As the weather turns colder, most of us think of warmer foods to serve for dinner. And soup is one of those comfort foods that almost everyone likes, especially on a cool night. Chorizo and Calabacita Soup is not only served hot, but it has a bit of a kick to it. The idea for this soup came when I made a big batch of Calabacitas, a favorite late summer vegetable dish that uses both yellow and zucchini squashes, as well as corn; I had a lot of leftovers, and didn’t want them to go to waste.

Since I was in a hurry, I browned some chorizo sausage that was in the freezer, made a soup base from the Basic Cream Soup Mix, and had a warming, spicy soup in less than 30 minutes. This soup is delicious sprinkled with a few crushed tortilla chips.

In case you aren’t familiar with chorizo sausage, there are two varieties: Spanish chorizo is mild and fully cooked and cured; Mexican chorizo is a spicy sausage mixture that must be cooked thoroughly – it has lots of fat that must be pressed out after browning.

12 Servings

2 9 oz. packages Mexican Chorizo Sausage

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, quartered, then sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups fresh corn, cut from the cob (3-4 ears) or frozen corn
1 pound small zucchinis, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/2" to 3/4" chunks
1 pound yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/2"-3/4" chunks
3 to 5 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped (more or less to taste)
2 large tomatoes, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

8 cups water
2 cups Basic Cream Soup Mix

3 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese

Crushed tortilla chips

1. Brown the sausage and transfer it to a fine strainer; press to remove the fat.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet; add the onions and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the corn and cook 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, and jalapeno peppers; continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the squashes are just barely crisp tender.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the tomatoes.
6. Measure the water in a large soup pot or Dutch oven; whisk in the basic cream soup mix.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
8. Add the cooked sausage and the vegetables.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 438 Calories from Fat 255
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 58% Protein 19% Carb. 22%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 28 g
Saturated Fat 14 g
Cholesterol 71 mg
Sodium 734 mg
Total Carbohydrate 25 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 21 g

Vitamin A 40% Vitamin C 81% Calcium 0% Iron 8%