What to Serve with Tortilla Soup: 30 Options

Many people enjoy Mexican tortilla soup, a great dish to make for dinner.

Here is what to serve with tortilla soup:

Tortilla soup can be served as the only dish alongside rice, beans, salad, tacos, Polenta, chips, salsa, and many others.

This blog post will talk about 30 options of foods and dishes to serve with the dish!

What to Serve with Tortilla Soup?

tortilla soup
Tortilla Soup with Avocado and Bread. Credit: canva

Quesadillas

Quesadillas are like Mexican flavor grilled cheese sandwiches. Tortillas, meat, and the other ingredients (cheese, chilies) go between two pieces of tortilla dough cut into triangles.

The quesadillas can be baked or fried in oil until they turn golden brown on both sides. They usually serve as a side dish or appetizer.

Mexican Rice

Mexican rice is a great side dish. The best part about this recipe is that you can cook it in the same pot as your main meal!

The ingredients are not complicated, but feel free to add spices or vegetables for earthy flavors if you have them on hand.

Corn and Onion Salad

This recipe calls for a few spices, but feel free to add more or less of your favorite seasonings!

This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to three days if stored properly.

Chips and Salsa

Chip and salsa. Credit: canva

Chips and salsa are common ways to serve in Mexico. The best part about this dish is that it can be served as an appetizer for other dishes alone!

I typically buy the chips at my local grocery store, but you can make them yourself if you have time.

Baked Cheese Taquitos

Baked cheese taquitos are a traditional Mexican dish.

It is made from corn tortillas filled with cheese and wrapped to form a triangle shape, then baked until the edges turn brown. The top of the triangles has melted cheese, so you can enjoy eating this snack!

Nachos

tortilla soup nachos
Tortilla Soup with Avocado, Cheese and Nachos. Credit: canva

Nachos are the most popular dish to serve.

To make nachos, you need corn chips and cheese (and any other toppings!) that are melted together in a pan or oven until it forms gooey goodness! If you want to skip this step, you can buy pre-made nacho kits at your local grocery store.

Polenta Fries

Polenta fries are a healthier alternative to chips and salsa. They contain less fat than corn chips since they’re fried in oil instead of deep-fried!

You can make polenta fries by stirring the dry mixture with water, adding it to boiling water for 30 minutes, pouring Polenta on your baking sheet until flat, then cutting them into fries and baking them.

You can also buy prepared polenta at grocery stores if you don’t have the time to make it yourself!

Jicama Salad

Jicama salad is a healthy dish you can serve.

It contains jicama, red onion, and cilantro mixed in a vinegar-based dressing. Feel free to add extra seasonings if you’d like!

Elote (Corn on the Cob)

Elote or Corn on the Cob. Credit: canva

Elote or corn on the cob is a Mexican side dish made by boiling ears of sweet corn in butter, then adding spices and lime juice.

This recipe can be served as an appetizer to other dishes like quesadillas or nachos!

Chile Relleno (stuffed chiles)

Chile Relleno is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of chilies filled with cheese and spices, then baked in the oven until toasty brown. They are usually accompanied by sour cream or guacamole!

Patacones (fried plantains)

Patacones are fried plantains that can be served as a side dish.

They contain all of the staple ingredients of each recipe. Only they’re smashed together before being put in oil until crispy! You can also use ketchup or salsa for sauce if you want to.

Tacos

You can make tacos by simply filling a corn or flour tortilla (flour is most common in Mexican cuisine) with your desired fillings and eating it like that! You can add the toppings on top of the taco, inside of it, or both if you want to!

Burritos

You can find many different recipes for burritos, but they typically include flour or corn tortilla filled with your desired fillings and topped with cheese (or other toppings!). You may also want to add sour cream to the burrito before eating!

Enchiladas

Enchiladas are made by filling a corn or flour tortilla shell with your desired fillings, then rolling it up and placing the rolled enchilada on top of some sauce (and more cheese if you want!). They can also be baked in the oven to make them crispy!

