Red Tortilla Soup (Sopa Azteca Roja)
Red sopa Azteca variant with tomato and chilli broth and crispy tortilla strips.
About this recipe
Tortilla soup with roasted tomato, ancho and guajillo chilli broth. Red variant of sopa Azteca with crispy fried tortilla strips and melted cheese.
History & Origin
Tortilla soup, also known as sopa Azteca, is one of the most popular and representative dishes of contemporary Mexican cuisine. Its origin lies in central Mexico, where the corn tortilla - a sacred element of Mesoamerican cooking - found in this tomato and chilli broth a brilliant second life after going stale. This red version is the most traditional, prepared in homes across central and southern Mexico. Unlike the green tomatillo version or the pasilla chilli version typical of southern Mexico City, this uses ancho and guajillo chillies which give a deep brick-red colour and sweet-smoky flavour that makes it hard to stop at one bowl. The secret of a good tortilla soup lies in three elements: perfectly roasting the tomatoes and chillies to caramelise their natural sugars, frying the tortilla strips until completely crispy, and the generosity of the toppings: soured cream, melted cheese, avocado and fresh coriander. In Mexican restaurants worldwide, tortilla soup is among the most requested dishes.
Estimated cost
£11.50
Total cost
£2.88
Per serving
* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets
Nutritional information per serving
320
Calories
10g
Protein
40g
Carbohydrates
14g
Fat
6g
Fibre
580mg
Sodium
* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.
Method
- 1
Roast 4 medium tomatoes, 1/4 onion and 2 garlic cloves on a griddle or directly over a flame until well charred on the outside. On the same griddle, toast 2 deseeded ancho and 2 guajillo chillies for 30 seconds per side.
💡 The roasting should be intense, with black spots, to achieve the smoky flavour.
- 2
Soak the chillies in hot water for 10 minutes. Blend the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic and drained chillies with 1 cup water until smooth. Strain.
- 3
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot. Fry the strained sauce for 5 minutes over high heat, stirring constantly. Add 800ml chicken stock, season with salt and cook 15 minutes.
💡 Frying the sauce first removes the raw acidity of the tomato.
- 4
Cut 6 corn tortillas into 1cm strips. Fry in abundant hot oil until fully crispy and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
💡 Day-old tortillas are perfect for frying.
- 5
Serve the hot broth in deep bowls. Add the fried tortilla strips at the moment of serving. Top with soured cream, grated cheese, diced avocado, fried pasilla chilli and coriander.
💡 Add the tortillas when serving, not before, so they stay crispy.
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Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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