Mexican soups offer a tasty way to warm up and enjoy rich flavors. These hearty dishes combine fresh ingredients with spices to create satisfying meals. From light broths to thick stews, there’s a Mexican soup for every taste.
You’ll find 20 delicious Mexican soup recipes to try at home in this collection. Each recipe brings unique flavors and textures to your bowl. Some use common ingredients while others introduce new tastes. Whether you want a quick weeknight dinner or a special weekend meal, these soups will hit the spot.
Chicken tortilla soup is a classic Mexican dish that combines savory broth with tender chicken and crispy tortilla strips. To make it, you start by sautéing onions, garlic, and jalapeños in oil.
Next, add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and spices like cumin and chili powder. Simmer the soup with chicken breasts until they’re cooked through.
Remove and shred the chicken, then return it to the pot. Serve the soup hot, topped with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice.
You can customize your soup by adding beans, corn, or extra vegetables. This hearty and flavorful soup is perfect for cold days or anytime you crave Mexican flavors.
Albondigas is a tasty Mexican meatball soup. You’ll love its hearty flavors and comforting warmth.
To make it, form small meatballs with ground beef, egg, and spices. Simmer them in a flavorful broth with vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and zucchini.
Add some rice to the meatballs for extra texture. Seasonings like oregano, cilantro, and mint give the soup its distinctive taste.
Serve your albondigas hot with a squeeze of lime juice and warm tortillas on the side. It’s perfect for chilly days or when you need a filling meal.
Caldo de Pollo is a comforting Mexican chicken soup that warms you up on chilly days. You’ll love its rich broth made from simmering chicken with vegetables.
This soup features tender chicken pieces, carrots, potatoes, and zucchini. Fresh cilantro adds a burst of flavor. Some recipes include rice or corn for extra heartiness.
You can easily make Caldo de Pollo at home. It takes less than an hour to prepare. The soup is perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep.
Caldo de Pollo is both tasty and healthy. It’s packed with protein and vegetables. You’ll find it satisfying and nourishing.
Sopa de Fideo is a comforting Mexican noodle soup. You’ll love its simplicity and flavor. To make it, first toast vermicelli noodles in oil until golden brown.
Next, blend tomatoes, onion, and garlic until smooth. Pour this mixture over the toasted noodles and add chicken or vegetable broth.
Let the soup simmer until the noodles are tender. You can add potatoes for extra heartiness. Season with salt, cumin, and oregano to taste.
Serve your Sopa de Fideo hot, garnished with fresh cilantro. It’s a quick and satisfying meal perfect for chilly days.
Pozole Rojo is a hearty Mexican soup that’s perfect for cold days. This dish features tender pork and hominy in a rich, red broth.
To make Pozole Rojo, you’ll start by cooking pork with onions and garlic. Then add dried chili peppers like guajillo and ancho to create the signature red color.
Blend the softened chilies with spices to make a smooth sauce. Add this to the pork broth along with hominy. Let everything simmer until the flavors meld.
Serve your Pozole Rojo hot with toppings like shredded cabbage, radishes, and lime wedges. It’s a filling meal that’s sure to warm you up.
Caldo Tlalpeño is a hearty Mexican chicken soup that will warm you up on chilly days. This flavorful dish combines tender chicken, vegetables, and chickpeas in a savory broth.
To make Caldo Tlalpeño, you’ll start by cooking chicken in broth with onions, garlic, and spices. While the chicken simmers, blend tomatoes with garlic and chipotle peppers for a zesty sauce.
Next, you’ll add carrots and other vegetables to the pot. The chickpeas go in last, along with the shredded chicken. Serve your Caldo Tlalpeño hot, garnished with avocado slices and a squeeze of lime for extra flavor.
Sopa de Lima is a tasty Mexican soup from the Yucatán region. It features a zesty chicken broth flavored with lime juice.
To make it, you’ll simmer chicken with onions, garlic, and spices. Shred the cooked chicken and return it to the pot.
Add diced tomatoes, bell peppers, and plenty of fresh lime juice. Some recipes include a touch of grapefruit zest for extra citrus flavor.
