Vegan Caldo Tlalpeño Recipe
It is the first week of homeschooling, I am coming down with a cold, and all I want is a caldo tlalpeño. Caldo tlalpeño is traditionally a chipotle chicken soup, with chickpeas, carrots, rice, cilantro, avocado, and cheese. For this caldo tlalpeño recipe I have created a vegan version that will keep you coming back for more.
Caldo tlalpeño is one of my favorite comfort dishes. My mom, to this day, still makes a version of it whenever anyone one of us is sick. After moving to the U.S. I searched high and low for a restaurant that would serve a good caldo tlalpeño, but none of them measured up. Until finally, duh, I realized that I should just make it at home. It is super easy to make and it’s another one of those dishes that kids love.
There’s a legend behind this special dish. It is said that Mexican president Santa Ana (you know, the one that signed away 1/4 of Mexico to the U.S.,) was very hung over after 3 nights of partying and was looking for a quick remedy. He happened to be in Tlalpan, the largest borough of Mexico City. The cook gave him a chicken soup and when the president asked what the name of the soup was, she said caldo tlalpeño.
Homeschooling is going well so far. There has been a bit of whining and tears, but I already expected that. It’s actually kind of nice to not have to wake up at 6am and rush out the door to drop kids off at school. On the other hand, by 3 pm mommy is desperate for some alone time. Thank goodness for naps and TV!
I want to say a special thank you to all of you that took the time to respond to my email about the recipes you would like to see on the site. Apparently all of you really like chile rellenos and miss them terribly, so I will be working on that. If there’s any other dish you guys would like to see send me an email or respond to this post. I read every single one!
Caldo Tlalpeño Recipe
Instead of chicken I have used vegetable stock, and added potatoes and zucchini. To serve, garnish with avocado slices and a splash of lime juice. You can add baked tofu cubes to it for a more protein packed meal.
Vegan Caldo Tlalpeño Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 cups Vegetable Stock
- 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
- 2 sprigs Cilantro, fresh
- 1/4 cup Rice, long grain
- 1 cup Potatoes, diced
- 3/4 cup Carrots, diced
- 1 1/2 cups Zucchini, diced
- 1 cup Chickpeas, canned, drained
- 1 ea. Chipotle chile, adobo, chopped
- 1/2 Avocado, cut into cubes
- 1 Lime, cut onto quarters
Preparation
- Pour vegetable stock, crushed garlic, and cilantro sprigs in a large pot and bring to a simmer.
- Add rice and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Add potatoes and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Add carrots and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Add chipotle in adobo and zucchini and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add chickpeas and simmer for 6-7 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with avocado cubes and lime wedges.
Chef's Notes
Instead of chicken I have used vegetable stock, and added potatoes and zucchini. To serve, garnish with avocado slices and a splash of lime juice. You can add baked tofu cubes to it for a more protein packed meal.
