Mexican Soup Recipes

We love Mexican soup recipes for the same reason we love all Mexican food; all the flavorful ingredients. Although I enjoy this type of food all through the year, these highly seasoned soups are really appreciated during the cold winter months. Hot spicy soup recipes seem to work miracles if you have one of those congested head colds. No matter what time of the year, if sick or not, the flavors of these delicious soups are always appreciated.

Mexican Soup RecipesMexican Soup Recipes

Most of my Mexican soup recipes contain onions, celery, green bell peppers and lots of fresh garlic. Depending on the type of soup other ingredients are added. Of course, if meat is needed in the recipe it is done at the appropriate time, usually at the beginning unless you are simply adding cooked meat. The most important ingredients for these soups to set them apart from other soups are the herbs and spices. I love fresh chopped cilantro, fresh or dried oregano, cumin, chili powder blends, cinnamon, nutmeg and even dried garlic or numerous other seasonings. Toward the end of cooking I adjust the spiciness with different kinds of hot pepper. Some of my favorites which I always keep on hand are jalapeno peppers, various dried hot peppers, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, homemade hot pepper oil and a good quality hot pepper sauce.


Some thick Mexican soup recipes start by cooking meat. You can add various other ingredients to the meat making like stews. Creamy thick soups can be either with meat or without and are creamed with milk, creams, sour cream, various cheeses or combinations for delicious flavor. Other Mexican soup recipes need a rich tasting broth for the base. You can make this with vegetables or different types of meats. Even when I make a beef or pork soup which needs a broth, I prefer a basic rich chicken broth. Of course, when I make it I like to add vegetables and great herbs for flavor.  For extra richness, I always add enough condensed chicken base or bouillon to achieve the flavor I want. 

GREEN CHILI RECIPE

Green Chili RecipeGreen Chili Recipe

Make Mexican soup recipes with a selection of meats.

  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 ¼ Pounds lean boneless chuck roast (Cut in cubes)
  • 1 ¼ Pounds boneless pork (finely diced)
  • 1 ¼ Pounds ground beef
  • 1 ½ Cups chopped onion
  • 4 Cloves minced garlic
  • ½ Cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ Cup melted butter
  • 4 Cans (14 ½ Ounces each) chicken broth
  • 1 ½ Cups beer
  • 5 Pounds mild chili peppers (Chopped)
  • 2 Medium tomatoes (Seed and chop)
  • ¼ Cup flour
  • 2 Tablespoons chicken soup base (Or bouillon granules)
  • 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 Tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ Cup melted butter
  • ½ Cup flour
  • Garnish: Shredded Monterey Jack, sour cream

Cook and stir meats with oil in a large Dutch oven over medium until browned.

Drain meats well and spoon into a large soup pot; set aside.

Melt ½ cup of butter in Dutch oven over medium high heat.

Cook and stir the onion, minced garlic and cilantro until onion is tender.

Add onion mixture to the meat in soup pot.

Add the chicken broth and next 12 ingredients to the soup pot.

Bring soup to a boil; REDUCE HEAT and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Combine the remaining ½ cup melted butter and ½ cup flour.

Stir mixture well; gradually stir into the soup mixture.

Cook mixture until thickened uncovered about 30 minutes stirring frequently.

Ladle soup into individual serving bowls; garnish and serve with tortillas.

Makes 17 cups.

CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE

Chicken Soup RecipeChicken Soup Recipe

Make a tasty Mexican soup recipe with chicken.

  • 1 Cup chopped onion
  • 1 Cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 Cup chopped tomato
  • ½ Cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 Cans (10 ½ Ounces each) chicken broth (With no salt)
  • 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 Teaspoons chili powder
  • ¾ Teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ Teaspoon salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 Cup diced cooked chicken breast
  • 2 Tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Tortilla chips

Combine first 11 ingredients in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil.

Cover pot, REDUCE HEAT and simmer 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf; stir in diced chicken and cook until thoroughly heated.

Ladle soup into serving bowls; top with cheese and tortilla chips.

Serves 4.

BASIC FLAVORFUL CHICKEN BROTH

Prepare a basic Mexican soup recipe.