Garnish your soup with fried tortilla strips, avocado chunks, and cilantro. The bright, tangy broth and tender chicken make this a refreshing meal any time of year.
Black bean soup is a hearty and flavorful Mexican dish. You can make it with canned or homemade beans. Many cooks prepare large batches of beans and freeze them for later use.
This soup often includes chorizo for added richness. You can garnish it with tortilla strips, avocado, cream, and queso fresco cheese.
Black bean soup is perfect for cold days or when you want a comforting meal. It’s easy to make and doesn’t require much prep time. You can have a delicious soup ready quickly, even after a long day at work.
Charro Bean Soup is a hearty Mexican dish packed with flavor. You’ll love this warm and filling soup made with pinto beans, bacon, and chorizo.
To make it, cook pinto beans until tender. In a separate pan, fry bacon and chorizo. Add onions, garlic, and tomatoes to the meat.
Mix everything together in a pot with spices like cumin and oregano. Simmer the soup to let the flavors blend. Some recipes include beef franks for extra protein.
Serve your Charro Bean Soup hot. Top it with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice for a zesty finish. It’s perfect for cold days or anytime you want a satisfying meal.
Zucchini soup is a tasty Mexican dish that’s easy to make. You can whip it up in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for quick meals.
The soup starts with sautéed onions and garlic. Then you add zucchini and broth. Some recipes use chicken broth, while others use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option.
To make it creamy, you can blend the soup or add milk. Cheese is often mixed in for extra flavor. Popular choices are Velveeta or queso fresco.
For a spicy kick, add some green chiles. Top your soup with fresh cilantro before serving. Enjoy it with warm tortillas for a complete meal.
Caldo Verde is a hearty Mexican soup that combines chicken and vegetables. You’ll love its rich flavor and comforting warmth.
To make it, start with a base of chicken broth. Add diced potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. Throw in some shredded chicken for protein.
The soup gets its distinctive green color from blended spinach or kale. This adds nutrients and a vibrant hue. Season with garlic, onion, and Mexican spices for an authentic taste.
Serve Caldo Verde hot with a squeeze of lime juice. It’s perfect for chilly days or when you need a nourishing meal.
Beef barley soup is a hearty dish that warms you up on cold days. You’ll love its rich flavors and filling ingredients.
To make this soup, start by browning beef chunks in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, and celery to build a tasty base.
Pour in beef broth and add pearl barley. Let the soup simmer until the barley is tender and the beef is cooked through.
For extra flavor, toss in some fresh herbs like parsley before serving. This soup tastes even better the next day, so make a big batch to enjoy leftovers.
Serve your beef barley soup with crusty bread for a complete meal. It’s sure to become a family favorite.
Pozole Blanco is a traditional Mexican soup that will warm your heart. This comforting dish features tender pork and hominy in a flavorful broth.
To make Pozole Blanco, start by simmering pork with herbs and spices. Add hominy and continue cooking until the flavors meld.
The broth gets its rich taste from onions, garlic, and a blend of Mexican herbs. You can garnish your bowl with fresh toppings like radishes, lettuce, and lime juice.
Pozole Blanco is perfect for family gatherings or cold days. It’s a filling meal that’s easy to customize to your taste.
Red lentil soup is a tasty Mexican dish that’s quick to make. It’s packed with protein and fiber, making it a healthy choice.
You’ll need red lentils, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Add spices like cumin and chili powder for flavor. Simmer everything in broth until the lentils are soft.
This soup is perfect for cold days. It’s filling and warms you up. You can top it with cilantro or a squeeze of lime for extra zest.
Red lentil soup is great for meal prep. Make a big batch and enjoy it all week. It’s an easy way to add more veggies to your diet.
Fundamental Ingredients
Mexican soups rely on a core set of ingredients that give them their distinct flavors and textures. These components work together to create hearty, comforting dishes loved across Mexico and beyond.
