Servings: 8 Prep: 30 min Cook: 2 hrs Total: 2 hrs 30 min
I live at the tip of Baja California Sur, in Mexico. There are hundreds of restaurants, here. They pretty much all have some variation on the following dishes: Caesar Salad, Tortilla Soup and Fish Tacos. Tortilla Soup is one of my favorite things to eat, on this here Earth. Unfortunately, in a land of tortillas, alas … I cannot eat them. Thus, this soup has been renamed “Soup without Tortillas”, but … in Spanish. Sopa sin Tortillas!
When I make it, I usually make a big batch of the base. I’ll eat some, and freeze the rest. Even with the meat in it, it freezes quite well. I’ve got some in my freezer, right now!
I will slowly reheat the soup, pour it into a bowl and top with some cubes of a plain white cheese (Oaxacan, Fresh Mozzarella or Monterey Jack), and some sour cream. Usually in Baja, it’s also served with fresh limes, cilantro, diced raw onions, pork rinds and avocado. If I had guests, I’d go through all that fuss, but I’m tired and lazy. It’s easier just to add the cheese and cream.
Sopa sin Tortillas!
Print RateIngredients
Soup
- 8 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 each pork tenderloins cut into halves and cleaned (or equivalent pork shoulder, cut into 4 large chunks)
- 1 tbsp lard bacon fat, coconut or olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin seed ground
- 1 tbsp coriander seed ground
- 2 each large ripe tomatoes coursely chopped
- 1/2 each 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 each garlic clove peeled
- 1/4 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 bunch cilantro washed and chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese cubed
Instructions
- Place the chicken stock into a medium-large soup pot. Place the pot on the stove, over medium heat.
- Pre-heat a large sauté pan, on the stove.
- Season the pork with a mixture of cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.
- In a large sauté pan, add your olive oil and quickly spread it around the bottom of the pan.
- Add the pork to the sauté pan and sear the outside of the pork. When one side is nice and browned, turn it 90 degrees and sear a new side. When the pork has been nicely browned on all sides, add all the pork to the chicken stock.
- In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chipotles in adobo, onion, garlic, lime juice and cilantro.
- Add the tomato mixture to the chicken stock.
- Watch the soup mixture. When it begins to simmer, turn the heat down to a low simmer.
- Allow to simmer for roughly 2 hours, stirring and turning the pork, occasionally.
- When the pork is soft and tears easily with a fork remove the pork and cut into large bite sized chunks.
- Season the soup base, to taste. Add a little more salt and perhaps a touch more lime juice (I tend to like a lot in mine).
- Divide the soup base and pork into 8 bowls. Garnish with optional garnishes of: cheese, sour cream, avocado, fresh cilantro, crumbled pork rinds, fresh diced onions and/or fresh limes!
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My mouth just watered. Making this soon!
Just a comment from a Mexican who has tasted Mexican food made in America, in Mexico we DO NOT use cumin for food, except for 2 dishes and I am pretty sure they are not cooked regularly in America. Every little thing I have tried of Mexican food made in America by non-Mexicans or Mexican-Americans, tastes like cumin… No, that ruins the real flavor of the dishes, just saying.
Hi Abby, as an American who has been living in Mexico for the past 10 years, I know a thing or two about Mexican food. For the most part, you’re correct! However, it’s not the whole story. True indigenous Mexican food didn’t use a lot of cumin (or tomatoes!). It was brought to Mexico by the Spanish about 600 years ago, and really started to take hold in that culture, in some circles, about 300 years ago. It’s certainly not a part of ancient Mexico, but it does have history in some recipes dating back hundreds of years. That said, somehow it’s found its way into "Tex Mex" foods, which are a big melting pot of a variety of flavors, from Mexico to Germany to France, to the US, Africans, Arabs, etc. I personally throw it in there … because I like it! In no way am I claiming this to be a traditional Mexican dish, but it’s is very largely inspired by those flavors … old and new! 😉
—Reply posted by Susan C on 1/12/2015
No where did I see any claim to this being indigenous Mexican food.