  • 1 Whole chicken
  • 1 Large onion
  • 6 Garlic cloves (Peel and cut in half)
  • 2 Medium carrots (Clean and cut in quarters)
  • 2 Small zucchini (Cut in quarters)
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons coriander seeds
  • ½ Teaspoon peppercorns
  • 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
  • Chicken soup base
  • Salt to taste (Taste before adding salt; chicken base has a lot of salt so it may be enough)
  • ½ Cup fresh chopped cilantro

Place chicken, onion, carrots and zucchini in a large stock pot.

Add the bay leaves, coriander and peppercorns to the pot.

Cover with fresh water allowing for the amount of broth you want.

NOTE: If you want an extremely large amount of broth you might want to cook 2 chickens or add commercial broth to it. I usually add the water and after cooking I add chicken soup base if I need a richer flavor.

Slowly bring the pot to a boil skimming off the foam which appears on the top.

Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer 30 minutes until chicken is tender.

Add the oregano; add the chicken soup base to adjust the flavor.

Simmer for about 15 minutes longer or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken to a plate; remove meat from bones and save for other use.

Return larger bones to the chicken broth; simmer about 40 minutes longer.

Set pot off to cool; strain broth and place in refrigerator overnight.

Before using skim solid fat from the top.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

Make a hearty Mexican soup recipe with black beans.

  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Large onion (Finely chopped)
  • 1 Large green bell pepper (Seeded and chopped finely)
  • 4 Cloves minced garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon cumin
  • 1 Teaspoon oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 Cups chicken broth
  • 2 Cans (15 ½ Ounces each) black beans (NOT drained) (Divided)
  • ¼ Cup dry sherry
  • Salt/ pepper to taste

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook and stir until tender.

Stir in cumin, oregano and tomato paste; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Puree in food processor chicken broth and 1 CAN of the beans with juice. 

Add pureed bean mixture to the pot; stir in 1 CAN beans with juice mixing well.

Bring to a boil over high heat; REDUCE HEAT and simmer about 10 minutes stirring frequently.

Stir in sherry; season to taste.

TOMATILLO SOUP RECIPE

Mexican soup recipes and other Mexican recipes often include jicama. This crisp white tuber is very popular in Central America and adds crunch to the dish.

  • 1 Poblano chile pepper
  • ½ Pound tomatillos
  • ¼ Cup chopped onion
  • 2 Cloves garlic
  • 2 to 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ Teaspoon sugar
  • 2 Cups light cream
  • 1 Cup diced jicama (Peeled)

Place chile pepper on foil lines baking tray.

Place tray under broiler 5 inches from the heat source.

Leave door partially ajar; broil 5 minutes on each side until blistered.

Place pepper in heavy zip lock plastic Bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes.

Peel the pepper, remove and discard seeds; set aside.

Place tomatillos in saucepan and cover with water.

Bring water to a boil and REDUCE HEAT; simmer 6 minutes until tender.

Drain tomatillos and set aside to cool.

Place roasted pepper, tomatillos and onion in food processor.

Add to processor the garlic and next 5 ingredients; process until smooth.

Pour the cream into a serving bowl; stir the tomatillo sauce into the cream.

NOTE: It is IMPORTANT to stir sauce into cream (Not cream into sauce) to prevent curdling.

Sprinkle soup with the jicama and serve immediately; makes 3 cups.

CURRIED PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE in microwave

Mexican soup recipes from Northern Mexico sometimes contain pumpkin but curry and the other ingredients are popular all over Mexico.

  • 1 Cup chopped onion
  • 2 Cloves minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons curry powder
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon white pepper
  • 3 Cups rich chicken broth
  • 2 Cups thick pumpkin puree
  • 1 Can evaporated skim milk

Place onion, garlic and butter in 2 quart glass casserole dish.

Cover with plastic wrap; microwave on high 1 minute.

Add the broth and pumpkin to the casserole; stir to blend.

Cover dish and microwave on high for 10 minutes; stir in the milk.

In 2 batches (4 Cups each) pour soup into processor and puree.

Heat gently to keep warm until serving; makes 8 servings.

CREAM OF POBLANO SOUP RECIPE

Make Mexican soup recipes with flavorful chorizo sausage and some of my favorite seasonings.

  • 4 Corn tortillas (6 Inches each; cut into strips)
  • Vegetable oil
  • ½ Pound chorizo sausage (Crumble)
  • 3 Poblano chili peppers
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter
  • ½ Cup chopped onion
  • ¼ Cup diced carrot
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 4 Cups water
  • 2 Cups chicken broth
  • ¾ Cup light cream
  • ¼ Cup chopped fresh cilantro (Divided)
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ Cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Pour oil in deep heavy skillet 1 inch deep.

