Real-Deal Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • If you don't start with homemade chicken broth, add flavor and body to store-bought broth with some bones and aromatics.
  • When in season, fresh corns and their cobs add another dimension to the soup.
  • Black beans make it a heartier soup.

As a kid who only ever ate tortilla soup in various gringo-fied Mexican-ish restaurants on the Upper West Side and perhaps the occasional New Jersey strip mall, I figured the dish was about as authentically Mexican as ranchero burgers and fried ice cream (A.K.A. not at all). I was right and wrong.

Certainly, the jarred-salsa-watered-down-with-chicken-broth versions I ate garnished with fried tortilla strips, avocado, and not a hint of chile were in the Mexican't camp. But therearemore authentic, more complex, more compelling versions of the dish.

According to a 2005Los Angeles Timesarticle, the exact origins of the dish have not actually been pinpointed, but it stemmed from somewhere in the Mexico City area, making its way North to California and Texas by the mid-20th century. By the 70's and 80's, it was a staple on Mexican and Tex-Mex menus all over the southern United States.

The most basic version starts as good chicken broth enriched with a puréeof roasted tomatoes and onions, garnished with picked chicken meat and crunchy fried tortillas. For my version, I start bydoctoring up some store-bought broth with a few aromatics and chicken bones(you can, of course, start with homemade broth and it'll be all the better). A 30-minute simmer is enough to lend the broth some extra body and flavor and to just-cook the chicken breast meat so that it remains tender and moist when you shred it.

Fresh corn is not always an ingredient in the soup, but I find it impossible to resist when it's in season. I add the corn cobs to the simmering stock for flavor (read more on that technique here).

Rather than the canned tomatoes that many recipes call for, broiling a few whole ripe tomatoes while the stock simmers gets you a much deeper, richer, smokier flavor as bits of charred tomato skin make their way into the soup. Similarly, using chile powder might be alright in a pinch, but for maximum fruity-rich chile depth, I use whole dried ancho chiles simmered in the broth.

Once the tomato-chile-broth mixture is cooked, it's a simple matter of sautéing a few more aromatics—onion, garlic, Poblano pepper, the corn kernels, and a pinch of cumin and oregano—adding the broth back, picking the chicken meat, and serving, along with a handful of fresh cilantro (orepazote, if you can find it), scallions, diced avocado, and fried tortilla strips (yes, you can use good chips). For an extra-hearty soup, a can of black beans does nicely.

August 2012

Ingredients

  • 2 quartslow-sodium canned or homemade chicken stock

  • 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, about 1 pound total

  • 1 large onion, split in half, plus 1 large onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 2 ears of corn, shucked, kernels removed from cobs, milk scraped from empty cobs

  • 2 medium garlic cloves, whole, plus 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 3 whole dried ancho chiles, seeds and stems removed, flesh roughly torn into strips

  • 1 1/2 poundsripe tomatoes, split in half

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1Poblano pepper, seeded and finely diced (about 1 cup)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 2teapoons dried oregano

  • 1 (15-ounce)can black beans drained and rinsed

  • 1 cup freshcilantro leaves

  • 1 tablespoon corn flour

To Serve:

  • Diced avocado

  • Fried tortilla strips or chips

  • Chopped scallions

  • Lime wedges

Directions

  1. Place stock, chicken, split onion, empty corn cobs and scraped corn milk, 2 whole garlic cloves, and chiles in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, turning chicken occasionally, and topping up with water as necessary. Discard onion, corn cobs, and garlic cloves, and transfer chicken to a large plate. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into strips.

  2. Meanwhile, adjust rack to 4 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Place tomatoes cut side-up on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil until charred on top surface and completely softened, about 15 minutes.

  3. Combine roasted tomatoes, stock, and re-hydrated chiles in the bowl of a blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and set aside.

  4. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, peppers, and corn kernels. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add beans and half of cilantro and stir to combine. Pour tomato-chile stock into the pot through a fine-mesh strainer.

