Sopa de tortilla – tomato soup with crispy tortilla strips Recipe
Sopa de tortilla is a warming Mexican soup where the main role is played by crispy strips of fried tortilla. In Mexico it’s often served as a hearty starter at lunchtime, a bit like Sunday chicken broth in Poland. An aromatic tomato-and-pepper broth, a touch of chili and toppings on top make every bowl look like a small, edible campfire.
This sopa de tortilla combines the comfort of a smooth tomato soup with the crunch of freshly fried tortilla strips and the aroma of smoked chili. It’s simple to make, yet looks impressive and brings a genuine Mexican touch to your table without complicated ingredients.
Chef's tips
Fry the tortilla strips in batches so they become evenly crispy instead of steaming. If you want a deeper flavour, lightly toast the cumin in a dry pan before adding it to the vegetables. Adjust the heat level gradually: start with a small amount of chili and add more at the end if needed.
How to serve
Serve the soup in warm bowls, topped generously with tortilla strips, sour cream, grated cheese and coriander. Put extra lime wedges, chili flakes and tortilla strips on the table so everyone can customise their bowl. It also goes well with simple quesadillas or a fresh tomato and avocado salad.
Ingredients
- corn tortilla cut into thin strips - 4 piece
- canned tomatoes chopped or whole, peeled - 400 g
- chicken stock can be vegetable - 1 l
- onion diced - 1 piece
- garlic chopped - 3 cloves
- red bell pepper diced - 1 piece
- dried chili pepper e.g. chipotle or another smoked chili; can be replaced with a pinch of hot paprika - 1 piece
- ground cumin - 1 teaspoon
- vegetable oil for frying the tortillas and vegetables - 4 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- sour cream for serving, optional - 4 tablespoons
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. cheddar or gouda - 60 g
- fresh coriander chopped; for sprinkling - 2 tablespoons
- lime cut into wedges for serving - 1 piece
Preparation
- Cut the tortillas into thin strips about 1 cm wide. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the tortilla strips in batches for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until golden and crispy. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel.
- In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent but not browned.
- Add the garlic and red bell pepper and fry for another 3–4 minutes, until the pepper softens slightly. If using a whole dried chili, remove the stem and seeds, crumble it and add to the pot.
- Add the cumin, stir and fry for another 30 seconds, until the spice becomes very fragrant. Then pour in the canned tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Pour in the stock, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup for 15–20 minutes, until the flavours meld and the vegetables are very soft.
- Remove the pot from the heat and carefully blend the soup until smooth (an immersion blender works well). If the soup is too thick, add a little water or stock; if it is too thin, cook for a few more minutes uncovered to reduce.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper. Heat gently over low heat until hot but not boiling.
- Put a handful of crispy tortilla strips into bowls, pour over the hot soup, then top each portion with a spoonful of sour cream, grated cheese and fresh coriander. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This version of sopa de tortilla is designed for everyday cooking: it uses easily available ingredients but still keeps the characteristic Mexican flavour profile. The key is a well-reduced tomato base and really crispy tortilla strips—don’t rush those two steps.