Heat over medium high; fry tortilla strips until golden.

Drain, crush and set aside.

Over medium heat brown sausage; drain well and set aside.

Wash and dry peppers; place on foil lined baking tray.

Broil 5 inches from heat about 5 minutes on each side until blistered.

NOTE: Leave oven door partially ajar.

Place peppers in heavy zip lock bag; let stand 10 minutes.

Peel peppers, remove seeds and dice.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven; add peppers, onion and carrot.

Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are tender.

Stir in the flour; gradually stir in the water and chicken broth.

Bring mixture to a boil; REDUCE HEAT to a simmer and cook 30 minutes.

NOTE: Cook uncovered and stir occasionally.

Strain the vegetables reserving liquid; puree vegetables in food processor until smooth.

Return vegetable mixture to the Dutch oven; add reserved liquid.

Add light cream, 2 TABLESPOONS chopped cilantro and salt; cook until heated.

Ladle into serving bowls, sprinkle with crushed tortilla strips, cheese and remaining cilantro.

Makes 7 cups.

MEXICAN SOUP RECIPE with LENTIL 

Make a flavorful Mexican soup recipe with lentil.

  • 1 Pound dried lentils
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • ¼ Pound ham (Diced)
  • 1 Large onion (Chopped)
  • 2 Carrots (Clean and slice)
  • 4 Cloves minced garlic
  • 3 Tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 Large potato (Peel and chop)
  • ½ Pound smoked sausage (Sliced)
  • 2 Cups rich chicken broth
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • Salt/ pepper to taste
  • 2 Teaspoons paprika
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

Place lentils in a large Dutch oven; add enough water to cover lentils.

Add the bay leaves and ham to Dutch oven; bring to a boil.

Cover pot; REDUCE HEAT and simmer 30 minutes.

Combine onion, carrot, garlic and oil in a large skillet; cook until tender.

Add skillet mixture to the lentils; add potato and next 5 ingredients.

Stir well, cover and simmer for 45 minutes stirring occasionally.

Stir in the parsley; remove bay leaves from soup and discard.

Serve hot; makes 2 quarts.

THREE BEAN SOUP RECIPE

  • 1 Large chopped onion
  • 1 Medium green bell pepper (Chopped) 4 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 Can (16 Ounces) kidney beans (Rinse and drain)
  • 1 Can (16 Ounces) refried beans
  • 1 Can (15 Ounces) black beans (Rinse and drain)
  • 1 Can (14 ½ Ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1 Can (14 ½ Ounces) stewed tomatoes (Cut up)
  • ¾ Cup salsa
  • 2 Teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ Teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ Teaspoon ground cumin

Combine onion, pepper, garlic and oil in a large saucepan; sauté until tender.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well; bring to a boil.

REDUCE HEAT, cover and simmer for 10 minutes; serves 8.

CILANTRO SOUP RECIPE

Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs in Mexican soup recipes.

  • 6 Corn tortillas (Cut in strips (¼ inch by 2 inches)
  • Vegetable oil
  • 2 Cups fresh spinach (Wash, drain, pack loosely)
  • 7 Cups chicken broth (Divided
  • 1 ½ Cups fresh cilantro (Pack tightly)
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • ½ Medium onion (Finely chopped)
  • 6 Green onions (Whites and part tops finely chopped)
  • 2 Cloves minced garlic
  • 3 Serrano chiles (Finely chopped)
  • Salt/ pepper to taste
  • 2 Avocados
  • Lime juice
  • ½ Pound Monterey Jack cheese (Cut in ¼ inch cubes)
  • Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Fry tortilla strips in hot oil until crisp and golden brown; drain on paper towels.

In food processor puree spinach with 2 CUPS of the chicken broth.

Add cilantro and process until cilantro is coarsely chopped.

In a large saucepan melt the butter; sauté the onion, garlic and serranos.

Add pureed mixture to the saucepan and 4 CUPS of the broth; simmer for 12 minutes.

Add remaining 1 CUP of chicken broth; salt and pepper to taste.

Peel and slice avocados; drizzle with lime juice.

Ladle soup into serving bowls; garnish with sliced avocado, tortilla strips, cheese and cilantro sprigs.

Serves 6.