Sopa azteca or sopa de tortilla: the tomato broth with pasilla and cheese

What is it?

Sopa azteca, also called sopa de tortilla, is one of the most iconic soups of Mexican gastronomy. Its base is a broth of roasted tomato with onion, garlic and epazote, to which fried and chopped chile pasilla is added. It is served with strips of fried or toasted maize tortilla, cubes of avocado, panela or fresh cheese, crema and, in some versions, pork chicharron. It is a soup that combines crunchy and creamy textures, smoky and fresh flavours, and is an emblematic dish both of the 'comida corrida' and of Mexican haute gastronomy. Larousse Cocina, Pati Jinich and Recetas Nestle document it as an essential soup of the Valley of Mexico and Tlaxcala. It appears on the menus of Mexican restaurants all over the world and is probably the most exported soup of the national repertoire, after pozole.

Origin and history

Sopa azteca is heir to pre-Hispanic traditions of using tomato, chilli, maize and epazote, basic ingredients of the milpa system. Although there is no record of a 'sopa azteca' as such in colonial sources (Fray Bernardino de Sahagun does not mention it in his Historia general de las cosas de la Nueva Espana), the combination of blended tomato with toasted or fresh tortillas and chillies appears in 19th-century recipe books. Larousse Cocina notes that the recipe was consolidated in the 20th century, possibly in Tlaxcala, where it is made with chile pasilla and called 'sopa tlaxcalteca', or in Mexico City. The name 'azteca' is commercial and romantic, not historical: it emerged in the mid-20th century to evoke the Mexica heritage of the ingredients. Chefs such as Yuri de Gortari and Maria Dolores Torres Yzabal have documented it in their books as an example of mestizo highland cuisine. Pati Jinich includes it in her book Pati's Mexican Table as an essential soup.

Characteristic ingredients

The base broth is made by roasting tomato, onion and garlic on the comal until charred on the outside, then blending them and straining. They are poured into a hot frying pan with oil in which strips of dried chile pasilla, that long, dark, moderately spicy chilli with sweet raisin notes, have previously been fried. Chicken stock and epazote are added. The maize tortillas are cut into julienne, fried in hot oil until golden and crisp, and added at the moment of serving so they keep their texture. The cheese used is panela or crumbly fresh cheese; in modern versions grated Oaxaca cheese is used so it melts. The avocado goes in large cubes and crema is poured in a stream. Some Tlaxcalan versions include crumbled pork chicharron. Excelsior and Pati Jinich agree that the secret lies in not mixing everything: each element is assembled on serving to keep the textures. The heat of the pasilla can be modulated by removing the seeds.

Cultural significance

Sopa azteca is one of Mexico's gastronomic ambassadors in the world: it appears at Mexican restaurants in Madrid, New York, Tokyo and Buenos Aires as a signature starter. In Tlaxcala it is considered an identity dish and there is a regional variant called 'sopa tlaxcalteca' or 'sopa de tortilla tlaxcalteca' which some cooks defend as the original. The 2010 UNESCO inscription of traditional Mexican cuisine includes the principles that sustain this dish: milpa-maize-chilli combination, mestizo roasting and grinding techniques, use of dried chillies. Sopa azteca is also a favourite dish for Lent and vigils because it does not necessarily contain meat: just the broth, the tortilla and the dairy. Chefs such as Enrique Olvera, Patricia Quintana and Pati Jinich have taken it to international television and books. The pre-packed fried tortilla industry, with brands such as Tostitos, Donas and Sabritas, benefits from its popularity. Restaurants such as Cafe Tacuba in Mexico City and Tierra y Cielo in San Cristobal de las Casas include it on their menus as a reference.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between sopa azteca and sopa de tortilla?

They are basically the same dish with two names. 'Sopa azteca' is the popular commercial name that evokes the pre-Hispanic heritage; 'sopa de tortilla' is the more widely used descriptive name in households. Some cooks call only the version with melted cheese in the centre 'sopa azteca', and 'sopa de tortilla' the dry version with crispy tortilla on serving. In Tlaxcala it is also called sopa tlaxcalteca.

What does sopa azteca taste like?

It tastes of deeply roasted tomato with smoky notes from chile pasilla, sweet, earthy and slightly spicy. Crema and panela cheese contribute unctuousness, avocado freshness, the crisp tortilla strips contribute texture and a toasted-maize touch. Epazote adds its characteristic herbal profile. It is a balanced soup: creamy, smoky, crisp and refreshing all at once.

How is sopa azteca served?

It is served hot in a deep bowl or clay pot. At the bottom strips of fried tortilla, diced avocado, panela cheese and optionally chicharron are placed. The very hot tomato broth is poured over so the tortillas soften slowly while keeping some crunch. On top it is garnished with strips of fried chile pasilla, crema in a stream and extra fresh cheese.

Where is sopa azteca originally from?

It is native to central Mexico, with two focal points: Tlaxcala, where it is known as sopa tlaxcalteca and considered an identity dish, and Mexico City, where it became popular as sopa azteca in 20th-century restaurants. Its origin mixes pre-Hispanic ingredients (tomato, chilli, epazote, tortilla) with colonial techniques (roasting, frying) in a modern mestizo creation.