Mexican soups are a tasty way to enjoy the rich flavors of Mexico. These hearty dishes combine fresh ingredients with bold spices to create meals that are both filling and flavorful.
From meaty stews to vegetable-based broths, Mexican soups offer something for everyone. You’ll find a variety of options, including popular classics like pozole, albondigas soup, and chicken tortilla soup.
Whether you’re looking for a spicy dish to warm you up on a cold day or a lighter option for a summer meal, Mexican soup recipes provide versatile choices that can be adapted to any season or dietary preference. Many of these soups are also one-pot meals that make cooking and cleanup easy.
1. Classic Pozole Rojo
Pozole Rojo is a hearty Mexican soup that combines tender pork with hominy in a rich, red chile broth. This traditional dish is a staple at Mexican celebrations and family gatherings.
Guajillo chilies give the soup its distinctive red color. Simmer pork shoulder until it’s fall-apart tender.
Hominy, dried corn kernels that have been treated, gives pozole its characteristic texture and taste. Garnish the soup with shredded cabbage, radishes, lime, and oregano.
Customize the spice level to your taste. Serve with warm tortillas for a complete meal.
2. Menudo Soup
Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made with beef tripe, hominy, and a flavorful red chile broth. Many people enjoy this hearty dish for breakfast, and it is famous for its reputation as a hangover cure.
Simmer tripe until tender to create a rich and satisfying texture. Dried chiles give the broth its signature smoky flavor and red color.
Most menudo recipes include white hominy, which adds chewiness to each spoonful. Garnish your bowl with chopped onions, cilantro, lime juice, and oregano.
Menudo is commonly served at special occasions and family gatherings in Mexican households.
3. Chicken Tortilla Soup (Sopa de Tortilla)
Chicken Tortilla Soup is a classic Mexican dish known for its smoky, spicy flavors and rich tomato-based broth. Start with a homemade chicken broth simmered slowly with tomatoes and traditional spices.
Pasilla chilies add depth and mild heat to the soup. Use fresh ingredients or speed up the process with rotisserie chicken.
Toppings make this soup special. Customize your bowl with crispy tortilla strips, avocado slices, fresh lime, and melted cheese.
4. Sopa de Fideo
Sopa de Fideo is a comforting Mexican noodle soup that’s both budget-friendly and delicious. Lightly toast thin pasta noodles until golden brown.
Simmer the toasted noodles in a flavorful tomato-based broth. The soup has a tangy flavor that many find irresistible.
Make this soup with just a few basic pantry ingredients. It’s especially popular with children and makes a perfect light meal or starter.
Customize your Sopa de Fideo by adding vegetables or protein of your choice. The traditional version is wonderfully satisfying on its own.
5. Caldo de Res (Beef Soup)
Caldo de Res is a hearty Mexican beef soup that combines tender beef with a variety of fresh vegetables. Simmer beef bones to create a rich, flavorful broth.
The soup typically includes cabbage, potatoes, corn, and chayote. Add fresh cilantro at the end for a bright finishing touch.
Many enjoy this soup most during cooler weather, but it satisfies year-round. Brown the meat first, then add onion and garlic before simmering everything together.
Chopping the vegetables makes the prep work rewarding. Serve this authentic Mexican soup hot for a nourishing meal.
6. Caldo de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Soup)
Caldo de Pollo is a hearty Mexican chicken soup that uses whole chicken pieces for richer flavor and more substantial texture. The soup typically includes vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and zucchini.
Authentic Mexican caldo de pollo uses very little cumin or sometimes none at all. Serve this comforting soup over spiced rice for a more filling meal.
Top with fresh avocado slices and cilantro to add brightness and flavor. The simple ingredients create a deeply satisfying meal.
7. Albóndigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Albóndigas soup is a classic Mexican comfort food featuring tender meatballs simmered in a flavorful broth. The meatballs, typically made with beef and mixed with rice, expand as they cook.
This hearty soup is loaded with fresh vegetables like green beans and onions in a savory chicken stock base. Prepare this delicious meal in about an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners.
Some traditional recipes include a hint of mint in the meatballs for a unique flavor. It’s especially satisfying on cold or rainy days.
8. Sopa de Lima (Yucatan Lime Soup)
Sopa de Lima is a traditional Mexican soup from the Yucatán region. Chicken broth infused with lime gives it a refreshing citrus kick.
The base includes chicken, red onion, and garlic seasoned with oregano, black pepper, and thyme. Many recipes call for thinly sliced vegetables like celery and carrots, plus a jalapeño or serrano pepper for heat.
Crispy tortilla strips are often added as a topping. Adapt this soup to your taste while keeping its signature lime flavor intact.
It’s a wonderfully simple yet flavorful dish that brings the Mayan culinary tradition to your kitchen.
9. Caldo de Camaron (Shrimp Soup)
Caldo de Camaron is a comforting Mexican shrimp soup with a rich, savory flavor. This traditional dish features plump shrimp and tender vegetables in a flavorful broth.
