Tortilla Soup
Tomato-chili broth with crisp tortilla strips and avocado.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 6 Corn tortillas
- 4 Tomato
- 15 g Ancho chilies
- 1 Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1200 ml Vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Avocado (optional)
- 80 g Queso fresco (optional)
Method
- Cut the tortillas into thin strips and fry in the oil until crisp and golden, then drain on paper towels.
- Char the tomato, ancho, onion, and garlic, blend to a smooth purée, then fry the purée in the pan until it darkens and thickens.
- Add the stock and salt and simmer into a rich, rounded broth.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the tortilla strips, avocado, and queso fresco.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Tortilla Soup
Tortilla soup, or sopa de tortilla, is a cornerstone of central Mexican home cooking built around a foundation that reaches back to pre-Hispanic use of corn and dried chiles. At its heart is a broth made from charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, and dried ancho chilies blended smooth and then fried until it darkens and thickens, a step Mexican cooks call sofreír that concentrates the flavor and takes the raw edge off the purée. The ancho brings a mild, fruity, almost raisin-like warmth rather than aggressive heat, so the broth reads rich and rounded instead of sharp. Crisp-fried corn tortilla strips are the signature that gives the soup its name and its structure.
Eating it is a study in contrast: a smoky, savory tomato-chili broth against tortilla strips that start crackling and slowly soften, cool cubes of avocado, and crumbles of tangy queso fresco melting at the edges. The vegetarian build here keeps it light and high in volume while still tasting substantial, thanks to the depth the fried purée provides. It is a beloved lunch or supper across Mexico and travels well as a make-ahead broth you dress at the table. Set the toppings out separately so each bowl gets its strips added last, keeping them crisp against the hot broth.
Tortilla Soup: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Tortilla Soup?
One serving of Tortilla Soup has about 293 calories, with 5g of protein, 32g of carbs, 18g of fat and 6g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Tortilla Soup gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Tortilla Soup has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Tortilla Soup dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Queso fresco. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Tortilla Soup take to make?
About 30 minutes start to finish, but only around 19 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Tortilla Soup?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out avocado, queso fresco — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Tortilla Soup make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.