How To Make Tortilla Soup From Scratch

Authentic Homemade Corn Tortillas

If you want to learn how to make corn tortillas from scratch, you came to the right place. This step by step tutorial will guide you all the way until you can make your corn tortillas at home. Corn tortillas are a healthier option compare to flour tortillas.I remember long ago a lady was asking me about my country, our culture, and our food. When we started talking about recipes, she asked me how she could make Tortillas de Harina .

The woman couldnt believe it when I told her that I didnt know how to make them. She said: But you are Mexican!, and then I said: Yes, but wheat flour tortillas are more common in Northern México, most people in central and south Mexico consume mainly corn tortillas And usually from the tortilla factory, but homemade corn tortillas a real treat.

Why This Tortilla Soup Will Be Your Go

• Flavorful: If you love Mexican food you will love the flavors in this chicken tortilla soup. Everything you are looking for in a Mexican meal will be found in this soup.
• Easy and Healthy: Making this tortilla soup is quite easy and made with healthy ingredients. You may even eliminate the cream cheese and use coconut milk.
• Filling: This creamy chicken tortilla soup will keep you full for hours because it is so filling and packed with protein.

Storage And Freezing Instructions:

Store enchilada soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after making. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

To Freeze: Allow soup to cool completely. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw soup in the refrigerator overnight and simmer on the stove until warm, or warm in the microwave.

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How To Reduce Heartburn Symptoms When Eating Your Tortilla Soup

If youre combatting frequent heartburn , a 14-day course of Omeprazole Orally Disintegrating Tablets in the morning can really aid in enjoying everyday life. I usually stick to this regimen during those long stretches of eating acidy, oily, fatty foods during the fall and winter months.

I cant tell you how limiting it can be to always worry about what to eat, because heartburn can come up. Omeprazole ODT is a convenient, strawberry-flavored dissolving tablet that melts right on your tongue, no water needed, and provides 24-hour relief from heartburn. It treats the same symptoms as Prilosec OTC and works as well as the national brands, but the dissolving tablet goes down easier and since its the store brand, its more affordable.

What Sides To Serve With Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

I enjoy it as is, without any sides. However, for the rest of my family, I have served it with many different sides and the ones below were their favorites.

Salad keep it a very simple green salad without any strong dressings or vinaigrettes because the soup already has very strong flavors.

Coleslaw Once again, keep any dressings very light and simple.

Cheese quesadillas Kids love this side. Use a Mexican cheese blend. Its similar to enjoying tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Jalapeno cornbread Make it from scratch or just use a cornbread mix box and mix in 1 finely chopped jalapeno.

Mexican rice Typically, that would be cilantro lime rice. Go light on the seasonings though.

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How To Make Chicken Tortilla Soup:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
• Add chicken broth and diced tomatoes chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, black beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.

• Cut chicken into a few pieces and add to the pot. Cook for 7-10 more minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove chicken and shred with forks. Return to the pot along with the corn and lime juice.

• Serve topped with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado.

Can I make it in the slow cooker? Yes!

• After sautéing the vegetables in step 1, add them to the slow cooker along with the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, chilies, spices, chicken breasts and black beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
• Remove chicken and shred with forks. Return to the soup along with corn and lime juice. Serve with desired toppings.

Can I make it in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker? Yes!

Substitutions:

This recipe is really forgiving, so substitute things you have on hand, rather than going to the store for a missing ingredient.

To thicken the soup: I enjoy chicken tortilla soup with a thin broth base, but many people enjoy it with a thicker texture. Add a few chopped up corn tortillas, or a spoonful of corn flour to thicken the soup and give it great flavor.

How Do You Thicken Tortilla Soup Or Make It Creamy

To thicken this tortilla soup, you can add sour cream or heavy cream. I have not personally done this, because I like the soup as is.

To make this tortilla soup creamy you can add milk. Again, I have not tried this because I think this recipe is great as is, but if you do, please let me know in the comments.

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Are Tortilla Chips Vegan

If you’re vegan, then tortilla chips make for a great snack or a great addition to your meal. Tortilla chips are totally vegan, as long as you’re using vegetable oils to cook them in, of course.

There are plenty of vegan salsas to add to the tortilla chips once they re cooked too. Mashup some homemade guacamole or prepare a light tomato salsa with some chilis. You could even use vegan cheese to make vegan nachos.

Corn Or Wheat Flour: Which Is Better

The two most common types of tortilla chips are either corn or wheat flour. Neither is necessarily better than the other it’s more of a personal choice in terms of taste that you need to consider.