The most common version includes fresh shrimp, carrots, and potatoes in a tomato-flavored broth. This hearty soup is both comforting and healthy.
Enjoy this warming soup during cooler weather. The juicy shrimp and hearty vegetables create a perfect balance of flavors.
Use fresh ingredients for the best results. The rich, spiced broth makes this soup truly special.
10. Chicken Tinga Soup
Chicken Tinga Soup brings smoky, rich flavors into a comforting bowl. Tender shredded chicken simmers in a flavorful tomato-based broth with a touch of chipotle heat.
This soup builds on the popular chicken tinga sauce, traditionally used for tacos and tostadas. Make it from scratch or use leftovers from chicken tinga to create the soup base.
Serve with tortilla soup garnishes like avocado, lime wedges, and crispy tortilla strips. For a heartier meal, add black beans or corn to the broth.
11. Sopa Azteca
Sopa Azteca, also known as Tortilla Soup, is a classic Mexican comfort food with rich flavors. The dish features a tomato-chile broth as its base.
Simple ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, onions, and chicken broth form the soup. Add crispy tortilla strips just before serving.
Top your Sopa Azteca with avocado slices for extra creaminess. The traditional version also includes the bitter green herb epazote for authentic flavor.
Ladle the hot soup over the tortilla strips to maintain their crunch. Enjoy a perfect balance of textures and flavors in every spoonful.
12. Mexican Black Bean Soup
Mexican Black Bean Soup is a hearty, flavorful dish that’s both simple to make and satisfying to eat. Black beans star in this soup, combined with traditional Mexican seasonings.
The soup typically includes tomatoes, onions, garlic, and smoky chipotle peppers for a mild kick. Cumin and oregano add depth.
Blend the soup for a smooth and creamy texture, or leave it chunky for more bite. Use vegetable or chicken stock as the base.
Top with fresh garnishes like cilantro, lime wedges, or avocado slices for a complete meal.
13. Roasted Poblano Soup
Roasted poblano soup offers a perfect blend of smoky flavor and creamy texture. Properly roast the poblano peppers until their skins blister and blacken.
Pair your soup with creative garnishes for the best results. A dash of lime juice can transform the flavor profile.
Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic as a flavorful base. Add chicken for a heartier soup, or keep it vegetarian.
Season with cumin and black pepper. Top with avocado slices, tortilla strips, or a dollop of sour cream for authentic presentation.
14. Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup is a flavorful twist on classic chicken soup with a spicy, tomato-rich broth. Tender shredded chicken and rice combine in a hearty, herb-filled base.
Use rotisserie chicken for extra flavor and convenience. Many versions include bell peppers, kale, and tomatoes for added nutrition.
Serve with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and warm tortillas. This soup makes a perfect comfort meal.
15. Mexican White Bean and Kale Soup
This flavorful soup combines Mexican spices with nutritious white beans and kale for a hearty meal. Prepare this comforting dish in about 30 minutes.
Tender white beans provide protein and fiber. Fresh kale adds nutrition and bright color.
Traditional Mexican spices like cumin, oregano, and chile powder create an authentic flavor profile. Add diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce for extra heat.
Serve with warm corn tortillas or a sprinkle of queso fresco on top. It’s perfect for chilly evenings.
16. Chipotle Chicken Soup
Chipotle Chicken Soup brings smoky heat to your table with its distinctive flavor profile. Tender shredded chicken combines with fire-roasted tomatoes and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Make this soup in a slow cooker to allow the flavors to meld together throughout the day. Add beans, corn, and vegetables for extra texture and nutrition.
Top with fresh lime juice to brighten the smoky flavors. Other popular garnishes include shredded cheese, avocado slices, or crispy tortilla strips.
17. Mexican Corn and Poblano Chowder
This hearty chowder combines sweet corn with smoky roasted poblano peppers for a perfect balance of flavors. Yukon gold potatoes thicken the broth naturally and give the soup its creamy texture.
Mexican spices warm this comforting dish. Aromatic onions, celery, and garlic create a flavorful foundation.
Some versions use a cornmeal or masa slurry to boost the corn flavor and add thickness. You can make this soup vegan by choosing vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
For the best flavor, use fresh corn when in season. Frozen corn works well year-round.
18. Sopa de Elote (Mexican Corn Soup)
Sopa de Elote is a quick and simple Mexican corn soup that’s bursting with flavor. Some call it soup, while others consider it a stew due to its hearty texture.
Roasting poblano peppers, onion, and garlic before adding them to the soup adds wonderful depth to the flavor profile. You can prepare this creamy corn soup in about 25 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners.
Fresh corn kernels create the best flavor. Simmer the stripped cobs in the broth for extra corn essence.
Season with Mexican oregano for an authentic touch.
19. Caldo Tlalpeño (Spicy Chicken Soup with Vegetables)
Caldo Tlalpeño is a bold Mexican soup from the Tlalpan area of Mexico City. Shredded chicken simmers in a flavorful broth with a smoky kick from chipotle chilies.
The soup contains a mix of vegetables and usually includes corn on the cob cut into chunks. Green beans, tomatoes, onions, and garlic create a rich base.
