Cold sopa de lima

Cold sopa de lima is exactly what I want on crazy hot days—hungry but too sweaty to fire up the stove, you know? I’m talking about that zesty, refreshing soup from Yucatán that always turns my bad mood around. Stuff like tacos and potato salad just won’t hit the spot when you’re melting, but a big bowl of cold sopa de lima is straight-up lifesaving. If you’ve never made it, settle in and let me walk you through the real deal, and for those endless summer cookouts, this best loaded potato salad pairs pretty well too.

The Broth

Oh, buddy. The broth is the main character in this show. Making cold sopa de lima broth isn’t the kind of thing where you just plop in a cube and call it done. You want deep chicken flavor, a hint of garlic, and this faint whiff of spices, like clove or allspice (which sounds weird, maybe, but I swear, game changer). I usually start by simmering chicken thighs with onion, garlic, and bay leaves for at least an hour. Not kidding, I once let it simmer while I binge-watched a whole mini-series. Strain out the solids. Chill the broth until it’s not blazing hot—frankly, cooler than room temp is best.

Season with salt after chilling, or it tastes way saltier than you think. Toss in a pinch of pepper, and if you like a little heat, one lonely chili for flavor.

Let me drop a quick testimony of how rich this tastes:

This broth is the only chicken soup I’ll crave in July. Refreshing, bright, and just the right amount of savory — totally not your boring chicken soup.

The Sofrito

Alright, let’s talk flavor-boosters. Traditional? Maybe not completely, but I do a little sofrito anyway. That just means sautéing onion, tomato, and mild green chili (serrano, jalapeño, whatever’s rattling in the crisper drawer). Full transparency, sometimes I just char it all in a dry skillet to speed things up. Get it soft and sweet but not mushy—like, don’t cook it so long it turns into baby food.

Once cooled, I dump this in with the broth, which gives a whole other level of “how is this so good?” Serve this to anyone cranky about cold soups and just wait for the eyebrows to shoot up.

If you want to outshine even a fancy restaurant, go the extra mile and add a smidge of fresh cilantro with the sofrito—trust me, it works.

The Lima

Honestly, this is my favorite part. "Lima" means lime (but you probably guessed that). But not just any lime—the tiny, sweet-tart ones from Mexico make it wildly good. Can you use regular old grocery limes? Absolutely, in a pinch. I’ve done it more times than I care to admit.

Don’t overdo it. Start by juicing a couple, toss that juice into the broth, and taste. Add more little by little, until it’s bright and tart but not slap-you sour. If you like lime, you can even float a few thin slices on top. Your kitchen is about to smell unreal.

A neighbor once said my house “smells like vacation” when I make sopa de lima. I took it as a compliment.

Special Equipment

Honestly, you don’t need specialized tools for cold sopa de lima (thank goodness). But I swear by a few things for way less mess:

• Big mesh strainer saves you from staring at little chicken bones in your soup.
• Citrus reamer (or just your hand, but that gets sticky…)
• A big, lidded soup pot, just makes the chilling and storing less of a pain.
• Sharp knife for slicing limes thin as paper.

Don’t buy anything fancy. Use what you have—promise, it’ll still work.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Let’s not make this a diet food debate, but curious minds want to know! Cold sopa de lima is jam-packed with flavor and has none of the guilt. So, here’s roughly what you’re looking at if you serve up a bowl:

Chicken broth (made from scratch) means solid protein, basically no fat (unless you go heavy on the chicken skins, but I don’t). Tomatoes and lime juice mean vitamin C out the wazoo, and the onions add a little fiber and tons of flavor. Depending on toppings, each serving lands around 120 calories (if you skip crispy tortilla strips…and fried stuff, sigh).

Salt level is totally in your control. Some days you want salty, some days you don’t.

Common Questions

Do I have to use Mexican limes?
Nope, but if you can find them, you’ll taste the difference. Regular limes are still delicious. No need to fuss if your store doesn’t have fancy ones.

Can I make it ahead?
Absolutely, it even gets better if you let it chill a few hours. Just add lime at the end, or it can get a bitter tinge.

What toppings work best?
Crispy homemade tortilla strips win, hands down. Avocado, a scatter of chopped cilantro, even diced red onion. Oh, and if you want a heartier meal, add some shredded chicken.

How long does cold sopa de lima keep?
Three days in the fridge is safe. Any longer—I’ll level with you—it loses the magic.

Can I make it vegetarian?
Yep, sub veggie broth for chicken and leave out the meat. It’s lighter but still nice and zippy.

Ready for a Chill-Down Bowl?

There’s just nothing like cold sopa de lima to put a smile on your face, especially after a long, hot day where half your hair is stuck to your neck (yeah, relatable). You basically get a five-star restaurant experience at home—and for way less money too. If you’re intrigued, I totally recommend exploring this Sopa De Lima (Mexican Lime Soup) Recipe for another angle, or poke around food sites for more twists. Got extra boiled eggs or potatoes? Go wild and peek at my favorite best loaded potato salad recipe for a side that slays at parties.

If you just need something fast, flavorful, and not boring, this cold sopa de lima is your ticket. Promise you’ll want seconds.

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