16 Cozy Mexican Soup Recipes
Authentic Mexican soup recipes that your whole family will enjoy! Try some of these delicious soup recipes including authentic Pozole, Sopa de Albondigas, and Chicken Tortilla Soup. These recipes are sure to please.
When it's cold outside and you are craving something warm, these spicy Mexican soup recipes hit the spot. They are rich, spicy, and made with classic Mexican flavors and ingredients.
Most people think of tacos, tostadas, and enchiladas when they think of Mexican food, but you are missing out if you aren't making Mexican soups.
From classics like pozole and menudo to home-style versions of chicken soup, beef stew, and bean soup, there are so many delicious soups to choose from.
Why You'll Love these Mexican Soups
- Packed with flavor: Sometimes soup gets a bad reputation for being boring or bland. These Mexican soups are anything but that. They are bursting with flavor from ingredients like garlic, onion, dried chilies, fresh herbs, and more.
- Hearty and filling: In Mexico, many soups are designed to be full meals, not side dishes or starters. For that reason, most authentic Mexican soups like Pozole or Caldo de Pollo have protein, whole grains, and tons of veggies.
- Easy to customize: Soups are the ultimate versatile meal. Adjust the amount of spice in the soup. Change up the proteins. Add different vegetables or grains. Make these recipes your own.
Looking for more Mexican recipe inspiration? Don't miss these tasty taco recipes or healthy Mexican favorites.
Our Favorite Mexican Soup Recipes
Pozole Verde - Green Chicken Pozole
This authentic Mexican Pozole Verde packed with chicken and hominy in the most delicious green chile broth is the ultimate comfort food. Add all your favorite toppings for an amazing meal.
Mexican Chicken Soup
Make the most delicious Mexican Chicken soup with tender shredded chicken and vegetables in a spicy tomato broth. This soup can be made in the slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop! Add your favorite vegetables and toppings.
Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Caldo de Albondigas is a hearty Mexican Meatball Soup made with homemade beef and rice meatballs, potatoes, and fresh vegetables served in a spicy tomato broth. This cozy, mouth-watering soup guarantees to please.
Pozole Rojo (Red Chicken Pozole)
This Pozole Rojo is the most delicious Mexican soup made with tender chicken, dried chile peppers, and hominy. It’s the ultimate cozy Mexican meal with its rich, spicy broth and deep flavors.
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup
A fun twist on a Tex-Mex favorite, this Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup is a new way to enjoy all the great flavors of fajitas. It's made in the slow cooker for easy prep.
Healthy Taco Soup
Healthy Taco Soup is packed with chicken breast, beans, corn, tomatoes, and tons of taco flavor. Cooked in the slow cooker or on the stovetop, this healthy dish will feed a crowd and couldn't be easier to make.
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup packed with shredded chicken, black beans, and corn in a spicy tomato broth is filling and delicious.
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
This Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili comes together in just a few minutes, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. It's healthy, delicious, and filling.
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
This Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup made is hearty, filling, and packed with flavor from a delicious combination of spices, tomatoes, garlic, onion and dried black beans.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup packed with shredded chicken, beans, corn, and crispy tortilla strips is the perfect hearty and filling meal.
Slow Cooker Roasted Corn Chowder
This easy Crockpot Corn Chowder made with roasted corn, red peppers, and a hint of spice from poblano peppers is perfect for a chilly night.
Fifteen Minute Black Bean Soup
This easy Black Bean Soup is ready in just 15 minutes but tastes like it has been simmering on the stove for hours. Made with pantry staples, this is a delicious weeknight soup.
Chicken Tortilla Soup with Corn
This easy authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup packed with corn, poblano peppers, onion, garlic, and chicken breast will warm you from the inside out.
Slow Cooker Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup
Slow Cooker Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup is rich and creamy, with tons of tomato flavor and a subtly spicy and smoky flavor from the chipotles. It's everything you want in a bowl of tomato soup.
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup is a delicious, healthy soup that will keep you full for hours. Easy to make and freezes great.
Mexican Lentil Soup
This delicious Mexican Lentil Soup is hearty, slightly spicy, and full of flavor. It's made with creamy lentils, tomatoes, jalapenos, spinach, and zucchini. This vegetarian soup is healthy, nutritious, and such a fun twist on traditional lentil soup.
Best Toppings for Mexican Soups
One of the best things about most Mexican-style soups is that they are served with tons of toppings and garnishes. That means everyone can customize the soup to their liking.
Here are some of the most popular and delicious soup toppings.
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges and lime juice
- Pico de gallo (or diced tomatoes)
- Diced onion
- Mexican oregano
- Queso fresco or queso cotija or shredded cheese
- Baked tortilla chips or tostadas
- Avocado
- Shredded cabbage
- Radishes
- Sliced jalapenos
- Mexican crema, sour cream, or yogurt
Side Dish Ideas
Most Mexican soups are hearty enough to be a meal on their own, but you may still want a tasty side dish.
- Warm, toasted corn tortillas
- Steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or Mexican cauliflower rice
- Refried beans, black beans, or frijoles charros
- Salads like this creamy Mexican slaw, Mexican chopped salad, or a simple green salad
Recipe Ideas and Twists
All of these soups are fairly easy to customize, but here are some ideas to keep in mind.
- Aromatics: Almost all soups start with a combination of onions and garlic. From there, consider including celery, carrots, bell peppers, chili peppers (poblano, jalapeno, or serrano peppers), or dried chili peppers.
- Protein: Mexican soups use a wide variety of proteins. Traditionally in Mexico, you will see soups made with chicken, beef, pork, tripe, and seafood like fish, shrimp, squid, and mussels or clams. Tex-Mex soups may also include ground beef or ground turkey.
- Vegetables: All types of vegetables are used in these soups including potatoes, corn, squash, cabbage, zucchini, carrots, peas, bell peppers, or tomatoes.
- Broth: Rich broths are common for all of these soups. They could be made from chicken, beef, or pork. Seafood soups are usually made from shrimp stock. Many broths contain herbs and dried chilies.
- Spices: Common spices in Mexican soups include bay leaves, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes, coriander, and cayenne pepper.
Storage and Leftovers
Like most soups, these Mexican-inspired soups only get better after a night in the fridge when the flavors deepen and combine.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge.
All of these soups are also freezer-friendly. Store for up to 3 months in the freezer. Always let the soup come to room temperature before freezing.
Let defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stove or microwave.
If you reheat the soup from frozen, make sure to start at low temperatures so the protein does cook too quickly and get rubbery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions about these Mexican soup recipes.
What is the most popular soup in Mexico?
Sopa de tortilla (sopa azteca), pozole, and menudo are probably the three most popular Mexican soups. With that said, there are so many different soups in Mexican cuisine, it can be hard to determine what is truly the most popular.
It can also from region to region. In coastal regions, rich seafood soups are extremely popular including Siete Mares (7 Seas Soup that includes 7 types of seafood) or Caldo de Camaron (shrimp soup.) Inland areas tend to favor heartier soups like Caldo de Res or Caldo de Pollo.
What is the difference between stock and broth?
Stock tends to be made from bones and has a richer, more concentrated flavor. On the other hand, broth is usually made with meat, giving it a milder flavor. Both are made with aromatics like onion, celery, carrots, and herbs,
Most soup recipes in Mexico use stock for a rich and hearty flavor.
Mexican Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 28 oz canned hominy (or beans)
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 2 limes
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Instructions
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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.
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