Sopa de Tortilla (Mexican Tortilla Soup)
Local name: Sopa de tortilla
In short: Chicken broth blended with tomatoes, onion and pasilla chile, poured over crisp tortilla strips with avocado, cheese and cream. It takes about 55 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Sopa de tortilla, also called sopa azteca, is a standard first course in Mexican homes and restaurants. A base of tomato, onion and garlic is blended, fried and simmered in chicken broth, with dried pasilla chile adding mild smoke. Strips of corn tortilla are fried until crisp and piled in the bowl, so the hot soup is poured over them at the table. Avocado, cheese, crema and a squeeze of lime finish it.
Instructions
- Heat the frying oil in a skillet to 180°C (350°F). Fry the tortilla strips in batches for 1 to 2 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly.
- In the same oil, fry the pasilla chiles for about 10 seconds per side until puffed and fragrant. Drain, crumble one chile for garnish, and soak the other two in hot water for 10 minutes. Pour off all but a spoonful of the oil.
- Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, the two soaked chiles and 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the stock until smooth.
- Heat 2 tbsp fresh oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Pour in the puree, which will spatter, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until darker and thick.
- Add the remaining stock and the epazote. Simmer for 20 minutes, then season with salt.
- Divide the tortilla strips, avocado and cheese among six bowls. Ladle the hot soup over them.
- Top each bowl with a spoonful of crema, some crumbled chile and a lime wedge, and serve at once.
Tips
- To skip the frying, spread the tortilla strips on a tray, brush with a little oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp.
- Add shredded poached chicken to each bowl before ladling in the soup to turn it into a full meal.
Questions and answers
Is tortilla soup the same as sopa azteca?
Yes. Both names describe the same soup of tomato-chile broth poured over crisp tortilla strips. Sopa azteca is the name more often used in Mexico City.
Can I make the soup ahead of time?
Yes. The broth keeps for 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Store the fried tortilla strips separately in an airtight container and assemble at serving time.
Can tortilla soup be vegetarian?
Yes, if you use vegetable stock. The fried tomato and chile base carries most of the flavor, so the soup stays rich.
How long does it take to make Sopa de Tortilla (Mexican Tortilla Soup)?
About 55 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sopa de Tortilla (Mexican Tortilla Soup)?
About 430 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 30 g of carbohydrates and 29 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 30 g |
| Fat | 29 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 1150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
