Pour and Stir Tortilla Soup Recipe

With just a few cans and some water, this easy Tortilla Soup Recipe comes together very quickly. It’s a great, fast weeknight meal idea that your whole family will beg you to make all winter long. And it’s ready in under 30 minutes.

My sister laughs at me when I tell her I’m making dinner. Most of my recipes call for opening cans, pouring them in a pan and heating them up.

This may also explain why I like Dump Cakes so much.

While she may not think that is “cooking” I’ve perfected the art of serving my family a delicious dinner with very little effort.

The easiest Tortilla Soup ever

This Tortilla Soup Recipe is one of the whole family’s favorite cool-weather dinners. 

I want to start off by saying this tortilla soup is NOT my recipe! It’s from one of those old church cookbooks you used to get where people submit their favorite recipes (that they didn’t come up with either).

My mom doesn’t have the cookbook anymore but I do remember it was internationally themed and the recipe across from this one included camels and whole chickens… it was a spectacular book.

Related post: Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup

This is our go-to, homemade Tortilla Soup recipe. Because it’s SO easy. But also, SO delicious. I’m not a fan of soup. But this one is flavorful.

It’s not too spicy and can be dressed up any way you like it. The key to this recipe is the onion soup. While not a traditional ingredient in tortilla soup, it really amps up the flavor and makes this so satisfying.

This homemade Tortilla Soup is a great meal to make for weeknight dinner guests or make a bunch of batches for a party.

It is inexpensive and tasty. If you know the source for the original recipe, please share it with me! I searched around online but couldn’t find it anywhere!

Ingredients

Scroll down to the end of the post for a printable recipe card with full measurements and more detailed instructions.

The star of the show used to be a drink called Snap-E-Tom. But since you can’t find it anymore I figured out a copycat, homemade Snap E Tom recipe.

So to really make this recipe with all the flavor it can have, you need to make the tomato chile juice first. (It’s also stupid easy and will only add 1 minute and 2 ingredients to this list).

The only other soup ingredients you need are the French Onion soup, salsa verde (also called green chile salsa), and some water. It takes about 5 cans to make this dinner.

All of which you can keep on hand.

There are a few things you add to the finished soup before serving but this is a personal preference (although I always add it).

Jack cheese (cut into cubes) and cilantro are a must. And if you want to make this a little bit heartier, grab a rotisserie chicken, shred it, and add it to each bowl.

The perfect tortilla chip for serving

Have’A Chips are the best tortilla chips for soup. They have a bit of soy sauce on them making them super flavorful on their own and bold enough to stand up to the hearty flavors of the soup.

If I can’t find this brand, I look for Cabo Chips, which also have a little zing to them. Then I’ll go to blue corn tortilla chips because they have a great texture.

And if all else fails, regular tortilla chips work fine too. But there really is a chip hierarchy.

How to Make Easy Tortilla Soup

1. Make the flavored tomato soup

Make my version of the tomato chile juice. There is really no other product that I have found that has the flavor of the original ingredient, Snap E Tom so making this is key.

2. Add everything to a saucepan

Add the jazzed-up tomato juice, onion soup, water and green chile salsa to a saucepan and stir.

3. Heat

Heat through. You can let it come to a boil and then simmer it together for a bit to blend the flavors.

But sometimes we’re just too excited and heat it just enough to make the jack cheese melt.

The French Onion soup gives it so much depth of flavor. I’ve heard them say that on the Food Network. I’m certain this soup has it.

How to serve this soup

To serve this soup, add cubed jack cheese (and warmed chicken if you’re using it) to the bottom of the bowl. Top with soup and let it start to soften the cheese.

You can also use shredded jack cheese instead of the cubes but I really like how the cubes get all melty and gooey in the soup.

My mom always made homemade tortilla strips to eat in this soup but I am far too lazy for that. Store-bought chips are totally fine (see my notes above about which brand to use). Just stick them in the top or crush them up. Up to you.

And the cilantro is just to add a little freshness but I know not everyone likes it.

Once you taste this, you’ll want to eat it all the time!

Variations

This is a great base recipe that you can really make your own by adding what you like.

Corn would be a great addition. As would some sour cream. You can add a can of black beans to it before heating it. You could even add shrimp.

Chunks of avocado would also be delicious. And for even more of a kick, a dash of hot sauce would be awesome.

More easy dinner recipes

• Easy Fish Stick Tacos are quick to make with just frozen fish sticks and a bagged salad mix!
• White Chicken Chile Enchilada Casserole is SO yummy! The white sauce is a nice twist and totally unexpected.
• A quick Chicken Stir Fry is a recipe we make every few weeks. The marinade is DELISH!
• Chipotle and Lime Tortilla Chip Crusted Chicken Breasts – With similar flavors to this soup, you’ll love this crunchy main course idea.
• Ground Turkey Teriyaki Stir Fry – This quick and easy dinner recipe comes together in just minutes and it’s one your kids will love.

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