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Mexican

Sopa de tortilla

A central Mexican tortilla soup with a tomato, garlic, and pasilla chile broth, finished with crisp fried tortilla strips, avocado, crema, and queso fresco. The broth is lightly smoky and deeply savory, with the garnishes added just before serving for contrast.

Sopa de tortilla — Mexican — ChefSnap
15 minsPrep
35 minsCook
4Serves
MediumDifficulty
520 kcal per serving16g protein 48g carbs 31g fat
Watch it made — Sopa de tortillaWatch it madekiwilimón · 2:26

Ingredients

Method

  1. Cut the tortillas into thin strips and let them dry for a few minutes while you prepare the broth.
  2. Remove the stems and seeds from the pasilla chiles, then cut one chile into thin rings or strips for garnish and leave the other in larger pieces for the broth.
  3. Heat the oil or lard in a small saucepan over medium heat, then fry the tortilla strips in batches until crisp and golden; transfer to paper towels and season lightly with salt.
  4. In the same hot fat, briefly fry the pasilla garnish strips for a few seconds until darkened and fragrant, then remove immediately so they do not burn.
  5. Toast the larger pasilla chile pieces in the same fat for 5 to 10 seconds, then remove and set aside.
  6. Roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a comal or dry skillet until blistered and softened, turning as needed.
  7. Blend the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, toasted pasilla pieces, and 1 cup of the chicken stock until very smooth.
  8. Heat 1 tablespoon of the frying oil in a pot over medium heat, then pour in the blended sauce and fry it, stirring often, until it thickens and darkens slightly, about 6 minutes.
  9. Add the remaining chicken stock and the epazote sprig, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  10. Taste the broth and season with salt, then remove the epazote.
  11. Divide most of the fried tortilla strips between two bowls and ladle the hot broth over them.
  12. Top with avocado, queso fresco, crema, fried pasilla strips, the remaining tortilla strips, and a squeeze of lime.

Common questions

Can I substitute guajillo or ancho chiles for pasilla in sopa de tortilla?

Yes, but the flavor changes. Guajillo gives brighter, fruitier heat; ancho is sweeter and milder. Use the same amount, toast briefly, and avoid burning. If you want closer depth, mix guajillo with a little ancho.

How long does sopa de tortilla take, and what can I prep ahead?

Plan on 35 to 45 minutes. You can roast the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and toast the chiles ahead. Fry the tortilla strips just before serving so they stay crisp, since they soften quickly in the broth.

What are the most common mistakes when making sopa de tortilla?

The biggest mistakes are burning the chiles, overfrying the tortillas, and blending the broth too thin or too smoky. Also, don’t add the tortilla strips too early—serve them on top so they stay crunchy.

How should I store leftover sopa de tortilla?

Store broth and toppings separately if possible. The soup base keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. Tortilla strips should be stored airtight at room temperature and refreshed briefly in a dry pan if they soften. Avocado and crema should be added fresh.

What is the best way to serve sopa de tortilla?

Serve the hot broth in bowls, then top with tortilla strips, avocado, queso, crema, and fried chile strips. Add lime at the table. For best texture, let each person garnish their own bowl right before eating.