Essential Spices
Mexican soups get their kick from a blend of spices. Cumin adds an earthy warmth, while dried oregano brings a subtle herbal note. Chili powder gives a smoky heat that’s key in many recipes. Garlic powder and onion powder are staples for quick flavor boosts. Fresh cilantro is often added at the end for a bright, citrusy touch.
Spices to keep on hand:
Cumin
Oregano
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Fresh cilantro
Common Vegetables
Vegetables form the base of many Mexican soups. Tomatoes are a must, used fresh or canned. Onions and garlic create a flavorful foundation. Bell peppers add sweetness and color. Corn brings a touch of sweetness and texture.
Potatoes and carrots make soups heartier. Zucchini and squash are popular in summer recipes. Chili peppers like jalapeños or serranos add heat to taste.
Key veggies for Mexican soups:
Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Bell peppers
Corn
Potatoes
Carrots
Proteins Used
Proteins make Mexican soups filling and nutritious. Chicken is very common, often shredded into the broth. Beef chunks work well in hearty stews. Pork adds richness to many traditional recipes.
For vegetarian options, beans are a go-to. Black beans and pinto beans are favorites. Lentils make soups thick and satisfying. Queso fresco or other Mexican cheeses can be added for extra protein and flavor.
Popular proteins in Mexican soups:
Shredded chicken
Beef chunks
Pork
Black beans
Pinto beans
Lentils
Queso fresco
Cooking Techniques
Mexican soups use a variety of cooking methods to build flavor and texture. These techniques help create rich broths, tender meats, and perfectly cooked vegetables.
Simmering
Simmering is key for many Mexican soups. You’ll start by bringing the liquid to a gentle boil, then reducing the heat. This slow cooking method lets flavors meld together.
For broths, simmer bones and aromatics for 1-2 hours. This extracts maximum flavor. When making pozole or menudo, simmer tough cuts of meat for 2-3 hours until tender.
Add vegetables and softer ingredients later in the cooking process. This prevents them from getting mushy. Tomatoes, chiles, and corn go in during the last 30-60 minutes of cooking.
Simmering also reduces and concentrates the broth. This creates a more intense flavor.
Blending
Blending creates smooth, creamy textures in many Mexican soups. You’ll often blend ingredients before or after cooking.
To make a base for tortilla soup, blend roasted tomatoes and chiles. This creates a silky puree. For black bean soup, blend some of the cooked beans to thicken the broth.
You can use a regular blender or an immersion blender. Be careful when blending hot liquids. Work in small batches and vent the lid to prevent explosions.
Straining blended ingredients removes any remaining chunks. This gives soups like crema de elote a velvety consistency.
Sautéing
Sautéing builds flavor in Mexican soups. You’ll cook aromatics like onions, garlic, and chiles in oil before adding other ingredients.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
For soups with meat, brown it in the pot first. This creates a flavorful crust through the Maillard reaction. Remove the meat, then sauté the vegetables in the same pot.
Sautéing spices like cumin and oregano helps release their oils. Add them to the pot and cook for 30 seconds before adding liquids.
Serving Suggestions
Mexican soups taste best with the right garnishes and side dishes. These additions enhance flavors and textures. They also let you customize each bowl to your liking.
Garnishes
Top your Mexican soups with fresh and zesty garnishes. Chopped cilantro adds a bright, herbal note. Diced onions give a crisp bite. Sliced avocado provides creamy richness. Crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheese melts into the hot broth. A squeeze of lime juice brightens the flavors.
For texture, try crispy tortilla strips or crumbled tortilla chips. Sliced radishes add a peppery crunch. A dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema cools spicy soups.
For heat lovers, add sliced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce. Pico de gallo works well on heartier soups.
Side Dishes
Pair your Mexican soups with tasty sides. Warm corn or flour tortillas are perfect for dipping. Use them to scoop up chunky ingredients.
Mexican rice soaks up broth and adds substance to your meal. A simple green salad with citrus dressing balances rich soups.
Try quesadillas for a cheesy complement. Tostadas or sopes make crunchy vessels for spooning soup.
For breakfast soups, serve with huevos rancheros or a fried egg on top. Refried beans work well on the side of any Mexican soup.
