Spiced Mexican Tortilla Soup with Avocado and Crispy Tortilla Strips

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-30 · Updated 2026-04-30

A vibrant, spicy tortilla soup featuring smoky chiles, fresh tomatoes, and creamy avocado topped with crunchy tortilla strips. This mexican-inspired soups (vegetarian option) ready in about 40 minutes pairs olive oil, yellow onion, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1, seeded and minced jalapeño pepper
• 14 oz canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup cooked or canned, drained black beans
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 large, cut into thin strips corn tortillas
• 1 ripe, diced avocado
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 1 minced jalapeño pepper; sauté for 4-5 minutes until onion softens and mixture is fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in 2 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp dried oregano, cooking 1 minute until spices toast.
3. Step 3: Add 14 oz canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 5 cups chicken broth, 1 cup black beans, 1 cup corn kernels, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
4. Step 4: While soup simmers, heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 large corn tortillas cut into thin strips and toast them dry, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until crispy and slightly browned; remove from heat.
5. Step 5: Ladle soup into bowls, top each with a handful of crispy tortilla strips, 1 diced ripe avocado, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing.