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Vegetarian, Americas

Sopa de tortilla (Mexican tortilla soup)

Sopa de tortilla is a Mexican tomato based soup, serving 4, ready in 40 minutes, rated easy, for €2.00 per serving. The key to getting it right is serving the fried tortilla strips separately and pouring the boiling soup over them at the table, so they stay crunchy.

A soup that makes noise, sopa de tortilla, with its crispy tortilla strips, creamy avocado and melting cheese.

Sopa de tortilla (Mexican tortilla soup)
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Sopa de tortilla is a tomato soup with real character, sharpened by smoked paprika or dried chili and softened by creamy avocado and salty cheese. The fried tortilla strips bring the crunch that makes this dish so satisfying, as long as you add them right before serving. It is a soup you enjoy with your eyes as much as your spoon.

This is the kind of dish that warms you up on a fall or winter evening without much effort. Kids usually love building their own bowl, choosing how much avocado or cheese they want, and crunching through the strips. It works just as well for a quick weeknight dinner as for a fun starter when you have guests curious about Mexican cooking.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Ripe tomatoes 500 g
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Avocado 2
  • Lime 2

Pantry

  • Mild dried chili or smoked paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1.2 l
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Corn tortillas 8

Dairy

  • Feta or salted fresh cheese 150 g
  • Sour cream 10 cl

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Blend the tomatoes with the onion and garlic, then fry this puree in a pot with 2 tablespoons of oil until it darkens. 8 min

    The puree needs a few minutes of frying before the broth goes in, that is where all the depth of flavor comes from.

  2. Add the chili or paprika, pour in the broth, season with salt and pepper and let it simmer. 20 min

    If you can find pasilla chili, half a toasted one replaces the paprika beautifully.

  3. Cut the tortillas into strips and fry them in the remaining hot oil until golden, then drain them on paper towels. 5 min

    Wait until the oil ripples around a tortilla scrap before frying the whole batch.

  4. Dice the avocado and crumble the feta, cut the limes into wedges.

    Keep the pits in the avocado until you are ready to serve, it browns less that way.

  5. Divide the tortilla strips, avocado and cheese among the bowls, pour in the boiling soup and add a spoonful of sour cream and a squeeze of lime.

    Squeeze the lime at the very last moment, it wakes up the whole bowl.

Our tips to get it right

  • Let the tomato, onion and garlic puree really darken in the oil before adding the broth, that step is what gives the whole soup its depth.
  • Fry the tortillas right before serving, they lose their crunch if you make them too far ahead.
  • Taste the broth before serving and adjust the salt, since the cheese and cream will already season the bowl a bit.

The variations

  • Swap the feta for queso fresco if you can find it, it gets you closer to the original Mexican flavor.
  • For a spicier version, add a minced fresh chili to the soup near the end of cooking.
  • For kids in a hurry, skip the chili and smoked paprika for a milder broth, and let everyone add their own avocado and cheese.

What to serve it with

  • Extra lime wedges on the side
  • Plain white rice as a light side
  • Sparkling water with lime

Storage

Store the soup alone, without toppings, in the fridge in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days. It freezes well for up to 2 months. Reheat gently over low heat and prepare the tortilla strips, avocado and cheese fresh right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the tomato broth the day before and keep it in the fridge. Prepare the tortilla strips, avocado and cheese right before serving so they stay fresh and crunchy.

Can you use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?

Corn tortillas are more authentic and hold up better when fried. Flour tortillas work too, but they soften faster once in the soup.

Does this soup freeze well?

Yes, the soup base freezes well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Never freeze the fried strips, avocado or cheese, prepare those fresh instead.

How do you make this soup kid friendly?

Leave out the dried chili or smoked paprika for a milder version. Let kids top their own bowl with avocado, cheese and tortilla strips.

How long does it take to make a sopa de tortilla?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a sopa de tortilla?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a sopa de tortilla cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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