Tortilla soup is the best of both worlds: hearty and comforting, with a medley of flavorful aromatics and spices that make the dish anything but boring. Whether you’re making a hearty vegetarian tortilla soup or an easy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup, the base ingredients are pretty standard. A good tortilla soup starts with broth, crushed tomatoes, beans, seasonings, and of course, tortillas. While tortilla soup isn’t meant to be a stew, you may find that it isn’t thick enough for you, and the easiest fix is to add just a bit more of one main ingredient.
Tasting Table spoke with Alexis Valera, the master executive chef for the restaurants at Impression Moxché by Secrets in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, about the best way to thicken tortilla soup. “Simply add more fried tortilla until you reach the desired texture,” he says. Sounds simple enough. Tortilla soup is unique in its composition as it calls for corn tortilla strips (or squares) to be added directly to the soup during the cooking process. Unlike the traditional thickener of flour, adding corn tortillas to the soup releases starch that boosts the viscosity of the broth without making it too thick.
Most tortilla soup recipes call for corn tortillas that can be quickly fried up in some oil after being cut into strips. The extra frying of the tortilla not only provides more corn flavor; it also brings out the starches. As a matter of fact, you can use your leftover tortillas to make any soup more substantial.
How to up the tortilla game in your soup
Frying tortillas is a great way to achieve flavor in your tortilla soup, and of course, you want to save some crispy tortilla strips for garnish. To thicken tortilla soup, stir in a few strips as the soup is simmering. The corn will begin to slowly break apart and infuse into the soup, and the starch will begin to thicken the broth. Stir the soup frequently to help release the starch, and as the tortilla absorbs the liquid, your soup will thicken up beautifully.
Start with a few strips at first and add more if you feel the soup is still too thin. In addition to thickening the broth, corn tortillas add the characteristic chewiness that tortilla soup is known for. Just make sure you use corn tortillas and not flour, which will not achieve the same thickening results or produce the desired flavor. Standard corn tortillas will work fine for tortilla soup. You can even use tortillas that are long in the tooth and slightly stale.
For a real fiesta, pick up some flavored or colored tortillas. Want a little extra tang in your soup? Try these cactus, turmeric, and beet tortillas from Amazon. You can also find authentic blue corn tortillas in most markets, or grab these brightly colored tortillas roja from Mama Grande Tortilla Factory. For festive plating, try Trader Joe’s Rolled Chili Lime Tortilla Chips as a topper for tortilla soup or pick up some tri-color tortilla strips at the store.