Rice makes the soup more filling. Garnish your bowl with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro to balance the spicy flavors.
20. Mexican Green Chile Chicken Soup
Mexican Green Chile Chicken Soup brings the heat and flavor to your dinner table. This hearty soup combines tender chicken with the distinctive kick of green chiles.
Simmer chicken in broth until tender, then add green chiles, cumin, and paprika for that authentic Mexican taste. Many recipes include a creamy element with milk or half-and-half for richness.
Adjust the amount of chiles based on your heat preference. Top your soup with fresh avocado slices and cilantro.
Some versions include rice to make it even more filling.
21. Tortilla Soup with Avocado
Tortilla soup is a comfort food that brings Mexican flavors to your table with minimal effort. The base usually includes a flavorful broth with tomatoes, chilies, and spices.
Stir in creamy avocado just before serving to add richness. The contrast between the hot soup and cool avocado creates a delightful temperature play.
Top your soup with crispy tortilla strips, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of queso fresco. For protein, add shredded chicken or keep it vegetarian with black beans and corn.
This soup works well as a light meal or as a starter for your Mexican-themed dinner.
Key Ingredients in Mexican Soups
Mexican soups rely on a distinct blend of ingredients that create their signature flavors. These components work together to produce the rich, comforting dishes found throughout Mexico’s diverse culinary regions.
Traditional Spices and Seasonings
Mexican soups get their distinctive flavors from a variety of spices and herbs. Cumin provides an earthy base note in many recipes, while dried oregano adds aromatic complexity.
Chile powders, including ancho, guajillo, and chipotle, contribute both heat and depth. Fresh cilantro is essential, often added at the end of cooking for a bright finish.
Epazote, a traditional herb with a unique flavor, appears frequently in bean soups. Bay leaves simmer in broths to release subtle flavor.
Lime juice brightens many Mexican soups, added just before serving. Garlic and onions form the flavor foundation of almost every recipe.
Some regional soups incorporate cinnamon or cloves for warming notes in specific dishes like pozole.
Essential Vegetables and Proteins
Tomatoes serve as the base for many Mexican soups, providing acidity and rich color. Bell peppers, especially poblanos, add flavor and substance to broths.
Potatoes thicken soups naturally while contributing heartiness. Corn appears in various forms—fresh kernels, hominy (pozole), or even as masa harina to thicken broths.
Beans, particularly black and pinto varieties, offer protein and create substantial soups like frijoles charros. Chicken is most common for proteins, either as whole pieces or shredded.
Beef features prominently in caldo de res and some pozole variations. Seafood shines in coastal soups like caldo de mariscos.
Queso fresco often tops soups or melts slightly in the broth, as seen in caldo de queso from Sonora.
Broths and Base Flavors
Great Mexican soups start with quality broths. Chicken stock forms the base of many recipes, including tortilla soup.
For richer flavors, simmer homemade beef broth with bones and vegetables for hours. Vegetable broths often use tomato for acidity and depth.
Some recipes begin with a sofrito—a sautéed mixture of onions, garlic, and tomatoes that builds layers of flavor. For authentic taste, toast and puree dried chiles into broths.
Blend roasted vegetables, especially tomatoes and poblanos, into the liquid base for smoky complexity. Many soups feature masa harina (corn flour) for thickening and adding a subtle corn flavor.
The best Mexican soups balance acidity, heat, salt, and richness in their broth foundations.
Cooking Techniques and Tips
Mexican soups depend on proper cooking methods and presentation to achieve their full flavor potential. The techniques you use will determine both the authenticity and depth of flavor in your soup.
Balancing Flavors for Authenticity
Toast your dried chiles and spices in a dry pan before adding them to your soup. This step releases essential oils that deepen the flavor profile of pozole, tortilla soup, and other traditional recipes.
For soups like albondigas, brown your meatballs separately before adding them to the broth. This creates a caramelized exterior that enhances the overall taste.
Layer your ingredients in the proper order. Add aromatics like onions and garlic first, followed by spices, then vegetables and proteins.
Adjust acidity with lime juice toward the end of cooking. Fresh citrus brightens the finished soup without becoming bitter during extended cooking.
Let your soup simmer rather than boil vigorously. This gentle cooking method preserves the integrity of vegetables and meats while melding flavors together.
Garnishing and Serving Suggestions
Serve Mexican soups with an array of fresh garnishes that add texture and brightness.
Classic options include:
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Lime wedges
- Crispy tortilla strips
Present garnishes in separate bowls so guests can customize their soup.
This interactive serving style is traditional in Mexican cuisine and makes the meal more engaging.
For tortilla soup, add the crispy tortilla strips just before serving to maintain their crunch.
If you add them too early, they become soggy and lose their textural contrast.
Consider temperature contrast when serving.
Hot soups pair well with cool garnishes like sour cream or avocado that melt slightly when added, creating a creamy element that balances spice levels.
Store leftover garnishes separately from the soup base to maintain freshness for future servings.
