Chrissy Teigen's Soup Is a Hug in a Bowl—It's My Favorite

I make it whenever I'm craving comfort.

When I first moved to LA, everyone I met recommended their favorite Mexican spot as "the best tacos in LA." A total newb, I furiously recorded addresses all over the city along with must-try menu items. My list quickly topped 20 different trucks and restaurants, proving that, officially, all tacos everywhere are the "best tacos in LA."

While there's nothing more comforting than warm, tender beans and rice bundled up in a toasty tortilla—like a hug you can hold in your hands—I like them even better scooped up from a bowl.

Chrissy Teigen's tortilla stew from her cookbook, Cravings, dishes up bowls of smoky, satisfyingly spicy deliciousness that only levels up when topped with peppery cilantro, crunchy tortilla strips, buttery avocado, and a bright spritz of lime.

It happened to be raining in LA when I made this stew, as if Chrissy Teigen herself had blessed me with coziness. As far as stews go, this one comes together really fast, and you can go from chopping onions to serving in about an hour. It's packed with spice but feels low-key, like you just threw it together with whatever you had in your pantry. (For me IRL, that would have been banana pudding mix, enchilada sauce, and half a bag of Rao's rigatoni, so I'm lucky I live near a grocery store.)

As always, chopping everything ahead of time makes cooking a breeze. The aromatics go into the pot first, followed by the dry seasonings, and then the liquidy stuff (broth, tomatoes and their juices, and drained black beans). Everything simmers together for a casual 30 minutes. I used fire-roasted tomatoes because I love sneaking in seasoning wherever possible. Add cooked rice (I had brown jasmine rice in the fridge), then simmer for another 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.

At the end, I added an extra teaspoon of salt to keep the seasonings popping against the substantial amount of heat. As for toppings, I went for the classics: avocado, cilantro, a spritz of fresh lime, and some proper tortilla strips.

Unsolicited pep talk: I promise you can totally fry your own tortilla strips. I did it, and I've never fried anything in my life. (In two cups of vegetable oil at 375°F, my hand-cut corn tortilla pieces took 10 seconds to fry, plop on a paper towel, and sprinkle with salt.) There's always the air fryer option, too. Also, no stress—exactly zero people would be mad about a bowl topped with crushed, store-bought tortilla chips.

I can't tell for sure if this is "the best" tortilla stew ever, but it's definitely my new favorite tortilla stew—and the recipe I'll be hitting up next time I'm jonesing for a burrito in a bowl.

How To Make Chrissy Teigen's Vegetable Tortilla Stew

To make six to eight servings, you'll need:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large jalapeño pepper, finely diced (include the seeds)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Optional toppings: tortilla strips or chips, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and crumbled cotija or shredded cheddar

1. In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and slightly golden, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, and black beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, occasionally, for 30 minutes.
4. Add the rice and simmer until the stew thickens, about 15 minutes.
5. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish as desired.

This recipe was adapted and reprinted with permission from Cravings by Chrissy Teigen (Clarkson Potter, 2016).