Tortilla Soup – A Comforting, Flavor-Packed Classic

Tortilla soup is one of those meals that feels like a warm hug in a bowl. It’s simple to make, layered with bright flavors, and full of textures that keep every spoonful interesting. Crisp tortilla strips meet a rich tomato-chicken broth, with lime, cilantro, and a little heat to wake everything up.

You can make it hearty with shredded chicken or keep it light and vegetarian. Either way, it’s a weeknight favorite that tastes like it came from your favorite neighborhood spot.

Tortilla Soup - A Comforting, Flavor-Packed Classic

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• Olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Garlic cloves
• Jalapeño or serrano pepper (optional for heat)
• Ground cumin
• Chili powder or ancho chili powder
• Smoked paprika (optional)
• Tomato paste
• Crushed or diced tomatoes (canned) or ripe tomatoes
• Chicken stock or vegetable stock
• Corn tortillas (for strips)
• Cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works great) or canned black beans for a vegetarian swap
• Salt and black pepper
• Limes
• Fresh cilantro
• Avocado
• Queso fresco, cotija, or shredded Monterey Jack
• Optional garnishes: sour cream, sliced radishes, corn, green onions

Instructions

 

• Toast the tortilla strips. Slice corn tortillas into thin strips. Toss with a little oil and salt. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 8–12 minutes, stirring once, until crisp and golden. Or fry in a shallow pan of hot oil until crunchy. Set aside.
• Sauté the base. In a large pot, warm 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 4–5 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and chopped jalapeño; cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
• Build the flavor. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon cumin, 1–2 teaspoons chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika if using. Stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook another minute to deepen the flavor.
• Add tomatoes and stock. Pour in a 14–15 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes and 4 cups stock. Stir, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10–15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Choose your protein. Stir in 2 cups cooked shredded chicken and simmer 5 minutes to heat through. For a vegetarian version, add a can of drained black beans and a cup of corn instead.
• Finish with brightness. Squeeze in the juice of 1–2 limes. Add chopped cilantro. Taste again and adjust salt, pepper, and lime as needed. The soup should be savory, a little tangy, and gently spicy.
• Assemble the bowls. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with a generous handful of tortilla strips, diced avocado, crumbled queso fresco (or shredded Jack), and more cilantro. Add a dollop of sour cream if you like.

What Makes This Special

This tortilla soup leans into clean, bold flavors without a long ingredient list. The base is a quick, fragrant blend of sautéed onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices, rounded out with stock and finished with lime juice for brightness.

The toppings are where the magic happens: crunchy tortilla strips, creamy avocado, salty cheese, and fresh cilantro. Each bowl is customizable, so everyone at the table can build their perfect version. It’s comforting, but never boring.

Shopping List

• Olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Garlic cloves
• Jalapeño or serrano pepper (optional for heat)
• Ground cumin
• Chili powder or ancho chili powder
• Smoked paprika (optional)
• Tomato paste
• Crushed or diced tomatoes (canned) or ripe tomatoes
• Chicken stock or vegetable stock
• Corn tortillas (for strips)
• Cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works great) or canned black beans for a vegetarian swap
• Salt and black pepper
• Limes
• Fresh cilantro
• Avocado
• Queso fresco, cotija, or shredded Monterey Jack
• Optional garnishes: sour cream, sliced radishes, corn, green onions

How to Make It

1. Toast the tortilla strips. Slice corn tortillas into thin strips.

   Toss with a little oil and salt. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 8–12 minutes, stirring once, until crisp and golden. Or fry in a shallow pan of hot oil until crunchy.

   Set aside.

2. Sauté the base. In a large pot, warm 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 4–5 minutes until translucent.

   Stir in minced garlic and chopped jalapeño; cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

3. Build the flavor. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon cumin, 1–2 teaspoons chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika if using. Stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook another minute to deepen the flavor.
4. Add tomatoes and stock. Pour in a 14–15 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes and 4 cups stock.

   Stir, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10–15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

5. Choose your protein. Stir in 2 cups cooked shredded chicken and simmer 5 minutes to heat through. For a vegetarian version, add a can of drained black beans and a cup of corn instead.
6. Finish with brightness. Squeeze in the juice of 1–2 limes.

   Add chopped cilantro. Taste again and adjust salt, pepper, and lime as needed. The soup should be savory, a little tangy, and gently spicy.

7. Assemble the bowls. Ladle soup into bowls.

   Top with a generous handful of tortilla strips, diced avocado, crumbled queso fresco (or shredded Jack), and more cilantro. Add a dollop of sour cream if you like.

Keeping It Fresh

Store the soup and toppings separately. The broth keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days, and the flavors deepen overnight.

Keep tortilla strips in an airtight container at room temperature so they stay crisp. Avocado is best cut right before serving, but you can toss leftovers with lime juice and cover tightly to slow browning. The soup also freezes well for up to 3 months—just skip the avocado and fresh herbs when freezing and add them after reheating.

Benefits of This Recipe

• Weeknight-friendly: Most of the cooking happens in one pot, and it’s ready in about 30–40 minutes.
• Flexible: Works with chicken, beans, or both.

  You can adjust the spice and toppings to match your mood.

• Budget-conscious: Uses pantry staples like canned tomatoes, spices, and tortillas.
• Balanced: Protein from chicken or beans, fiber from tomatoes and tortillas, and healthy fats from avocado.
• Great for leftovers: The broth tastes even better the next day, making meal prep easy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the spice bloom: Add spices to the hot oil before the liquids. This step unlocks deeper flavor.
• Soggy tortilla strips: Don’t add them to the pot. Keep them as a crunchy topping added at the last minute.
• Under-seasoning: Taste at each step, especially after adding stock and again after adding lime.
• Overcooking the chicken: If using cooked chicken, just warm it through at the end so it stays tender.
• Flat flavor: If the soup tastes dull, it likely needs acid (more lime) or salt—not more spice.