Enfrijolades (black bean spread)

Enfrijolades contain only black beans and water, but you can add spices or cheese to them! You must also cook the mixture until browned to have a better dipping texture.

Sopes

Sopes consist of corn dough pressed into small flat circles and then fried until crispy, then topped with your desired fillings (like refried beans or cheese). They can also be served as an appetizer if you want!

Guacamole & tortilla chips

Guacamole and tortilla chips. Credit: canva

If you don’t know how to make guacamole, you only need avocados (or other produce), lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and cilantro leaves for taste! You can also use fresh tomatoes or onion to your liking. Then, serve the chips with salsa or sour cream for dipping!

Pico de gallo

Pico de Gallo contains chopped tomatoes, onion (and/or garlic), jalapeno peppers, salt,, and lime juice for taste! You may also want to add cilantro leaves or white vinegar for additional flavor if you’d like.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

It contains tomatillos, jalapeno peppers, garlic cloves, and salt for taste! You may also want to add cilantro leaves or white vinegar if you want more flavor. Serve the salsa alongside chips!

Black Beans (Frijoles)

Black beans are made by simply soaking them in water for a few hours, then boiling them until tender and soft! You may want to add spices or flavors like garlic powder or cumin if you want to. Serve alongside chips as well!

Mexican Cornbread (Molletes)

People made this dish by slicing open the top of an oval-shaped loaf of bread and filling it with beans, cheese (and other ingredients if you want!). You then bake the filled cornbread until browned and crispy on the outside.

Avocado slices

You can use avocado, but the Hass variety is the most common! You’ll want to slice open an avocado and remove its seed before slicing it into thin pieces (make sure they don’t break!). Serve alongside chips as well!

Cheese cubes

You’ll want to cut the cheese into small pieces so it melts easier and pairs better. Serve alongside chips as well!

Yuca Frita (fried cassava)

It’s made by cutting cassava into thin pieces, then frying them until they are crispy! It may also need to fry the strips twice to get crispier on all sides of the strip. Serve with your desired sauce or aioli for dipping!

Mexican Salad

It contains lettuce, tomato (and/or onion), cucumber, and cilantro leaves for taste! You may also want to add beans or black olives if you want more substance in the salad. Serve alongside chips as well!

Cilantro Lime Rice

It’s made by adding cilantro leaves, lime juice, and salt to rice before serving it! You may also want to add Mexican spices like chili powder or garlic if you’d like more flavor. Serve alongside chips as well!

Quinoa Bean Salad

Quinoa Bean Salad contains quinoa, black beans, and olive oil for taste! You may also want to add corn or spices like cumin if you’d like more flavor. Serve alongside chips as well!

Pickled jalapeños

It’s made by soaking the jalapenos in vinegar for a few hours, then adding spices like garlic powder or cayenne pepper if you want! You may also want to add salt or sugar as well.

Crackers or tortilla chips

You can use any cracker or chip you’d like! Serve alongside the soup as well to add some crunchiness if desired.

Breadsticks

It’s made by taking bread dough, slicing it into thin strips, and baking them until they turn golden brown! Serve alongside the soup for some extra crunchiness if desired.

What is Tortilla Soup?

Chicken tortilla soup. Credit: canva

It is a Mexican dish with corn tortillas, beans, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and spices. This recipe uses chicken broth instead of water, which makes it healthier than most other soups.

Chicken tortilla soup is one of those comfort foods that doesn’t take long to prepare and tastes delicious!

You can use any tortilla you like, but I prefer those sold in bags because they are already cut into strips.

If you don’t have time to make your tortillas, you can buy them pre-cut at grocery stores or online.

How to Make Tortilla Soup

This favorite recipe is easy! You can make IT in 30 minutes. Cut up all of the vegetables first, and then cook the soup.

