Authentic Sopa De Tortilla (also known as Sopa Azteca) is made in a delicious broth seasoned with tomato and pasilla pepper. Topped with baked tortilla strips, avocado and crumbly cheese.
This recipe is low-fat, gluten free, vegetarian with plant-based & vegan options.
Who says that Mexican food is fattening? As a matter of fact, most foods in Mexico are rather healthy!
In this post you’ll find:
I took this recipe even further and made it healthier than normally: 1) baked the tortilla strips instead of frying them in oil, 2) using low-fat vegetable stock and 3) only adding 1 tablespoon of oil to sauté the vegetables
You really don't need more oil than that to get the veggies nice and crispy. Amazingly, the flavors in this healthy Tortilla Soup are not compromised. It's all about the spices!
The Sopa Ingredients
- Roma tomato diced
- Vegetable stock preferably homemade
- Pasilla chile - This chile is not spicy at all but it gives a dark, rich color and smoky flavor. It is delicious and used in many Mexican recipes.
- Mexican oregano
- Vegetable oil
- Carrot
- Onion chopped
- Fresh ground pepper and kosher salt
How To Make Sopa De Tortilla
You'll find the process of making an authentic Sopa De Tortilla at home super easy! There is nothing more satisfying that making your own favorite Mexican dishes!
Let's dive in:
- Make the tomato-chile puree: Place the tomato, vegetable stock, pasilla chile, and oregano in a blender. Puree and set aside. Note: you may need to make this in two separate batches so that your blender does not overflow.
- Make the soup: Place a saucepan or stockpot over medium heat and add oil to coat the bottom. Add the carrot and onion and saute until lightly browned.
- Add the tomato-chile puree, salt & pepper. Bring to a simmer and taste for seasoning. Add more if needed.
- Simmer slowly for about 10 minutes to develop flavor.
- Serve hot and garnish with the tortilla strips, avocado & cheese. Squeeze some lime juice (highly recommended)
For the meat lovers, you can add some cooked shredded chicken to your soup!
Toppings for Sopa De Tortilla
The toppings are as important as the broth is in this soup. They add so much depth and flavor that I recommend you don't skip any of them!
The Cheese: Keep the cheese at minimum since it doesn't need much of it. I recommend crumbled panela cheese or queso fresco (found in most grocery stores). For plant-based option cheese, store bought vegan mozzarella will work in this case.
Corn Tortilla strips: I make my own baked tortillas since that cuts a few hundred calories without compromising any flavor. When selecting the corn tortillas, look for the lower calorie ones. The ones I use are 50 calories each. But if you're pressed for time, you can use quality store bought tortilla chips.
The Veggies: These are MUST toppings that will add so much flavor to your Tortilla soup: sliced avocado, chopped cilantro and a dash of fresh lime juice.
What to serve with Tortilla Soup
Serve your Sopa De Tortilla with Taquitos, Molletes, or Chipotle Pork Tortas.
A Few Recipe Notes
- Freezer Friendly? Yes please! This soup freezes with ease. Simply cool completely, store in a lidded container and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and gently rewarm stovetop.
- Make it Vegan! Traditional tortilla soup calls for queso fresco, cotija or panela cheese. For a dairy free and vegan soup, don't add any cheese or share it with vegan feta cheese. The taste and consistency resembles the Mexican cheeses and can be interchanged.
- Can't Find Pasilla Pepper? Replace it with half of a chipotle pepper or a whole one for a spicier version.
More Mexican Soups Recipes to Love
Print Recipe
Authentic Sopa De Tortilla (Sopa Azteca)
Equipment
- Blender
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup roma tomato diced
- 6 cups vegetable stock preferably homemade
- 1 pasilla chile, stemmed
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup carrot (about 1 carrot) julienned
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- ½ Tablespoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Toppings
- 8 baked corn tortillas cut into strips
- 1 avocado peeled & diced
- ½ cup plant-based queso, panela, queso fresco or cotija cheese crumbled
- lime wedges
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Place the tomato, vegetable stock, pasilla chile, and oregano in a blender. Puree and set aside. (see note #1 below)
- Place a saucepan or stockpot over medium heat and add oil to coat the bottom. Add the carrot and onion and saute until lightly browned.
- Add the tomato-chile puree, salt & pepper. Bring to a simmer and taste for seasoning. Add more if needed.
- Simmer slowly for about 10 minutes to develop flavor.
- Serve hot and garnish with the tortilla strips, avocado & cheese. Squeeze some lime juice to taste if desired.
*Ana's Notes:
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
Whenever you come back to this recipe, you'll be able to see your notes.
NUTRITION
The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.
This recipe was originally published in Sept 2012. It has been updated to revise the content and photographs. The original recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
Martha Frias says
Is yummy yummy 😋
Diane says
Ana! I couldn’t wait to try this recipe and was wanting something flavorful and simple as my appetite has been gone jut getting out of hospital! This is it!!!
I had all of he ingredients and didn’t waste any time getting it going!
It is wonderful. I used the hand blender and it worked beautifully!
Another terrific Muy Delish recipe!
Thank you!
P. S. I saw that the lady I met at grocery store here signed on to you and left a message. A chance encounter and she was great!
❤️😘
Michael Simmons says
Hello Ana. I’ve actually never made chicken tortilla soup until now and this is going to be the only way I will make it! The veggies in the base are incredible… it has so much flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Ana Frias says
Hi Michael! I'm so thrilled to know you really enjoyed this Sopa De Tortilla! The veggies had so much for texture to it too. Thanks so much for the feedback and I hope you have a great day! Ana
Malena says
Hoy va a ser mi cena!!! Gracias Ana!!!
Ana Frias says
Gracias Malena! Espero que te haya gustado mucho esta sopa de tortilla!
Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life says
This soup is so comforting and delicious, and I love that it's also lean and healthy!
Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life says
I love that this soup is so comforting, and healthy at the same time!
SHANIKA says
I love a great soup recipe and this chicken tortilla soup looks amazing! I'd eat a few bowls of this in one day!
Jen says
Love the pasilla chili flavor! Comforting and light which is perfect for the new year weight goals!
Alison says
This is a beautiful and flavorful soup. I love a good tortilla soup recipe and this one is my new staple!
Beth says
This has become on of our new favorite soups! I love the roasted pasilla! It gives it such a nice flavor!
Kyla says
This looks great! If I wanted to make this for a work potluck, how would you work this so I could make it in a crock pot?
Thank You!
Ana Frias says
Thanks Kyla! I have never used the crock pot for this but I don’t see why not! The only thing you’ll have to do is sear the veggies first then transfer to the crock pot. Let me know how it turns out! You gave me a great idea for my next potluck! Thanks!
Ana @ Muy Delish says
Thanks Kyla! I have never used the crock pot for this but I don't see why not! The only thing you'll have to do is sear the veggies first then transfer to the crock pot. Let me know how it turns out! You gave me a great idea for my next potluck! Thanks!
Rosalind says
Your recipe was great! It was so good I'm doing this third pot for friends! Everyone loved it! Thanks for recipe posting!
Ana Frias says
Yay! I'm so happy you made it and enjoy it Rosalind! I read your comment to my husband and now he's asking me to make it again lol!
Laura says
I just made this tonight and it was really good! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Ana Frias says
That's fantastic Laura! I'm so glad you liked it. Have a fantastic weekend! 🙂