Chef notes
When I went to college at Rutgers University and mom would come to visit me, we would always go to a nearby Mexican restaurant. I remember them making the best tortilla soup, and eventually I realized it was actually the way they served the dish that made it so fun.
The chefs would put all of the yummy mix-ins (including avocado, shredded cheese, chicken and anything else you’d like) into the bottom of a bowl, and then they would pour the soup over it all when they were ready to dish it out to guests.
So, I recreated the food memory through this recipe — it’s my own version that I started making years ago. It’s not exactly the same since my family has a few food preferences I try to keep in mind, but it’s super delicious and still satiates my craving for both a hearty bowl of soup and a heaping dose of nostalgia.
My husband, Brian, and our son Calvin have a sensitivity to cilantro and cumin where they both taste like soap on their palates. So, when I make this at home, I leave those common tortilla soup ingredients out of the mix. I also skip anything spicy like jalapeño pepper for my kids’ sake. But, if you ask me, the soup would be just as good — if not better — with those added back in!
To add the zing back to your soup, try tossing in two diced jalapeños, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and a large handful of cilantro leaves.
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