Oh good, then I can skip the cumin. Do not like it. X-p
Hi Unknown … I would never ask you to use an ingredient you don’t like (however, I might throw it into a dish, if I were cooking it for you … and if "I" cooked it, you’re almost guaranteed to love it! 🙂
Hi DJFoodie, just wanted to let you know that your sopa has quickly become a household favorite here!It’s one of those low carb recipes that my husband (who is thin and very carby and appearantly has a freakish metabolism…:-/) does NOT spit out or stay fram from it. We BOTH love it. Thank you!!!
Yay, Floortje!!! Yep, this is a favorite of mine, as well … with or without tortillas. I’m glad you’ve found a recipe that works for both of you! 🙂
Could this be made in a crockpot?
Hi Sue, I’m sure it could! Just keep an eye on it, so the pork doesn’t turn into total mush. In truth … even as total mush, this would still be pretty tasty, though! In my view, you’d still want the pork to hold its shape. Soft and tender, but still nice little cubes. I hope this helps! 🙂
I don’t eat pork. Can this be made with chicken?
Texas Lady … yep! It can be made with chicken. Just don’t cook it for as long. Chicken starts to break down after about 20 minutes … with it getting into that nice soft place at about 45 minutes). I hope this helps!
Am I to interpret this as 1/2 of a can of chipotle? Seems like alot.
Hi Carol, I mean half of the smallest can you can buy. I may have the amount wrong on that one, but I do think 7 is the smallest they make. It’s a lot of soup. All this said … feel free to use an amount that you’re comfortable with. I hope this helps!
You said you don’t eat tortillas because of your low carb diet. You can make low carb tortillas or buy them at the store now. Were you aware of that? Love all your recipes. Thanks!
Hi Cathy, typically a tortilla soup is made with CORN tortillas. I’ve never seen a corn tortilla in the store, or a recipe for one. I have seen and used many FLOUR tortillas, but they would just turn to a doughy mush, in this. I’ve also seen recipes for flour tortillas, as well as tortillas made from soy and coconut, but … never one to duplicate corn. Corn tortillas would be VERY hard to duplicate … hence the total absence of them! 😉
This Soup is delicious ! thank you for sharing all your recipes, I’ve tried a few so far, but this amazed me since I’m Mexican and have live in Mexico all my entire life and have never eat a Tortilla soup as good as this one! Even my picky eater kids loved the pork ! Congratulations !!
Fantastico, Erika! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s one of my personal favorites and is eaten at least once a month at Casa Foodie … possibly more! Thank you for the kind words!
I just made a batch of this with a few adjustment! I didn’t have the chipotle chilies so I used green enchila sauce and diced green chilies! Thanks so much for the awesome recipes. I love them !
Denise, I do this kind of thing … all … the … time! Glad to see it inspired you! 🙂
Whoa! I missed the part about a half can of peppers and used a whole can! My face is on fire! But it’s delicious nonetheless:)
—Reply posted by DJ on 2/6/2015
YAY!!! … I think … 😉
Sorry about the extra spice. I actually just made a batch about a week ago, and bought some chilis from the local store. I’d never used that type before and was curious, thinking they couldn’t be too bad. OHHHHH MY!!! I had some friends over and we were ALL dying from pain. It was pretty funny. DELICIOUS, but painful. I know what you’re going through. Next time, I’ll use less, myself!
Woooowie – is that hot!!
In Australia I had to shop far and wide to find Chipotle in Adobo but was determined to try this. Made it with some fresh venison and only simmered for 30 mins with meat in, tastes great and the kids expressions were even better! Loved reading about your journey and am inspired nearly everyday by your recipes. My hubby works FIFO and hes a fat bastard as well so portable freezable meals are the bomb.
Thanks!
—Reply posted by DJ on 3/9/2018
Yep! This one freezes quite well! I’m surprised the venison softened up enough in just 30 minutes. I would’ve let it meld for a good 2 to 3 hours! MMmmm … Check out the freezer tips blog post. I think you’ll find some good stuff in there. Thank you for all the kind words! 😀