Tortilla Soup
Makes: 4 servings
Time: About 1 hour
M V
Tortillas and lots of vegetables — some charred, some not — together in one pot with a liberal dose of Southwest seasonings: It’s a little like a taco party in a bowl. There are three cooking techniques in this recipe, but I’ve streamlined them for efficiency. For the best texture, let the soup sit for five minutes or so after you add the crisp tortillas — that’s just long enough for everyone to come to the table and add garnishes from the list below.
- Good-quality vegetable oil for frying
- 8 corn tortillas (stale are fine), cut into ½-inch strips
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced
- 1 poblano chile, seeded and sliced
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes or 1½ pounds ripe fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or epazote or 1 teaspoon dried
- 4 cups vegetable stock (pages 97–100) or water
- 1 cup corn kernels (frozen are fine)
- 2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving
- Additional toppings as you like (see the list that follows)
- Turn on the broiler to high and move the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Put about ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot (a tortilla strip should sizzle immediately but not turn brown), fry the tortilla strips in single-layer batches, stirring and turning them with a spatula until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain, sprinkle with salt, and repeat until the tortillas are done. (You can prepare the tortillas up to a day ahead; seal in an airtight container and store at room temperature.)
- Put the onion, poblano, and carrot in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables in a single layer again and broil, stirring and turning once or twice with a spatula, until they’re lightly charred in places, 5 to 8 minutes total.
- Put the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the garlic and stir constantly until it is just starting to color, about 1 minute. Add the chili powder and cumin and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and keep stirring until they become fragrant. Add the tomatoes, crushing them in the pan with the back of a spoon; then add the charred vegetables, the oregano, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the soup bubbles gently but steadily. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes melt into the broth and the vegetables are quite soft, 10 to 15 minutes. (You may make the soup in advance up to this point. Cool, cover, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and gently reheat before proceeding.)
- Stir in the corn and return the soup to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the tortilla strips (but don’t stir) and remove from the heat. Serve within 10 minutes, passing the limes and whatever toppings you’d like at the table.
7 Garnishes for Tortilla Soup
- 1 cup shredded lettuce or cabbage
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
- Several sliced radishes or 1 cup chopped jícama
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or grated Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- Salsa and/or hot sauce