Tortilla Soup (Sopa de tortilla)
Overview
Sopa de tortilla, also called sopa azteca, is a Mexican soup of tomato and chicken broth flavoured with onion, garlic and dried chillies, usually pasilla. Its defining feature is the crisp fried corn tortilla strips placed in each bowl just before the hot broth is poured over, so they soften slightly while keeping some crunch. Toppings include cubes of avocado, fresh cheese, a spoon of cream and fried chilli rings, with lime on the side. It is a classic starter in Mexico City homes and restaurants.
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History
The soup comes from central Mexico and makes use of an everyday ingredient, leftover corn tortillas, which have been the staple food of Mexico since pre-Hispanic times. It became a popular restaurant dish in the twentieth century and is now known well beyond Mexico. The name sopa azteca nods to the country's indigenous heritage. Today many restaurants serve it with their own choice of toppings and chillies.
Main ingredients
Tomatoes, dried pasilla chilli, fried tortilla strips, avocado, fresh cheese, cream. The soup is built on chicken stock and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~45 min
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves
- 2 pasilla chillies
- 1.2 l chicken stock
- 8 corn tortillas, cut in strips and fried
- 1 avocado, 100 g fresh cheese, cream
- lime
Allergens: Contains: Milk. Based on the typical recipe. Recipes and products vary; always check labels if you have an allergy.
Method
- Blend the tomatoes, onion and garlic and fry the purée in a little oil for 5 minutes.
- Add the stock and a softened pasilla chilli and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Fry the remaining chilli in rings and the tortilla strips until crisp.
- Put strips in bowls, pour the hot broth over and add the toppings.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.