Tortilla Soup
Crispy corn tortilla chips are used to thicken this hearty soup. It’s not as broth-y as other recipes but it’s perfect for enjoying with toppings like cheese, sour cream and avocado.. I went all veggie here but cooked shredded chicken can be added, if that’s your pleasure.
INGREDIENTS
MAKES 8 servings (recipe can be halved)
1 cup crushed corn tortilla chips (use up the broken bits at the bottom of the bag)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp kosher salt (start with less to account for the salt in the chips)
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
32 oz box of vegetable or chicken stock (unsalted)
4 ounces canned diced green chiles (I use mild)
1 tsp diced serrano peppers (or to taste)
1 14.5 oz can fired roasted tomatoes, pureed in a blender
2 cups frozen corn
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro for serving
PREPARATION
Heat oil in a large dutch oven or pan. Once oil is hot, add onion. Saute at medium heat for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant. Add garlic and saute until fragrant and onion is completely softened, another 2-3 minutes.
Add cumin, salt, chili powder, chipotle in adobo and serrano peppers. Stir and cook spice paste for 3-4 minutes, add a little water if it sticks to the pan. Add the stock, canned chiles, tomato puree and corn chips. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove pan from the stove and with a wire whisk, whisk the soup to break up the corn chips even more, this will thicken the soup.
Return pan to the stove, add corn, black beans and chicken (if using). Stir and simmer another 5-10 minutes. Add a splash of water or stock if the soup is too thick for your liking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream and crispy tortillas chips.
RECIPE NOTES
Spice Level: The spice level as made is low-to-moderate depending on your tolerance but it can be adjusted up or down. Omit the Serrano if you don’t like it too spicy. Add more if you do. The adobo is the main flavoring agent so don’t skip it but you can add 1 more if you want to turn up the heat.
Texture: As mentioned, this isn’t a broth-y soup but you can add more stock to thin it out or add 1/2 cup more crushed tortilla chips to make it even thicker.
Fire Roasted Tomatoes: if you can’t find fire roasted tomatoes, substitute canned tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel), tomatoes in Mexican seasoning or plain canned tomatoes. I like to puree the tomatoes to create a smoother texture. If you like a chunkier soup, skip this step.
Crushed Tortilla Chips: This recipe can also be made with regular corn tortillas (tear up 4 tortillas in place of the chips). The store was out of corn tortillas so I improvised with chips instead. Turns out, this is a good use for the broken bit at the bottom of the bag nobody wants to eat.
Other Veggies: I kept it simple with corn and black beans but you can add other vegetables like zucchini, carrots and celery. Skip the beans if they aren’t your thing.