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A bowl of tortilla soup
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Tortilla Soup (Sopa Azteca) with Homemade Chile Oil

Sopa Azteca, or tortilla soup, is a classic Mexican soup with a flavorful broth topped with avocado, cheese, crema, fried tortillas & homemade chile oil.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword guajillo chile, tomato
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Evan Kalman

Ingredients

Tortilla Soup (Sopa Azteca)

  • 3 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil divided
  • 1 cup chopped white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 sprig epazote optional
  • 6 corn tortillas cut into ½-inch strips
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 6 oz cotija cheese
  • ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 1 ripe avocado halved, seeded, and diced
  • 1 lime cut into 6 wedges
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped

Homemade Chile Oil

  • 2 cups neutral oil
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 5 dried ancho chiles stemmed, seeded, and torn into ½-inch pieces
  • 5 dried chipotle chiles stemmed, seeded, and torn into ½-inch pieces
  • 5 dried chiles de árbol stemmed and seeded
  • ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Tortilla Soup (Sopa Azteca)

  • Toast 3 guajillo chiles in a hot, dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat, about 1 minute per side.
  • In the same skillet, heat 1 Tbsp [15 ml] oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup [145 g] of diced white onion and 2 cloves of smashed garlic and cook until golden, about 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat. Transfer the chiles, onions, and garlic to a blender. Add the tomatoes and blend until smooth.
  • Bring the pot back to medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil and pour in the tomato puree. Cook, stirring frequently, until the puree is dark red and thick like tomato paste, about 6-7 minutes. Add 6 cups [48 oz] chicken broth, epazote, and reduce to medium-low simmer for 15 minutes. Before serving, taste and season with salt and remove the epazote.
  • Pour 2-inches of vegetable oil into a 3-4 quart pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Fry the tortilla strips in small batches using a wire skimmer or slotted spot to stir the tortilla until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Using the skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the tortillas to a paper toil to drain and season with salt.
  • Serve the soup in bowls with tortilla chips, cotija cheese, crema, avocado, lime, cilantro, and chile oil.

Homemade Chile Oil

  • In a large (4-quart) saucepan, heat 2 cups (16 oz) oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 4 cloves garlic and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the chiles. Let cool for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor with 1 Tbsp [15 mL] vinegar and ½ tsp oregano and pulse until everything is chopped but not smooth. Pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator.