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Tortilla Soup

By David Young 22 March 06

While St Patrick’s day gets all the attention in the United States, St Joseph’s day, March 19, which is very popular in Mexico and the rest of Latin America (among other places), offers many more opportunities for culinary adventure. And yes, I sat with some of the Joyent team last Friday the 17th to eat cabbage and corn beef, so I know what I’m talking about.

Here’s a standard dish to start off a large celebration like St Joseph’s: tortilla soup.

You’ll need:

For soup:

  • Olive oil
  • Medium brown onion chopped
  • Tomato paste
  • Chili powder
  • Chicken broth
  • Cilantro (2-3 stems)
  • Boneless chicken breasts
  • Black beans
  • Fresh or frozen corn

Chop onion and saute in two tablespoons of hot olive oil until soft in the soup pot. Add tablespoon of tomato paste and one tablespoon of chili powder and saute a few minutes more. Add one quart of chicken broth and cilantro stems (2-3), bring to a boil stirring often. Cube the two chicken breasts, add chicken to the soup, and cook for about 5 minutes until chicken is done. Soup should come back to a boil. Add one can of rinsed beans and one cup of corn. Stir. Bring back to a boil then reduce to a simmer. You should be able to prepare this soup in the time it takes to drink one Spaten Optimator at a gentlemanly pace. You’re ready to serve the soup.

For garnishes:

  • Queso fresco (can substitute crumbled feta)
  • Chopped tomato
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Diced avocado
  • Crushed tortilla chips
  • Limes

Serve each garnish in a ramequin or small bowl.

Serve the soup in a generous bowl since you’ll be adding the fresh garnishes to the soup at the table.

Happy feast.

(via Maria Young)


  1. Looks delicious!

    With recipes at least, it’d be nice if their was a printer-friendly version of the posts… one without all the navigation and such.

    — Samuel Sidler    974 days ago    #

  2. I can attest to this soup being really really good. It was served to me by Maria and David on my first trip to Joyent HQ back in December.

    — Justin French    974 days ago    #

  3. What’s a brown onion?

    — Dean Allen    974 days ago    #

  4. Sometimes called a yellow onion. Brown skin.

    — David Young    974 days ago    #

  5. And yes, I sat with some of the Joyent team last Friday the 17th [of March] to eat cabbage and corn beef, so I know what I’m talking about.

    This sentence is hilarious, precisely because it shows you don’t know what you’re talking about. That corned beef and cabbage is an Irish dish is an (American) invention. I was born in Ireland & have lived my whole life there and have NEVER ever seen or even heard of anyone eating corned beef and cabbage.

    Just thought I’d clear that up once and for all.

    — Martin McKenna    974 days ago    #

  6. I do know what I’m talking about. The paragraph says “gets all the attention in the United States”. No claim about Ireland or that corned beef and cabbage is an Irish dish. At all.

    — David Young    973 days ago    #

  7. Heh, this isn’t where I expect to find new recipes. :-)

    Gonna try this out. I like soups, but I haven’t made one in a long while.

    — Johan Svensson    973 days ago    #

  8. Who says that you can’t do a lot with irish food?

    http://www.mcguiresirishpub.com/souvenir.html

    My lord… I have never gotten as horribly full and happy as I have at that restaurant. You really can have some diversity by playing with the irish staples.

    — Patrick    970 days ago    #

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