We always try to make corn tortilla chips, because corn tortillas are much more authentic. In most restaurants in Mexico, you’ll be served corn tortilla chips. Corn has been a staple of Mexican diets for thousands of years, so corn tortilla chips are the best way to go if you’re looking for the best Mexican flavors.

But there’s nothing wrong with wheat flour tortillas. Many people prefer the taste too, especially if they aren’t used to the stronger flavor of a corn tortilla. Wheat flour tortillas are much lighter but much less authentic. Wheat flour was introduced to Mexico by Europeans, and it’s only really grown in the north of the country. It’s more of a Tex-Mex ingredient than anything authentically Mexican.

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Read More From Delishably

• Go low-fat. For lower-fat soup, substitute milk or half-n-half for the cream.
• Ditch the milk. If lactose-intolerance is an issue, omit the cream or milk.

Consider These Additions and Variations

• Not spicy, but flavorful. For a mild version, choose ancho or New Mexico chili powder, which is low on the Scoville scale.
• Just a hint of heat. For a medium-spicy version, add 1 tablespoon of chipotle chili powder.
• Make it like they do in the Southwest. Add one 4-ounce can of diced fire-roasted hatch green chiles or omit the diced tomatoes and substitute for two 10-ounce cans Rotel mild diced tomato & green chiles, drained.
• Go for pozole. Substitute canned hominy for the sweet corn for a flavor more akin to Mexican pozole.
• Bring on the accoutrements! Serve with Mexican guacamole appetizer and Tex-Mex margaritas for a special treat.

How To Make Corn Tortillas From Scratch

We use wheat flour tortillas occasionally to make quesadillas or traditional burritos, but these are not an everyday meal. Later on, I learned how to make my wheat flour tortillas too. But, at home, I make corn tortillas more often.

Corn tortillas have been around for a long, long time, and are made of white, yellow or blue corn kernels. They are not just our daily tortilla they are a meal by themselves.

To prepare corn tortillas, you only need 2 Ingredients, Masa-harina, and water. Not baking powder, wheat flour, sugar or any fat is needed. For this corn tortillas recipe, I will use masa-harina because I know that many of you would not have access to fresh corn masa Masa-Harina which is readily available in Latin grocery stores nowadays.

I prefer the real thing since the results will be considerably different, the corn tortillas will be less dry than those from masa-harina. If you have access to fresh corn masa, please do make your tortillas with it the flavors are incomparable.

Check this post if you want to know how to make your own masa at home. Enjoy it!

These are some of the types of corn tortillas sold in Mexico. Top left with the oval shape is used for “flautas”, then the white taco tortilla top right. Yellow corn tortilla bottom left and regular everyday uses white corn tortilla bottom right. Corn Tortillas used for tacos are commonly smaller.

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Can You Make This Recipe Into A Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Yes, you can certainly make this soup a chicken tortilla soup recipe.

If you would like to add chicken, I recommend sauteeing chicken with the vegetables at the beginning of the recipe. Once the chicken is cooked, continue to allow the soup to simmer. You can use diced boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.

You can also use Instant Pot whole chicken or slow cooker shredded chicken. I keep some in my freezer for recipes like these. I recommend adding cooked chicken once the initial ingredients are sauteed, with the rest of the ingredients.

Easy To Make And Customize

This soup is a family favorite that I enjoy serving alongside taco night, or on more chilly evenings. The extra pieces of corn, bell pepper, and black beans provide extra fiber and protein to each serving. The great thing about the recipe is that it doesnt require much effort to make or compromise on taste. All of the authentic flavors of a great chicken tortilla soup are created in one big pot.

I like to serve the soup with a lot of different toppings. Fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeno peppers, diced avocado, sour cream, radish, green onions, and crispy fried tortilla chips add vibrant colors and interesting textures to each bowl. I cant wait to hear what you think and what toppings you add in the comments section below!

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How To Make Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Only 5 steps to making this quick soup:

What Are Some Chicken Tortilla Soup Varieties

There are a few different popular tortilla soup variations. For example, you can add beans and it becomes Tarasca soup, or if you omit the chicken it is called Azteca soup.

Today, however, I am going to share my recipe for the traditional Chicken Tortilla Soup. It is perfect for cold, rainy days but if you are like me, you will like it year-round.

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What I Love About The Recipe:

• Fresh Ingredients No canned enchilada sauce, and lots of fresh and tasty ingredients.
• Easy Sauté the veggies and sear the chicken first thin in the morning, then throw everything in the crockpot and let it do the work.
• Pantry Ingredients No trip to the store you probably already have everything on hand! You can substitute chicken breasts, if needed .

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What’s The Difference Between Flour And Corn Tortillas

There are two basic types of tortillas: flour and corn.

