Sopa Azteca Mexican Soup (Print Version)

Smoky tomato-chile broth over crispy tortilla strips with panela cheese, avocado, and fresh cilantro.

# What You'll Need:

→ Broth

01 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
02 - 1 medium white onion, chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 4 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
05 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
06 - 1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed and seeded
07 - 5 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Tortilla Strips

12 - 8 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
13 - Vegetable oil for frying

→ Garnishes

14 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
15 - 5 ounces panela cheese, cubed or crumbled
16 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1/2 cup crema or sour cream
18 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
02 - Add chopped Roma tomatoes to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - While tomatoes cook, toast the dried pasilla and guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Handle carefully to avoid burning.
04 - Transfer the softened tomatoes, onions, garlic, and toasted chiles to a blender. Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and blend until completely smooth.
05 - Return the blended mixture to the pot. Add remaining 4 cups vegetable broth, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Heat approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until golden and crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
07 - Divide crispy tortilla strips among serving bowls. Ladle hot broth over the strips. Top with panela cheese, avocado, fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of crema. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The soup tastes deeply complex from just a handful of dried chiles and tomatoes, proving that bold flavor doesn't require a long ingredient list.
  • You can have this on the table in under an hour, and it feels like you've cooked something special and time-consuming.
  • It's a one-pot wonder that comes together while you fry the tortilla strips, so there's no juggling multiple burners.
02 -
  • Timing is everything with the tortilla strips, they need to go into the bowl right before serving because they start softening the moment hot liquid touches them, and a soggy sopa azteca loses half its soul.
  • Don't skip toasting the dried chiles, that dry heat transforms them from flat and papery to aromatic and complex, and it's the difference between a good soup and one that tastes like you're eating spiced tomato water.
  • Taste your broth before serving and adjust the salt and heat, dried chiles vary wildly in their intensity and you want yours to be perfectly balanced for your palate.
03 -
  • For extra smokiness without changing the soup entirely, add one chipotle chile in adobo to the blender, but start with half of one since they're potent and you can always blend in more.
  • If panela cheese isn't available at your market, feta works beautifully as a substitute, and so does queso fresco if you can find it, they'll all add that creamy contrast you're looking for.
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