Mexican Shell Pasta Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting Mexican shell pasta in rich tomato broth with cilantro and lime, ready in 30 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 1 cup small shell pasta (conchas)

→ Base

02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - ½ small white onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

05 - 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
06 - 2 cups vegetable broth
07 - 2 cups water
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

→ Seasoning

10 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - ¼ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

→ Garnishes

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# How to Make:

01 - Combine the chopped tomatoes and half of the chopped onion in a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth. Set aside.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shell pasta and toast, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pasta and set aside.
03 - Add the remaining chopped onion and minced garlic to the same pot. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
04 - Pour the blended tomato mixture into the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen.
05 - Stir in the tomato paste, vegetable broth, water, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Return the toasted shell pasta to the pot. Bring everything to a rolling boil.
06 - Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with freshly chopped cilantro and a lime wedge on the side. Serve immediately with warm tortillas or crusty bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The toasted shells soak up the tomato broth like little sponges, giving you bursts of flavor in every single spoonful.
  • It costs almost nothing to make, uses pantry staples, and somehow tastes like you spent hours over a stove you did not.
  • Kids go absolutely wild for the tiny shells, which makes dinner feel easy for once.
02 -
  • Toasting the dry pasta before adding liquid is the step that separates a good sopa de conchas from a forgettable one, so never skip it.
  • If you add the tomato paste directly to the hot pot without dissolving it into the broth first, it can scorch on the bottom and give the soup a bitter edge.
  • The pasta will continue absorbing broth as it sits, so if you are making it ahead add a splash of water when reheating.
03 -
  • Use the ripest, softest tomatoes you can find because their sweetness means you need less salt in the final broth.
  • A pinch of sugar added with the tomato paste can rescue a batch made with underripe tomatoes that taste too acidic.

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