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Sopa Azteca-Sopa de Tortilla(Tortilla Soup)

Hands down my favorite Mexican soup recipe! I never get tired of it. I prepare this soup year round. Even in the summer time!
Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 6 Roma tomatoes I used more than most recipes, I used a variety from the farmers market this day
  • 1 medium sweet onion sliced into thick rings
  • 3 large cloves garlic skins on
  • 1 serrano pepper optional
  • 4 chile pasilla stems and seeds removed
  • Olive oil
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken stock or broth for a thin broth, add 2 more cups
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons Knorr tomato bouillon/chicken or chicken base optional
  • 1 teaspoon mexican oregano crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried epazote or a small handful of fresh epazote if you can't find epazote, use cilantro or parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

You will also need

  • 5 to 6 cups of fried tortilla strips
  • 6  to 8 ounces queso panela or queso fresco diced
  • 1 avocado diced
  • Mexican crema or sour cream
  • Lime wedges or key limes sliced in half

Instructions

Directions

  • Line a large skillet or comal with foil paper and preheat for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic and serrano. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning as needed. Remove the garlic after 15 minutes and let cool.
  • While the tomato mixture is cooking, preheat 1/4 cup of olive oil to medium heat for 2 minutes. When ready, add the dried chile pasilla and cook just for about 25 to 30 seconds. They should bubble up slightly and become aromatic. Remove from oil onto a plate lined with paper towels, set aside. Reserve pan with oil.
  • Once tomato mixture is ready, remove from heat. Remove skins from garlic.Transfer all of the ingredients to the blender, including 2 of the chile pasilla and 2 cups of stock or broth. Blend on high until smooth, strain into bowl with a wire mesh strainer. Cut the remaining chile pasilla into small pieces, set aside.
  • Pour half of the oil left in the pan from cooking chiles into a soup pot. Preheat to medium for a few minutes. Once it's hot, add the strained tomato/chile mixture in. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and continue cooking for 25 to 30 minutes, until it reduces and becomes thick.
  • When ready, add the bouillon, oregano, epazote, bay leaves and  4 cups of chicken stock/broth to the pot with tomato mixture. Stir well to combine. If you would like a more clear and thin broth, add the remaining 2 cups of broth now. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.  Taste for salt. To plate, add tortilla strips and shredded chicken to the bottom of bowls. Ladle soup base over halfway up to tortilla strips. Squeeze in fresh lime, garnish with queso panela, crema, avocado and chile pasilla pieces. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Notes

And most importantly, if you want to serve this as a chicken tortilla soup, you must have some precooked shredded chicken. I like to add a full 1/2 cup to every bowl. So you will need about 3 cups total