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Authentic Mexican tortilla soup served in a rustic clay bowl topped with crispy fried tortilla strips, queso fresco, and avocado

Authentic Mexican Tortilla Soup (Sopa de Tortilla)

Traditional Mexican Sopa de Tortilla featuring a velvety roasted tomato and dried guajillo chile broth poured over freshly crisped corn tortilla strips, tender chicken, and creamy avocado.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 bowls
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Roasted Chile & Tomato Base (Recado)
  • 4 medium dried guajillo chiles stemmed, deseeded, and opened flat
  • 1 medium dried ancho or pasilla chile stemmed and seeded for smoky depth
  • 1 1/2 lbs ripe Roma tomatoes halved lengthwise for charring
  • 1/2 large white onion cut into thick wedges
  • 4 cloves garlic unpeeled for charring, then peeled
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard for frying the blended puree
The Aromatic Broth & Protein
  • 6 cups rich low-sodium chicken broth homemade or high-quality stock
  • 1 sprig fresh epazote or 4 sprigs fresh cilantro if epazote is unavailable
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken poached chicken breast or roast chicken
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste
Crispy Tortilla Strips & Traditional Garnishes
  • 12 corn tortillas preferably day-old or slightly dry, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil for shallow frying tortilla strips
  • 1 cup queso fresco or panela cheese crumbled or cut into small cubes
  • 1 large ripe avocado pitted and diced
  • 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream for drizzling
  • 1 medium dried pasilla chile sliced into thin rings and flash-fried for 5 seconds
  • 2 whole limes cut into wedges for serving

Equipment

  • Heavy Cast Iron Comal or Skillet for toasting dried chiles and charring tomatoes
  • High-Speed Countertop Blender purees rehydrated chiles and tomatoes into a silk-smooth base
  • 5 to 6-Quart Enameled Dutch Oven holds high heat to fry the tomato puree and simmer the soup
  • Fine Mesh Skimmer or Slotted Spoon for lifting crispy fried tortilla strips from hot oil

Method
 

  1. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or comal over medium heat. Press the opened dried guajillo and ancho chiles flat against the dry skillet for 15 to 20 seconds per side until fragrant and lightly blistered (do not let them burn or turn black, which causes bitterness). Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 10 minutes. On the same hot skillet, char the halved Roma tomatoes, onion wedges, and unpeeled garlic cloves for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally until blistered and softened. Peel the charred garlic cloves.
    Toasting dried guajillo chiles and charring halved tomatoes, onions, and garlic on a hot cast iron griddle
  2. Transfer the softened chiles, charred tomatoes, charred onions, and peeled roasted garlic into a blender jar. Add 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid or chicken broth. Blend on high speed for 60 to 90 seconds until completely smooth, glossy, and vibrant brick-red.
    Blending softened rehydrated dried chiles with charred tomatoes, onions, and garlic into a smooth red puree
  3. Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a large 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully pour in the blended puree (it will sizzle vigorously). Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes. The puree will reduce, darken to a deep mahogany red, and thicken into a concentrated paste.
    Pouring red tomato-chile puree into sizzling oil in a Dutch oven to fry and reduce into a concentrated paste
  4. Pour 6 cups of rich chicken broth into the concentrated paste. Stir well to dissolve the paste completely into the broth. Add the sprig of fresh epazote (or cilantro), shredded chicken, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently uncovered for 15 minutes to allow the herbal flavors to perfume the broth.
    Simmering rich chicken broth, shredded chicken, and a sprig of fresh epazote herb in the Dutch oven
  5. Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry sliced corn tortilla strips in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. To serve, place a generous mound of crispy tortilla strips in the bottom of each warm bowl. Ladle hot aromatic broth and shredded chicken directly over the strips. Garnish immediately with cubed queso fresco, diced avocado, a drizzle of Mexican crema, flash-fried pasilla chile rings, and lime wedges.
    Ladling hot Mexican tortilla soup over crispy golden corn tortilla strips in a rustic bowl garnished with avocado and queso fresco

Notes

Authentic Chile Base: Unlike Americanized versions that rely on chili powder or canned tomato sauce, authentic Mexican tortilla soup gets its color and smoky, sweet depth from toasted dried guajillo and ancho chiles.
The Frying Secret (Sazón): Never skip frying the blended puree in hot oil before adding the broth. This traditional Mexican technique concentrates the tomato sugars and deepens the chile flavor.
Serving Technique: Traditional Sopa de Tortilla is assembled in the bowl right before eating, never boiled together in the pot. This keeps the fried tortilla strips shatteringly crisp on top while they gently soften in the broth below.
Storage: Store leftover broth and shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep tortilla strips, cheese, and avocado in separate containers and assemble fresh bowls when serving.