Shared by Ilan Stavans
Shared by Ilan Stavans
Sopa de Tortilla (Tortilla Soup)
Yield: 6 servingsTime: 45 minutes
Sopa de Tortilla (Tortilla Soup)
Yield: 6 servingsTime: 45 minutesFamily Journey
Poland and BelarusMexico CityNew York City
Amherst, MA
When Ilan Stavans was growing up, his family would enjoy Mexican matzah ball soup or sopa de tortilla for Shabbat. Flavored with cumin and epazote and spiced with pasilla chiles, this recipe yields a warm, tomato-y broth made hefty with shredded chicken and black beans. Do as Ilan does, and serve bowls topped with creamy avocado, fried tortilla strips and fresh squeezes of lime.
Read more of Ilan’s family story in “A Mexican Shabbat With Yiddish Songs Find a New Home in Amherst” and get his recipes for jicama salad and mole con pollo.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1-2 dried pasilla chiles (depending on desired heat level)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, divided
- 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, drained
- 2 whole skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 whole fresh epazote leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Large corn tortillas, sliced into ½” strips and fried, or 10-ounce bag of tortilla chips, for topping
- 1–2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced, for topping
- 2 limes, quartered, for topping
Preparation
Step 1
Crumble the pasilla chile and place it in a blender with the canned tomatoes. Pulse until smooth.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ⅓ cup of the cilantro, and the garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
Step 3
Add the tomato-chile purée, chicken broth, beans, chicken breasts, cumin, epazote, and salt and stir gently. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the cooked chicken breasts with tongs and shred the meat with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the soup, and stir in 1 cup of the tortilla strips.
Step 5
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the remaining cilantro, fresh avocado, lime juice, and more tortilla chips.
