Recipe for Sonoran cheese and potato soup (Caldo de Queso) made with green chiles, onions, and tomatoes in a light, milky broth. The hot soup is ladled on top of shredded cheese that softens, but does not fully melt. This recipe is from my Taste of Tucson cookbook. Learn more about Caldo de Queso in my feature article for Serious Eats.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 5+ quart Dutch oven or soup pot
A Sonoran cheese and potato soup in a light milky broth with tomatoes, green chiles and onions. Be careful not to confuse evaporated milk with condensed milk which is very sweet and used in desserts. Use the tortillas to scoop up chunks of potatoes and cheese. Canned roasted Anaheim or Hatch green chiles can be substituted if fresh are not available. Mexican blend shredded cheese can be used if you can’t get the other kinds.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes about 2 pounds, scrubbed and quartered
- 1 large tomato diced about 8oz
- 1 medium white onion diced about 8oz
- 1 7-ounce can chopped roasted Anaheim or Hatch green chiles, hot or mild,
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 4 cloves
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Knorr chicken flavored granulated bullion, or 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt if vegetarian, divided
- 1 12-ounce lowfat or nonfat evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces Queso Quesadilla, Oaxaca, or Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- 4-8 dried chiltepin chiles for serving crushed, optional
- 4-8 flour or corn tortillas for serving
Instructions
In a 5+ quart Dutch oven or soup pot, combine broth, water, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, green chiles, garlic and 1 teaspoon bullion powder or salt if using.- Remove from heat, Stir in the evaporated milk and Mexican oregano and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Taste and season with additional salt, teaspoon of bullion powder and pepper as desired.
- Put ¼ cup of shredded cheese in the bottom of each of 4 bowls, then ladle the soup over the top.
- Sprinkle with crushed chiltepin chile, and Mexican Oregano. Scoop bits of potato and cheese into warm corn and/or flour tortillas.
Notes
FAQ
What is caldo de queso? Caldo de queso is a Sonoran-style cheese and potato soup popular throughout the Arizona-Mexico borderlands region. The name translates literally as "cheese broth." It is made with large chunks of potato simmered in a light milky broth seasoned with roasted green chiles, tomatoes, onions, and Mexican oregano, with shredded cheese added directly to each bowl at serving. It is a staple of home cooking in Tucson and Sonora, Mexico, and one of the most distinctive dishes in the Sonoran culinary tradition.
What is evaporated milk and why does this recipe use it? Evaporated milk is unsweetened canned milk with about 60% of the water removed. It adds a rich, creamy texture to soups and sauces without the heaviness of cream. In caldo de queso, it creates the soup's signature light milky broth. Do not substitute condensed milk — condensed milk is sweetened and used in desserts. Lowfat or nonfat evaporated milk both work in this recipe.
What are chiltepin chiles? Chiltepins are tiny, round, wild chiles native to the Sonoran Desert. They are intensely hot — significantly hotter than a jalapeño — but their heat is sharp and quick rather than lingering. They grow wild in the mountains of southern Arizona and northern Mexico and are a cornerstone ingredient in Sonoran cooking. Crushed dried chiltepins replace hot sauce as a finishing garnish in this caldo de queso recipe, adding heat without masking the subtle flavors of the broth. Look for them at Sonoran Mexican grocery stores, specialty spice shops, or online.
Is caldo de queso vegetarian? Yes. This recipe is easily made fully vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth and using vegetable bouillon or kosher salt in place of the chicken-flavored granulated bouillon. All other ingredients are naturally vegetarian. The soup is hearty enough to serve as a main dish for vegetarians alongside warm tortillas.
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