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Tortilla Soup with Avocado

Name: Tortilla Soup with Avocado
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 Beef tomatoes; 2 Dried ancho chillies; 1.5 litres Chicken stock; 8 Day-old maize tortillas; 2 Ripe avocados; 0.5 White onion; 2 cloves Garlic cloves; 4 sprigs Fresh epazote; 150 g Panela cheese, cubed; 2 Limes; 4 tbsp Oil for frying; 1 tsp Salt to taste

50 min (20 prep + 30 cook) Easy 6 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Tomato and ancho chilli broth with crispy tortilla strips and fresh avocado slices.

About this recipe

Tortilla soup with avocado is a fresh and modern variation of the classic sopa azteca: an intensely seasoned tomato and ancho chilli broth, crowned with crispy fried tortilla strips and generous slices of creamy avocado. The contrast between the hot broth, the crunchy tortilla and the cool fresh avocado makes this dish a unique sensory experience that defines contemporary Mexican cuisine.

History & Origin

Sopa azteca, or tortilla soup, is one of the most emblematic dishes in Mexican cuisine, with roots going back to pre-Hispanic traditions of using leftover maize tortillas. In Mesoamerican cooking, old tortillas were never wasted: they were used to thicken atoles, make casserole tamales, or fried in oil to add texture to soups and broths. The modern version of tortilla soup, as we know it today, took shape in colonial cooking when friars and mestiza cooks incorporated Spanish techniques (frying, poultry stocks) with native ingredients (ancho chilli, tomato, epazote). The recipe gained national popularity in the twentieth century when fondas and popular restaurants adopted it as a daily special - affordable and nutritious. The addition of avocado is a contemporary variation that adds creaminess and temperature contrast, very popular since the 1990s with the rise of Mexican cuisine restaurants in major cities. Today tortilla soup with avocado appears on the menus of the finest Mexican restaurants in Spain, London and New York as a representative of the sophistication of Mexican cuisine.

Estimated cost

£7.50

Total cost

£1.25

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

320

Calories

Protein

35g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

6.5g

Fibre

580mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cut the tortillas into 1 cm wide strips. Heat plenty of oil in a frying pan and fry the strips in batches until golden and very crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt. Set aside.
💡 You can also bake the tortillas at 200°C with a little oil for 12 minutes for a lighter version.
2
For the broth: rehydrate the ancho chillies in hot water for 15 minutes. Char the tomatoes and onion on a griddle or directly over the flame until they have black spots. Blend the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic and rehydrated ancho chilli with 500ml of stock.
3
Fry the blended mixture in the pot with a tablespoon of oil over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens and changes colour. Add the remaining stock and the epazote. Season with salt.
💡 This step of 'frying' the sauce is essential for developing the flavour. Do not skip it.
4
Cook the broth over medium heat for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. The broth should be a deep dark red with a rich flavour and a slight smoky note from the ancho chilli.
5
Peel and slice the avocado into thick slices. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado to prevent browning. Cut the panela cheese into small cubes.
💡 The avocado should be added at the last moment so it does not get too warm.
6
Serve the hot broth in deep bowls. Place the crispy tortilla strips in the centre, avocado slices on top, then the panela cheese, soured cream and coriander. Serve immediately so the tortilla retains its texture.
💡 Serve the tortilla separately so diners can add it at the moment of eating to keep it crispy.