Over the past decade tortilla soup has become a popular dish on restaurant menus and dinner tables all across America…and while there may be hundreds of variations of the recipe, virtually every one uses most of the same simple yet flavorful ingredients.
This soup we have now been making for years, after several attempts, having finally found the perfect balance between the tomatoes, tortilla and veggies… The aromatic spices and warmth of this soup make it a wonderful dish to transition from late fall into winter.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
5 to 6 cups water
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
6 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch-wide strips
1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 cups corn
2/3 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 tbsp minced seeded jalapeño
1 lime, juiced
1 avocado, diced
Directions:
Add olive oil to a non-stick soup pot on medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 2-4 minutes until tender. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, and chili powder. Add 5 cups water and 2 tbsp cilantro and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes.
Add tortillas, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cup corn, zucchini and jalapeño to soup. Cover and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.
Transfer soup to a blender and blend mixture. Add remaining water if necessary. Return to pot, add corn and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with diced avocado and cilantro. Serve.
