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Sopa de Tortilla

5.0

(1)

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 →

What you’ll need

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.

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