Make the tortilla strips while cooking, or buy them at a store.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 jalapenos, finely diced
  • 6 cups chicken broth 
  • One 14.5-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • One 14.5-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
  • 2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for garnish
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • One 8-inch flour tortilla, grilled, cut into thin strips
  • 1 avocado, pitted, sliced
  • 1 cup shredded Monterrey cheese

Directions

  1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once they have softened, add the garlic and jalapenos and cook for another minute.
  2. Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes, and beans into the pot. Bring it to boil.
  3. Once it is boiling, turn it down to a simmer and add the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes.
  4. Once the chicken has been cooked, take it out of the pot and set it aside to cool. Then once it is cool enough to touch, you can shred the chicken and put it in a bowl.
  5. Add lime juice and fresh cilantro to the pot.
  6. In a bowl, add a pile of chicken. Pour soup into bowls over the chicken and top it with a lime wedge, grilled crispy tortilla strips, avocado slices, and cheese.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Recipe

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

  • 2 mild dried chili peppers* or 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder, to taste
  • 1 can (15 ounces) diced or crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted if possible
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow or red onion, chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 4 cups (32 ounces) of vegetable broth
  • 4 corn tortillas, cut into 2-inch long, ¼-inch-wide strips, baked
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Garnish options: Thinly sliced and roughly chopped radish, diced ripe avocado, crumbled feta cheese, or a drizzle of sour cream

Instructions

  1. If you use dried chili peppers, put them in a skillet over medium heat or directly over a gas flame. When they are done, they will turn darker in color. Let the peppers cool, chop them up, and throw away the seeds and stem. Now you can put the tomatoes (along with their juices) and blend until smooth.
  2. In a pan, use two tablespoons of olive oil and heat to medium. Add onions, bell peppers, and salt. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion is cooked and looks translucent.
  3. Add the garlic and cumin (and chili powder if using) and let it cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes and chili pepper, and let it cook for another minute while stirring.
  4. Add the beans and broth. Cook it on a stove for 30 minutes. It should cook gently, but not too much.
  5. Put most of the cilantro in the soup. Then, put 1 tablespoon of lime juice and add salt.
  6. Put the soup in bowls. Put tortilla strips on top of each bowl. Add cilantro and any other garnishes you want to add.

 FAQs

What do you eat with Mexican soup?

There are many options like rice, while others prefer cornbread, chips, and salsa.

What side do dishes go with soup?

You can serve it with baked potatoes or cornbread. Some people even eat it with rice, pasta, or grilled cheese sandwiches.

What’s a side dish for tamales?

Tamales are typically served with refried beans, salsa, and guacamole.

Related Topics

What Side Dish Goes with Soup?

The best side dishes for soups include salads, vegetables, rice, pasta, bread, and potatoes.

Is Tortilla Soup Actually Mexican?

The soup is from the Mexico City area in Mexico. The traditional one is made with chicken broth, roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, chiles, and tortillas, cut into strips and fried.

Is Chicken Tortilla Soup Mexican?

Yes, it is a popular dish from Mexico. The name comes from combining two ingredients: corn tortillas and chicken broth. 

What Should I Bring to a Taco Party?

A taco party should be fun! So bring some tacos, chips, salsa, guacamole, beer, margaritas, and maybe some tequila shots. If you want to add something else, then go ahead. 

How Do You Set up a Taco Bar?

The first step is to choose a location where you want to set up a taco bar. Next, you must decide what food you want to serve at your taco bar. Finally, consider how much space you need for your taco bar.

What are the Most Popular Soups in America?

The most popular soups in America are chicken noodle soup, beef barley soup, and clam chowder. Chicken noodle soup is the most popular in America, followed by beef barley soup, then clam chowder.

What Do You Eat with Taco Soup?

I eat tacos, beans, rice, and tortillas with taco soup.

What is Considered a Side Dish?

A side dish is something that goes well with the main dishes. Examples include salads, rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, etc.

What Do You Eat Fajitas with?

The best way to eat fajitas is with rice and black beans. They also go well with tortillas, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro.

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