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Mexican

Sopa de tortilla

Vegetarian

A deep red broth of charred tomato, onion and dried chilli poured over crisp tortilla strips, with avocado, fresh cheese, crema and lime added at the table.

Sopa de tortilla is a Mexican soup from Mexico, ready in about 50 minutes and made with tomato, dried whole chillies and corn tortilla. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
263

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Char the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), onion (opens in a new tab) and garlic (opens in a new tab) in a dry frying pan over high heat, turning, until blackened in spots. Toast one chilli briefly. Blend with 250 ml of the stock until smooth.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan (opens in a new tab), add the purée (it will spit) and fry, stirring, until it darkens and thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining stock, oregano (opens in a new tab) and salt and simmer 15 minutes.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the tortilla (opens in a new tab) strips in batches until crisp and golden; drain on paper. Fry the remaining chillies, cut into rings, for a few seconds.

    • 10 min
    • medium-high heat

    Food safety: Don't let the chilli burn — it turns bitter and the fumes are harsh.

  4. Step 4

    Divide the tortilla (opens in a new tab) strips among bowls, ladle over the hot broth and top with avocado (opens in a new tab), cheese, crema, chilli rings and a squeeze of lime (opens in a new tab).

    • 3 min
    Lemon being squeezed
    How it looks · Photo: Gu Ko on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Central Mexico, Mexico · Well documentedAlso popular in United StatesMore food from Mexico
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups
Cooking method
Simmered, Shallow-fried, Blended
Taste
smoky, savoury, spicy (chilli heat), earthy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Carb-conscious
Without the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Make-ahead
Cook more with
Tomato · Dried whole chillies · Corn tortilla · Onion · Garlic · Vegetable stock
Techniques
Shallow-frying · Simmering · Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom queso fresco, sour cream
  • May contain: Glutenfrom vegetable stock
  • May contain: Celeryfrom vegetable stock

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

263 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 506 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 8%
  • Carbohydrate 49%
  • Fat 43%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy263 kcal52 kcal
Protein5.3 g1 g
Carbohydrate33.7 g6.6 g
Net carbohydrate28.2 g5.6 g
Sugars6 g1.2 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre5.4 g1.1 g
Fat13.3 g2.6 g
Saturated fat1.2 g0.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium1211 mg239 mg
Salt equivalent3 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
516 mg
Calcium
73 mg
Iron
1.4 mg
Magnesium
58 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
104 µg
Vitamin C
20 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
25 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: avocado, queso fresco, sour cream, lime.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • A sprig of epazote added to the simmering broth gives the traditional herbal note.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the tortilla strips to the pot too early — they turn soggy.

Storage

  • Refrigerate the broth up to 4 days; keep the strips airtight separately.

Reheating

  • Bring the broth back to a simmer and add fresh toppings.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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