Chilled Mango Soup with Crema and Pepitas
Author Notes: Last Saturday I made this for an impromptu Cinco de Mayo party and loved how the green mango stood in for a more traditional citrus addition. - gingerroot
Makes 3 cups
- 1 whole dried New Mexico red chile
- 3 ripe Champagne or Ataulfo mangoes, peeled and chopped for 3 cups of fruit
- 1 firm green mango, peeled and chopped for about a cup of fruit
- 1 cup peeled and sliced cucumber
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon rough chopped cilantro stems
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste if necessary)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- Crema Mexicana for serving (can substitute crème fraiche)
- Generous amounts of toasted pepitas for serving
- Using kitchen shears remove stem from chile and discard. Cut chile into small ½-inch squares and place in a bowl. Cover chile with hot water and let rehydrate for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and discard the water (but not the seeds). Place soaked chile pieces (and seeds) in the bowl of a food processor.
- Add the next five ingredients (through cilantro stems) to the food processor.
- Toast cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, shaking pan to prevent burning. Crush seeds in a mortar and pestle. Add to soup mixture along with kosher salt.
- With the machine running, add olive oil and water in a stream through chute. Continue processing, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides with a spatula, until mixture is smooth and mango pieces are no longer visible.
- Transfer soup to a bowl or quart glass measure and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours and up to a day to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, stir and taste for salt, adding more if necessary.
- When serving, portion soup into small bowls, stir in crema (start with a teaspoon), and top with toasted pepitas. Enjoy.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Mangoes

about 1 year ago Beautiful, Memorable Food
love it, looks cooling and refreshing and I love the crunchy pepitas on top!
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thank you, Beautiful, Memorable Food. I love the flavor and texture the pepitas add to the soup.
about 1 year ago Madhuja
I love how you are using both sweet and sour mangoes to boost the flavor! Lovely!
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thank you, Madhuja, yes, the green mango adds a sour savory note that balances the sweet of the ripe mangoes.
about 1 year ago PistachioDoughnut
Wow! lovely...i have a list of things that I want to try and now this is one of them.
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thank you, PistachioDoughnut. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you try it.
about 1 year ago wssmom
MMmmmm. Totally.
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thanks, wssmom!
about 1 year ago Oui, Chef
Very creative....I love the sound of this one!
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thank you, Chef!
about 1 year ago LE BEC FIN
brilliant out-of-the-box creativity! th you for the inspiration!
best,
mindy
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Aw, thanks, LBF! Your mango coconut cashew spring rolls sound amazing.
about 1 year ago EmilyC
Another great recipe from your kitchen, gingerroot! This looks and sounds fantastic.
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thanks, EmilyC. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you give it a try.
about 1 year ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
This sounds great! I'm a big fan of chilled, spicy soup. Something about the dichotomy really appeals to me.
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thank you, hla. Dried New Mexico red chiles are not unbearably spicy but add enough kick to make the contrast interesting.
about 1 year ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Wonderful recipe and I love the idea of soup shots!! Another great recipe GR, so simple and delicious.
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thanks, sdebrango! I especially like the contrast of the soup with the nutty pepitas.
about 1 year ago Bevi
This sounds like a great recipe for soup "shots". I will try this!
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thanks, Bevi! I totally agree - I served it as a starter in small cups.
about 1 year ago gingerroot
Thanks so much, BKR! It is decidedly savory, which I enjoyed, and was a perfect starter for our Cinco de Mayo gathering. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you give it a try.
about 1 year ago BlueKaleRoad
This sounds refreshing and flavorful - love that there's some zip from the chile. And what a lovely photo! I can't wait to try this one.