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Mexican Tortilla Soup (Sopa Azteca) the Old Mexico City Way

Mexican Tortilla Soup

This Mexican Tortilla Soup is the real Sopa Azteca from central Mexico: a deeply savory pasilla and roasted tomato broth poured over crackling fried tortilla strips at the table. The chile is toasted until smoky, the tomatoes charred until sweet, and a sprig of epazote ties it all together. It is brothy, brick-red, and built on layers of toasting and frying rather than long simmering.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 Bowls
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 day-old corn tortillas cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
  • 1.5 lb ripe roma tomatoes about 6 medium
  • 1 medium white onion halved, plus a thick slice reserved
  • 3 cloves garlic unpeeled
  • 4 dried pasilla chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 6 cups chicken broth hot
  • 2 sprigs fresh epazote
  • 1.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 1.5 cups neutral oil or lard for frying the tortilla strips
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil or lard for frying the puree

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet or comal for charring vegetables and toasting chiles
  • 1 Blender
  • 1 large heavy pot or Dutch oven
  • 1 deep skillet for frying tortilla strips
  • 1 fine mesh strainer
  • 1 Slotted spoon

Method
 

  1. Heat a dry cast iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Lay the tomatoes, halved onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves on the hot surface. Char them, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and blackened in spots and the flesh has softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, then peel the garlic.
  2. Tear the stemmed, seeded pasilla chiles into large pieces. Toast them on the same hot skillet for 10 to 15 seconds per side, pressing down lightly, just until they puff and smell fragrant. Do not let them turn black or they will go bitter. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes until soft and pliable.
  3. Drain the chiles and add them to a blender along with the charred tomatoes, onion, peeled garlic, and 1 cup of the hot chicken broth. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
  4. Pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the skins and seeds left in the strainer.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil or lard in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully pour in the strained puree; it should sizzle and spit. Cook, stirring often, until the puree darkens to a deep brick red and thickens enough to coat the spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  6. Pour in the remaining 5 cups hot chicken broth and stir to combine. Add the reserved thick slice of white onion, the epazote sprigs, and the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors marry. Taste and adjust salt. Fish out the onion slice and epazote stems before serving.
  7. While the broth simmers, heat 1.5 cups oil or lard in a deep skillet to 350 F. Working in batches, fry the tortilla strips, stirring gently, until crisp and pale golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
  8. To serve, pile a generous handful of fried tortilla strips into the bottom of each warm bowl. Ladle the hot pasilla-tomato broth over the top so the strips begin to soften at the edges but stay crunchy in the middle. Bring the soup to the table immediately and let each guest crown their own bowl with the traditional garnishes.

Notes

  • Serve with diced avocado, cubes of queso panela or queso fresco, a drizzle of Mexican crema, crumbled chicharron, fried pasilla rings, and lime wedges so each guest finishes their own bowl.
  • Use truly day-old or stale corn tortillas for the strips; fresh ones absorb too much oil and turn soggy.
  • Do not stir the tortilla strips into the pot; always add them to the bowl first and ladle hot broth over them so they stay crunchy.
  • If you cannot find epazote, leave it out rather than substituting; cilantro or oregano change the character of the soup.
  • Leftover broth keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat and serve over freshly fried strips.