Description
A vibrant and comforting Tortilla Soup featuring smoky toasted chiles, fire-roasted tomatoes, and fresh corn, topped with crispy tortilla strips, creamy avocado, and zesty lime for a perfect blend of flavors in every bowl.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 dried Guajillo or ancho chiles
- 2 (14-ounce) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large white onion, diced, reserve ⅓ cup for topping
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 3 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, from about 2 ears fresh
- Freshly ground black pepper
Toppings & Garnishes
- Diced avocado
- Sliced radishes
- Fresh cilantro
- Crumbled Cotija cheese
- Lime wedges
- 8 corn tortillas (for crispy strips)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper for baking the tortilla strips later.
- Toast Chiles and Tortilla: Using kitchen scissors, remove stems from dried chiles and slice them open vertically to lay flat. Toast each chile in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side until soft and fragrant. Also toast one tortilla in the same skillet until puffed and fragrant on both sides.
- Blend Chile and Tomato Mixture: Place toasted chiles, the toasted tortilla, and diced fire-roasted tomatoes into a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Sauté Onions and Spices: Heat avocado oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onions with 1½ teaspoons sea salt and cook for about 8 minutes until softened. Stir in ground cumin and dried oregano, cooking for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Tomato Mixture and Simmer: Pour the blended chile-tomato mixture into the pot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Then add grated garlic, 4 cups water or vegetable broth, and black beans. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Add Corn and Continue Simmering: Stir in fresh or frozen corn kernels and simmer for another 10 minutes to meld all flavors.
- Prepare Crispy Tortilla Strips: Cut the remaining tortillas into thin strips. Drizzle them with avocado oil, sprinkle with salt, toss to coat evenly, then spread them in a single layer on the lined baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Adjust Consistency and Season: If the soup is too thick, stir in a little more water until the desired consistency is reached. Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy tortilla strips, reserved diced onion, diced avocado, radish slices, fresh cilantro, and crumbled Cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use vegetable broth instead of water.
- Adjust chili quantity based on your heat preference.
- To keep tortilla strips extra crispy, bake them in a single layer and avoid overcrowding.
- This soup can be made in advance and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- For a vegan version, omit Cotija cheese or substitute with a vegan cheese alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
