Spicy Jicama Tortilla Soup with Shrimp

5 from 1 vote

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My true colors are showing, and I apologize.

I do my best to keep my personal food fetishes under control on this site because I realize that everyone has different tastes, and I like to cover all my bases/feed as many of you as humanly possible. After all, one (supposedly) can’t live on tacos, quinoa bakes, and cocktails alone. But every once in a while, this weird blog lady slips up. I’ll fail to recognize a pattern in my editorial calendar and before I know it, it’s too late.

And that, friends, is exactly what happened this month.

I only realized I was on a thematic tear when I sat down to write today’s post and found myself feeling strangely familiar with the word “fiesta.” A quick peek at last week’s posts (crab and bacon ‘dillas followed by a boss Dude Diet fajita skillet) confirmed that yes, the blog has taken a serious trip south of the border lately and for better or worse, it’s staying there for the foreseeable future. We’ve got tortilla soup today, and then tostadas and killer watermelon-basil margaritas on deck for next week, so I’m just gonna spin this thing the only way I know how…

Exciting news, amigos y amantes!! It’s Mexican month on Domesticate ME! AYIYIYIYIYI!! Maracas noises!!! Red dress dancing lady emojis!!!

If you hate Mexican food and tequila, you’re the worst! I’m sorry. Truly. We shall return to regularly scheduled quinoa bakes programming on August 30^th. Until then, please stock up on limes and mini sombreros.

Olé, gracias, etc.

Today’s recipe is a Mexican-inspired gem from my friend, and spiralizing kween, Ali Mafucci’s second cookbook Inspiralize Everything. (Officially on sale today!) Given that spiralizing is another of my not-so-well-disguised fetishes, I was all kinds of psyched to get my hands on an advance copy of this masterpiece. Cleverly broken down by produce (from apples to zucchini) so that you can search recipes based on what you have on hand, the book is jam-packed with spiralized inspiration. There are so many delicious looking meals that I can’t wait to try—deciding on a recipe to share was very much a Sophie’s Choice situation—but I ultimately settled on this Spicy Jicama Tortilla Soup with Shrimp.

It’s a thousand degrees in NYC right now, so it may seem like soup was a bad choice, but I’ve been battling a summer cold for weeks, and this spicy, veggie-heavy soup was just what the doctor ordered. It’s the type of nourishing one-pot meal that’s great for busy weeknights, and I love that Ali replaced the traditional tortilla strips in the soup with jicama noodles that provide the same awesome crunch with a hefty side of health benefits. (Fiber! Vitamin C! Potassium! YASSSS.)

A few quick notes on this festive, crowd-pleasing soup before I leave you to edit more Mexican food pics. The original recipe calls for kohlrabi, but I couldn’t get my paws on one, so I subbed jicama at Ali’s recommendation. (Another perk of Inspiralize Everything—Ali always gives you at least one alternative vegetable choice for each spiralized recipe!) It was delightful. I had completely forgotten how crunchy and refreshing the vegetable is, and I now plan to work more jicama into my diet, but you could always use the aforementioned kohlrabi or even zucchini noodles if you like. I also threw in a generous amount of cayenne for sinus-clearing heat and an ear of sweet corn because it’s summer and I had it hanging around, but those are totally optional additions.

If you’re not into seafood, or you simply don’t feel like shelling out for shrimpies, try chicken breasts or thighs in their place. Simply slice the chicken into 1-inch cubes and simmer it for 10 minutes until opaque throughout. Or go vegan. Thanks to the black beans and veggie noodles, the soup is surprisingly satisfying without shrimp or meat. Promise.

p.s. Thank you for the overly enthusiastic response to The Dude Diet cover reveal!!! Your comments/emails/preorders made me giddier than Logan at a Chinese buffet, and I can’t wait to continue prelaunch celebrations over the next couple of months. Virtual koala hug.

Spicy Jicama Tortilla Soup with Shrimp: (Serves 4 to 6)

Ingredients:
1 small jicama, peeled (A medium kohlrabi or zucchini will also work well!)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 large jalapeño seeded and finely diced
1½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ear sweet corn, kernels removed (about ¾ cup kernels) (optional)
5-6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth (depending on how “soupy” you like your soup)
1 pound medium shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined (You can also use thawed frozen shrimp if you prefer.)
Juice of 2 small limes
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, sliced or cubed
Sliced jalapeño (optional)

Preparing your Spicy Jicama Tortilla Soup with Shrimp:

-For those that don’t know, this is what a jicama looks like…

-Peel that bad boy, then slice it halfway through from pole-to-pole to create a slit, being careful not to pierce any farther than its center. Spiralize with Blade D on The Inspiralizer (or whichever blade makes spaghetti noodles on your spiralizer.) Briefly set aside.

-Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent.

-Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and paprika and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.

-Stir in the tomatoes, beans, and broth. (I recommend starting with 5 cups broth and then adding more as needed.) Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add the shrimp and lime juice and cook for 5 minutes until the shrimp are bright pink and opaque.

-Stir in the cilantro and jicama noodles. Taste and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

-Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with avocado and sliced jalapeño if you like.