  5. Whisk corn flour into soup. Bring to a simmer, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cook, stirring frequently, until onions and poblanos are totally softened, 5 to 10 minutes.

  6. Serve soup, garnished with chicken, avocado, fried tortilla strips, scallions, lime wedges, and remaining cilantro.

  • Soups
  • Mexican
  • Chicken Breast
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
426Calories
16g Fat
43g Carbs
31g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories426
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g21%
Saturated Fat 3g13%
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 1448mg63%
Total Carbohydrate 43g16%
Dietary Fiber 13g46%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 40mg201%
Calcium 115mg9%
Iron 5mg30%
Potassium 1404mg30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Real-Deal Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use to thicken my tortilla soup? ›

Incorporate Cornstarch

Cornstarch is another popular thickening agent that can be easily added to your chicken tortilla soup. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of water to create a slurry.

What is the significance of tortilla soup? ›

It uses some of the most basic, yet important, ingredients in Mexican cuisine - tortillas, tomatoes, and chillis. Contrary to Pozole, Tortilla Soup is not a celebratory but an everyday soup. According to some archeologists, the soup dates back to the prehispanic days.

What is the secret to soup? ›

To make sure that every spoonful of soup is richly flavored, with juicy meat and/or tender vegetables, follow these kitchen-tested tips.
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

How to make tortilla soup less spicy? ›

Pour in 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of lemon juice or vinegar to offset the spice. The acidity in lemon juice and vinegar can help mask the heat and brighten the other flavors in your soup, so stir in 1 tablespoon (15 ml). Try your soup to see if it's still too spicy for you.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

How do you make soup creamier and thicker? ›

6 ways to thicken soup:
  1. Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
  2. Add cream or yogurt. ...
  3. Add flour or cornflour. ...
  4. Use a butter and flour paste. ...
  5. Blend in bread. ...
  6. Add lentils or rice.

Why do Mexicans use two tortillas? ›

But a popular explanation is that the second tortilla can be used to make another taco with any fillings that spill out the side. Other reasons include preventing a tortilla from breaking, or if you have a particularly moist filling, & others do it because corn tortillas are delicious – can't argue with that!

What country is tortilla soup from? ›

What do Mexicans do with tortillas? ›

This flat, round, bread is ever-present and that's because it's one of Mexico's most valued foods and it's also at the core of many traditional dishes, including tacos, nachos, enchiladas, chilaquiles, and many more.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What gives soup more flavor? ›

"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.

What ingredient can be added to a soup to make it thicker and richer? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

How can I thicken my tortilla soup? ›

For an extra bit of thickening that won't bring more chile spice, you can puree some tortillas into the soup. The New York Times adds most of the tortillas to the broth, then blends it till smooth, before adding the chicken, and other garnishes. The result is "like a light bisque."

What do you eat with tortilla soup? ›

You can enjoy tortilla soup with many things, like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Mexican rice, chips with guacamole, roasted corn, black beans, and Mexican cornbread are also good choices.

How do you make tortilla soup less salty? ›

Add Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes will go even further because they add acidity while also diluting an oversalted soup. This method works especially well for soups that already have tomatoes on the ingredient list, such as minestrone, chili, or tortilla soup.

What is the best ingredient to thicken soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

What thickens soup besides flour? ›

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

How to thicken up taco soup? ›

If you're looking to upgrade your taco soup into a rich, creamy meal, you could turn to tried-and-true thickeners like cream cheese, heavy cream, flour, or corn starch.

How do you thicken sauce with tortillas? ›

Next, you can either leave the tortilla whole or tear it into pieces before tossing it into the pot. As the soup simmers alongside the other ingredients, the tortillas will eventually start to disintegrate, absorbing liquid and thickening the soup in the process.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kelle Weber

Last Updated:

Views: 6405

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kelle Weber

Birthday: 2000-08-05

Address: 6796 Juan Square, Markfort, MN 58988

Phone: +8215934114615

Job: Hospitality Director

Hobby: tabletop games, Foreign language learning, Leather crafting, Horseback riding, Swimming, Knapping, Handball

Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.