Tortilla Soup

This recipe is very special to my family and has become an essential part of our menu. I found it in allrecipe.com a while ago and customized it to our taste. It's an easy recipe, light and nutritious. It consists of black beans, corn and vegetables with a touch of grated cheese, crushed tortillas and avocado. Meat eaters can add chicken, if desired. To make it healthier, I prefer to prepare the vegetable broth at home and avoid the consumption of excess sodium and preservatives in commercial broths. My family likes when I fry the tortillas at home because they taste very well and gives the homemade  touch they love. In the recipe I will be giving my tips to help you have a successful outcome. 


Prep Time: 20 minutes / cooking time: 20 minutes / Services: 8 
Ingredients: 
1 onion, chopped 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
2 teaspoons chili powder 
1 teaspoon dried oregano 
2 to 3 chopped tomatoes (alternative: 1 can of 28 oz. of crushed tomatoes) 
32 oz. homemade vegetable broth (alternative: 1 10.5 oz can of vegetable broth or chicken over 1 1 / 4 cup water) 
1 can of cooked corn (I sautéed it in a tablespoon of butter for 5 minutes) 
1 can 15 oz. black beans (drained) 
1 / 4 cup fresh cilantro 
5 or 6 flour tortillas ( or one bag tortilla chips) 
sliced avocado 
shredded cheese 
Optional: two boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bits (or 1 large can of chicken shredded)


Procedure: 
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until they become soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook the corn in a tablespoon or more of melted butter in low heat and let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. 


3. Add corn, beans, cilantro and chicken (optional) to the soup. Let simmer for 10 minutes. 


4. Serve the soup in individual bowls, and crown it with shredded homemade tortilla chips, slices of avocado and shredded cheese.  


Enjoy! 


I originally published this recipe in Bright Parents. 


Click here for Spanish version.