Sopa de tortilla
Tortilla soup with a smoky pasilla-tomato broth, crisp tortilla strips, avocado and cheese
Sopa de tortilla, also called sopa azteca, is one of the best-loved soups of Mexico City's fondas: a brick-red broth of charred tomato, onion, garlic and dried pasilla chilli poured over crisp strips of fried corn tortilla. The strips soften at the edges and stay crunchy in the middle, and the toppings of avocado, fresh cheese, cream and fried chilli rings make each spoonful different. It is a starter in a comida corrida (set lunch) and a cure-all on a cold evening. We use a well-flavoured vegetable stock in place of chicken broth. Chef's tip: fry the blended tomato purée in hot oil until it darkens and smells sweet before adding the stock; this "seasoning" of the sauce is what makes Mexican soups taste deep rather than thin.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the broth
For the tortilla strips
To serve
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat a dry heavy frying pan or comal over a medium-high heat. Char 1 ⅛ lb ripe tomatoes, ½ white onion and 2 cloves garlic, turning now and then, until blistered and blackened in patches and the tomatoes are soft. The black spots add a smoky sweetness, so don't wipe them off.
10 minStep 2: Turn the heat to low. Press 2 dried pasilla chillies flat on the pan for 10–15 seconds a side, just until it smells fruity and turns pliable. Burnt chilli is bitter, so pull it the moment it smokes. Keep one toasted chilli aside for garnish.
1 minStep 3: Peel the garlic. Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic and one toasted chilli with 250 ml of the 1 cup vegetable stock until smooth.
2 minStep 4: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium pot over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour in the purée (it will splutter, so stand back) and fry, stirring, for 5–6 minutes, until it turns a deeper red, thickens like ketchup and smells sweet.
6 minStep 5: Add the rest of 4 cups vegetable stock, 2 sprigs epazote and 1 tsp salt. Simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes while you fry the tortillas. Taste and adjust the salt.
10 minStep 6: Heat 1 cup vegetable oil for frying in a small deep frying pan over a medium-high heat to about 350°F (a strip sizzles hard straight away). Fry 8 corn tortillas in 3 batches for 1–2 minutes, until golden and they stop bubbling: the bubbling is moisture leaving, and when it stops they are crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly.
6 minStep 7: Cut the reserved chilli into thin rings with scissors and fry for 5 seconds in the hot oil; drain. They are a crisp, smoky garnish.
1 minStep 8: Divide the tortilla strips among warm bowls and ladle the boiling broth over at the table. Top with 1 avocado, 3 ½ oz queso fresco, a spoon of 4 tbsp Mexican crema, the chilli rings and 1 lime. Eat straight away, while the strips still crunch.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sopa de tortilla take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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