Tortilla Soup Spices: Dried Chiles, Epazote and a Tomato Base, From a 1913 Cookbook to Today

A Mexican household cookbook printed in 1913 finishes its tortilla soup with “una rama de epazote y unos pedazos de chile ancho” (a sprig of epazote and some pieces of ancho chile).¹ More than a century later, sopa de tortilla still needs just a dried chile, garlic, onion, tomato and that sprig of epazote. The two modern recipes below keep the 1913 structure and swap the ancho for a pasilla. The rest of the flavor goes in the bowl: cheese, avocado, crema and lime, though one cook warns you off sour cream.

At a glance

Three recipes side by side

These are each publisher’s own recipes, not a house standard. Joe T. Garcia’s recipe appears in the James Beard Foundation’s archive from James Beard’s All-American Eats.²

The core seasonings and what each one does

Dried chile: pasilla or ancho

The chile is the main spice, and you’re choosing between two dried chiles. Both modern recipes use pasilla; the 1913 version uses ancho.

• Pasilla (also called chile negro) is one of the most common Mexican chiles, and a staple in Mexican cooking, especially for sauces. Its fresh form, the chilaca, is dark green, almost black. Joe T. Garcia’s soaks one pasilla in hot water and purées it with the tomatoes, onion and garlic.² Bayless fries a second pasilla as a garnish.³
• Ancho is a dried poblano, with sweet, smoky flavors and hints of dried fruit.

See pasilla powder, ancho powder and pasilla powder substitutes.

Chipotle in adobo: a variation, not the base

None of the three recipes here uses chipotle, but it’s a popular modern addition all the same. Chipotle is a hot, brick-red chile: a large jalapeño, used smoke-dried. Canned chipotles in adobo bring smoke, heat and the tang of the sauce. You can blend one into the tomato base as a shortcut, though none of these recipes does. You’ll get a smokier, hotter soup than one built on pasilla. See chipotle powder and chipotle powder substitutes.

Garlic, onion and tomato: the base

Every recipe uses all three. In the 1913 recipe, three crushed garlic cloves go into the lard before the tortillas,¹ and Joe T. Garcia’s purées the garlic with the tomatoes, onion and chile, then fries the purée in lard until it thickens.² Garlic brings a powerful, onionlike smell and pungent taste. Bayless prefers fire-roasted canned tomatoes.³ See garlic powder vs. garlic.

Epazote: the signature herb

Epazote’s fragrance is strong but hard to describe; some liken it to anise or licorice. It’s used fresh in soups, salads and meat dishes.

All three recipes use it, two of them as optional. Joe T. Garcia’s adds it after the long simmer, cooks it 15 minutes more, and allows 1/2 teaspoon of dried in place of two small fresh sprigs.² Tasting Table also advises adding it near the end of cooking and notes that dried epazote is less aromatic.⁴ The US Botanic Garden cautions that large doses can be poisonous to animals and humans.⁵ The recipes here use a sprig or two per pot. See epazote substitutes.

Lime, avocado, cheese and crema: at the table

A lot of tortilla soup’s balance gets added in the bowl. Joe T. Garcia’s sets chips, chicken and avocado in each bowl, then tops the soup with queso Chihuahua and a squeeze of lime.² Bayless lists crunchy tortillas, crema and cheese, avocado and chile as the garnishes, and warns that sour cream will curdle here, so he calls for Mexican crema or crème fraîche.³

Cilantro: optional

None of the three recipes calls for cilantro. Its leaves are widely used in Latin American dishes, and it’s one of the delicate herbs best added at the end. If you like it, scatter it over the bowl when you serve. See cooking with cilantro and cilantro vs. oregano.

Black pepper

None of the three recipes uses black pepper. Joe T. Garcia’s and Bayless season with salt alone.²³ A grind at the table is up to you. See black pepper.

Related

• Good Mexican spices for chicken
• Mexican oregano
• Spices for chicken soup
• Best spices for chili
• The master list of herbs and spices