Tortilla soup, also known as Aztec soup, is a traditional dish from Mexico City. It consists of fried corn tortilla chips in a tasty and spicy tomato broth, topped with cheese, cream, and avocado. This authentic tortilla soup recipe uses our popular Tropical Queso Fresco Mexicano and Tropical Crema Mexicana.
Two tips that make tortilla soup even better: try to get dried pasilla chiles to give it the classic flavor, and fry the tortillas at home instead of buying pre-made chips. You will taste the difference. Enjoy this soup for lunch!
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil, or as needed
- 12 Tropical Corn Tortillas – 1 whole, the rest cut into strips
- 3 dried pasilla chiles (peppers), seeded – 1 whole, 2 cut into strips
- 2 Roma tomatoes, in quarters
- ½ large onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 sprig fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado – sliced
- Tropical Crema Mexicana
- Tropical Queso Fresco Mexicano
Preparation
- Heat ½ cup oil in a large pan. Fry the whole pasilla chile on both sides until browned, about 2 minutes, and reserve.
- In the same oil, fry the chile strips from the other 2 chiles for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Remove from the oil and reserve.
- In the same oil, add tortilla strips in batches and fry until brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.
- For the sauce, blend tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, the whole tortilla (not fried) and the whole fried chile in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil, then strain the mixture previously blended into the saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add cilantro. Reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the cilantro.
- To serve, add fried tortilla strips to each individual bowl and pour in the hot broth. Then top with avocado, Queso Fresco Mexicano, the fried chile strips, and Crema Mexicana. Enjoy immediately while the tortilla strips are still crunchy.
