Tortilla Soup
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
A great broth is like a love letter. No matter how simple it may seem, it takes time, patience, and skill to coax complex flavor out of the ingredients.
When I make homemade chicken stock for my much-beloved matzo ball soup, I take a full 24 hours—roasting the bones, adding months’ worth of saved vegetable scraps, and simmering the whole thing gently overnight, making sure it never comes to a boil; tasting it over and over again to ensure the perfect balance of flavors.
Of course, stock can be made more simply and quickly when needed. But some things just can’t be rushed—flavor deepens and develops over time.
Tortilla soup—which typically appears on menus in Mexico as sopa Azteca—takes beautiful, long-simmered stock to the next level with aromatics, herbs, and dried chiles. I love that tortilla soup is endlessly customizable—it can be served on its own, perhaps with a simple garnish of fried corn tortillas, fresh cilantro, or a dollop of sour cream. It can be ladled over rice and black beans for a more substantial meal, with a sprinkling of jack cheese on top. Try adding roasted corn, cubes of queso fresco, fresh avocado, or all of the above.
However you choose to serve your tortilla soup, it is sure to be filling and satisfying. Serve it piping hot on its own or as a starter to your favorite Mexican entrée. Enchiladas are always a great choice—try my Enchiladas Suizas or Birria Enchiladas as a second course to this soup.
Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 pasilla negra chiles, roughly chopped
- 2 roasted poblano peppers, skin and seeds removed, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano (do not substitute regular oregano!)
- 1 can (14 ounces or 400g) fire-roasted tomatoes
- 3 cups (700mL) chicken stock (vegetable stock may be substituted)
- 2 corn tortillas, toasted and roughly chopped
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- In a large, heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil until moderately hot.Add the diced onion, smashed garlic, and dried chiles. One of the nice things about this soup is that it is puréed, so you don’t have to worry about chopping your ingredients evenly!Allow the ingredients to sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes (you want to develop depth of flavor, but do not allow the ingredients to burn).
Step 2
- Add the roasted chiles, Mexican oregano and fire-roasted tomatoes and stir to combine.Do not substitute regular oregano!While the name is similar, Mexican oregano is a completely different ingredient with a completely different flavor profile. If you do not have Mexican oregano, simply omit it.
Step 3
- Add the broth, and simmer for 20-30 minutes to continue developing flavor.
Step 4
- Carefully transfer the contents of the pot to a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix. Add the tortillas, and blend at a high speed until smooth.
Step 5
- Return to the pot and hold on a low simmer until ready to serve. Serve hot with your preferred garnishes—see the post above for ideas!
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
A light beverage would be best with this tortilla soup, to not overpower the aromatics, herbs, and chiles. Versatile wines like Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, or a dry Riesling will brighten the soup without overwhelming the flavors. Similarly, light beer styles like Pilsner or Lager would be a great pair to this soup.