Flour tortillas are most often made with a mixture of all-purpose wheat flour, baking powder, and fat. Lard is the traditional fat used to make flour tortillas, and it helps the dough roll easily at room temperature. But, if you don’t have lard on hand or want to make a vegetarian option, you can swap it out with vegetable shortening or butter. Flour tortillas are usually made larger and thinner than corn tortillas because the gluten in the wheat flour allows the dough to be stretched without falling apart, plus the fat in the dough keeps it from cracking and tearing when you’re rolling it out.

Corn tortillasare made with masa harina, water, and sometimes but not always a little fat. Masa harina is dried hominy that has been soaked, washed, and treated with slaked lime or ash, then ground to produce a flour or dough. Don’t mistake it with cornmeal or corn flour tortillas made with these other flours will not turn out right. Some stores even offer pre-mixed masa harina dough, so all you have to do is roll and cook.

There’s no reason to stick to just masa harina or all-purpose flour. Have some fun and experiment with different grains, which change the flavor and texture. You can even make tortillas for special diets, like Keto Tortillas or gluten-free Cassava Flour Tortillas.

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How To Make It

Follow along with these instructions for making this tasty homemade tortilla soup:

Caramelize the onions and garlic until completely browned in a medium-size pot over low heat with olive oil, about 45 minutes.

Next, add in the tomatoes, chiles, and chicken stock and simmer over low to medium heat for 30 minutes.

Remove the chile and puree the soup until smooth and thick in a blender or using an emersion hand blender. Return the soup to the pot along with the chile, and season with salt and pepper.

Fry tortilla strips in oil and drain on a paper towel.

Serve the soup with assorted toppings

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Make Ahead Freezer Meal

To make this recipe ahead of time, you’ll just need a few freezer meal tools. The main thing you’re going to need to make this ahead of time is something to store your uncooked meal in. I use these compostable freezer bags because I don’t love the idea of using plastic near my food.

Here’s the general idea:

• Put them in your freezer bag
• Freeze for later

To cook the meal, just set the bag it in the fridge the night before you’re ready for it.

The Best Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe Ever

It would seem that everyone has their own version of chicken tortilla soup. Some are thick like gravy. Some thin and watery.

I prefer a thin, but not watery, broth-based chicken tortilla soup with lots of veggies and toppings.

Todays Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe is exactly how I like it. Rich, zesty, and ultra comforting, with a slightly spicy finish.

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Ingredients You Will Need For This Chicken Tortilla Soup

Below is a list of ingredients and some substitutes you can use to make this creamy tortilla soup. The full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card.

• Avocado oil: essentially, any oil you decide to use is fine.
• Onion: we used yellow onion, but purple and sweet onion can be used.
• Bell pepper: any color works, but we used red.
• Garlic cloves: use fresh garlic cloves instead of garlic powder. If you must, you can use garlic pwder.
• Seasonings: cumin, dried oregano, taco seasoning.
• Beans: we used black beans, but any other bean will do.
• Corn: use frozen, canned, or fresh.
• Tomato salsa: if you like your tortilla soup to be more on the spicy side, use spicy salsa.
• Pickled jalapeños: pickled is our prefered choice. you may use fresh.
• Chicken breast: use raw, or to save on time, use shredded rotisserie chicken.
• Broth: chicken broth was used, but you may use vegetable broth
• Cheese: You will need shredded cheddar cheese and one pack of cream cheese
• Additional garnishes: chopped avocado, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, yogurt, or sour cream

How To Make Homemade Corn Tortillas

How to form the tortillas with a heavy glass dish

DIRECTIONS:

• Use a large bowl to combine the masa-harina and water. Mix well until the water is absorbed evenly and the dough forms a ball.
• Preheat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium flame.
• After kneading the dough, form a small ball the size of a golf ball. Using a tortilla press or a heavy dish.

• Open the tortilla press or remove the heavy dish if using to press the tortillas.
• Lift the plastic with the pressed tortilla, place the dough in your hand closer to your fingers and carefully peel the plastic off the dough. If the dough doesnt come out so easily then the dough could be a little too wet. Add some more masa-harina to the dough mix again until it becomes easy to handle.

• Place the tortilla on the griddle and cook for about 30 -40 seconds. The edge will begin to dry out. Turn over and continue to cook for about 40-45 seconds.
• Turn your corn tortilla over again and cook for another 15 seconds. The cooking time is about 1:45 minutes total. Cook until the tortilla begins to puff.

ENJOY YOUR CORN TORTILLAS!

Did you like this recipe tutorial to make homemade corn tortillas? Please let me know in the comments section, do you have questions, or share the link with your friends. I hope you have an incredible time cooking!

Provecho!

Mely Martinez, the cook in Mexico in my Kitchen!

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