Name: Tortilla Soup
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 medium tomatoes; 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled; ⅓ medium white onion; 6 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed; 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided; 6 corn tortillas (day-old tortillas are best); 1 sprig epazote (about 4 leaves); Salt and pepper, to taste; 1 or 2 pasilla peppers, sliced into rings; 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and diced; 1 cup panela cheese, cut into small cubes; Mexican crema; Lime wedges; 1½ cups shredded cooked chicken (optional); 1 roasted poblano pepper, cut into strips (optional); Chopped onion, to taste (optional); Chopped fresh cilantro, to taste (optional)

A bowl of tomato broth with tortilla chips queso blanco and avocados served with lime wedges.

Photo by Mely Martinez

Sopa de tortilla, or tortilla soup, is one of the most famous soups from central Mexico. There are several variations to the recipe, and they can include shredded chicken, roasted poblano peppers, and even chicharrones. What makes this soup special (and famous!) are the garnishes; the combination of the crispy tortillas and the creamy avocado chunks make for a spoonful of heaven.

Day-old tortillas are ideal for frying, since they are drier and absorb less oil than freshly made ones. They also tend to get crispy faster. If you have fresh corn tortillas and want to dry them, cut them and leave them on your kitchen counter overnight, covered with a paper towel, or place them in the oven at 250°F for 10 to 12 minutes before frying. You can also bake the tortilla strips instead of frying them, at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

This recipe was excerpted from 'The Mexican Home Kitchen' by Mely Martinez. Buy the full book on Amazon. Click through for more classic Mexican soups →

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What you’ll need

Pasilla Chiles
$8 At Amazon

Cooks' Note

Some cooks prefer not to roast the tomato, onion, and garlic.

You can also add a pasilla pepper to the sauce. Soak it in water until it softens,
then add it with the other ingredients in the blender in step 2.

Recipe information

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

⅓ medium white onion

6 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed

5 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

6 corn tortillas (day-old tortillas are best)

1 sprig epazote (about 4 leaves)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 or 2 pasilla peppers, sliced into rings

Garnishing and to serve

1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and diced

1 cup panela cheese, cut into small cubes

Mexican crema

Lime wedges

1½ cups shredded cooked chicken (optional)

1 roasted poblano pepper, cut into strips (optional)

Chopped onion, to taste (optional)

Chopped fresh cilantro, to taste (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat a comal or large skillet over medium-high heat, then roast the tomatoes, garlic, and onion, turning them so they can roast evenly. Once roasted, peel the tomatoes and garlic.
Step 2
Place the roasted vegetables in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding about 1 cup chicken broth, if needed.
Step 3
In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomato sauce and cook for about 3 minutes. When the sauce starts to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. The sauce will reduce and change to a darker color.
Step 4
While the sauce is cooking, cut the tortillas into thin strips that are 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Set aside.
Step 5
Add the chicken broth to the sauce, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 more minutes. Add the epazote and season with the salt and pepper. Simmer for 3 more minutes.
Step 6
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons oil and fry the tortilla strips until they are crispy and take on a golden color, about 4 minutes (fry them in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet). Remove the fried tortillas with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel–lined plate to drain the excess oil.
Step 7
In the remaining oil, fry the pasilla pepper rings. These will get crispy quickly. Once they do, immediately remove them and set aside.
Step 8
Ladle the soup into medium bowls and top with the tortilla strips. Place the garnishes in serving dishes for everyone to add to their own bowls.