of all, the soup is really good. It’s basically spiced tomato soup with pureed pintos. It’s warm comfort food that reminds me of eating a smooth chili.

Then there’s the jalapeno corn fritters, which by themselves are pretty tasty.

Combined, these two become a flavorful meal that leaves you warm and happy. Or at least that’s how I felt after eating.

a dozen jalapeno corn fritters on white paper towel — Gratuitous Jalapeno Corn Fritter shot

Making Sopa Tarasco

Here’s an overview of how I made this delicious soup.

Like so many other dishes, start with a large pot on medium-high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil. Let it get hot, then add onions and garlic. Stir to coat them in the oil and let them cook for 2-3 minutes until starting become translucent.

Add the cumin, adobo chili, and salt. Stir to coat the onions and garlic. Let that roast for about 1 minute.

Add the can of whole tomatoes and juice. Stir to combine and let simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes.

While it’s still hot, pour the tomato and onion mixture into a blender. Mix until smooth. Maybe 30 seconds. Then add the blended mixture back to the pot and continue cooking on low.

Add drained and rinsed pinto beans to the blender. Then add vegetable broth. Mix until smooth. Again, about 30 seconds. The mixture will be pale and frothy.

Pour it into the tomato mixture to finish the soup.

pouring broth into blender with pinto beans

Making Jalapeno Corn Fritters

While the tomatoes are still cooking (before they get to the blender), you can start the fritters.

Begin by adding 1 cup of frozen corn to the food processor. Blitz it until it becomes pretty smooth, almost like a dough.

Add flour, salt, cotija cheese, and jalapeno to a medium mixing bowl.

Add the smooth frozen corn and mix. I use my hands to make sure this mixes all the way through. It is very cold and messy. You can use a spoon or silicone spatula if you’d prefer. It just takes longer.

Then add 3/4 cup of whole frozen corn and mix again until incorporated.

frozen corn processed into a dough — Add flour, salt, cotija, jalapeno

peppers and dry ingredients to be added with the frozen corn — Add flour, salt, cotija, jalapeno

Heat a large skillet on medium. Add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan. After a few minutes, toss a small piece or corn or batter into the oil to check the temperature. If it starts to sizzle, the oil is ready for cooking.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out large chunks for jalapeno corn fritter batter and place them one at a time on the skillet. Avoid putting too many in at once. They need space to cook properly.

After about 3 minutes, you should see the fritters starting to brown on the bottom. Using two large spoons, flip the fritters over and let them continue cooking for another couple of minutes. I like to use a thermometer just to make sure the frozen insides are now nice and hot. Mine were at about 140 F when I pulled them out.

Place them on folded paper towels to drain the oil. I like using a tortilla warmer while the remaining batch or two are cooking.