Examples of Famous Mexican Soups and Stews – 3 Must-Try Recipes You’ll Crave

When people ask for examples of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes that truly represent Mexican home cooking, three names come up again and again: pozole rojo, chicken tortilla soup (sopa de tortilla), and beef birria. These aren’t just restaurant dishes; they’re the kind of recipes families make for holidays, Sunday gatherings, and cold nights.

Before we cook, let’s quickly place these in context with other examples of beloved Mexican soups and stews you might have seen on menus:

• Pozole (red, white, or green) – hominy-based soup with pork or chicken and tons of toppings.
• Menudo – spicy tripe soup, often a weekend or hangover classic.
• Caldo de pollo – simple chicken and vegetable soup, Mexican grandma medicine.
• Caldo de res – beef and vegetable soup with big chunks of corn and squash.
• Sopa de fideo – tomato-based noodle soup, everyday comfort food.
• Birria – rich, chile-based beef or goat stew, now viral thanks to birria tacos.
• Sopa de tortilla – tomato-chile broth with crispy tortilla strips and avocado.

From that long list, the best examples for home cooks who want big flavor without restaurant-level stress are pozole rojo, tortilla soup, and birria. Let’s walk through each of these examples of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes step by step.

Example of a Party-Worthy Mexican Stew: Pozole Rojo (Red Hominy and Pork)

If you want one example of a Mexican stew that feels like a celebration in a bowl, pozole rojo is it. It’s traditionally served for Christmas, New Year’s, Mexican Independence Day, and big family gatherings—but you don’t need a holiday to make it.

Why Pozole Is One of the Best Examples of Mexican Soups and Stews

Pozole is a perfect example of how Mexican soups are built: a flavorful broth, a key starch (hominy), a protein (usually pork or chicken), and a mountain of fresh toppings. You control the final flavor at the table. That “build-your-own-bowl” style is a big reason pozole has stayed popular and even grown in the U.S. as more people cook Mexican food at home.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

For the stew:

• 2 1/2–3 lb pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed and cut into large chunks
• 1 lb pork ribs or neck bones (for extra flavor, optional but highly recommended)
• 2 cans (25 oz each) white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp salt (to start; adjust to taste)

For the red chile sauce:

• 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 medium white onion
• 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican if available)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1–2 cups cooking liquid from the pot (or warm water)

Toppings (add as many as you like):

• Shredded green cabbage or lettuce
• Thinly sliced radishes
• Diced white onion
• Lime wedges
• Dried oregano
• Crushed red chile flakes or hot sauce
• Crumbled queso fresco (optional)
• Tostadas or tortilla chips on the side

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Start the broth. In a large stockpot, add pork shoulder, ribs/neck bones, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and water or broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam. Simmer about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender.

2. Prep the dried chiles. While the meat cooks, toast guajillo and ancho chiles lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat, 15–30 seconds per side, just until fragrant. Do not burn them or they’ll turn bitter.

3. Soak and blend the chile sauce. Place toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak 15–20 minutes until soft. Add them to a blender with garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, and about 1 cup of the soaking liquid or hot broth. Blend until smooth.

4. Strain and add the sauce. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer directly into the pot with the pork, pressing with a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.

5. Add hominy. Stir in the drained hominy. Simmer another 30 minutes, uncovered, to let flavors marry. Taste and adjust with more salt as needed.

6. Serve with toppings. Ladle pozole into deep bowls and let everyone add cabbage, onion, radishes, oregano, lime, and a little heat if they like.

2024 Home-Cooking Tips for Pozole

• Meal prep friendly: Make the stew base on Sunday; store the toppings separately. It reheats beautifully.
• Lean version: Use a mix of pork shoulder and chicken thighs if you want less fat but still want rich flavor.
• Freezer tip: Pozole (without toppings) freezes very well for up to 3 months in airtight containers.

If you’re watching sodium or fat intake, sites like Mayo Clinic and NIH’s nutrition pages offer helpful guidance on balancing traditional comfort foods with your health goals.

Everyday Example of a Famous Mexican Soup: Chicken Tortilla Soup

If pozole is the big weekend project, chicken tortilla soup (sopa de tortilla) is the weeknight hero. Among the many examples of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes you can cook quickly, this is the one that hits that tomato-chile-tortilla flavor most people already love from Mexican restaurants.

Why Tortilla Soup Is One of the Best Examples for Beginners

Tortilla soup is a great example of how Mexican soups use pantry staples—tomatoes, onions, garlic, dried or canned chiles—and transform them into something that tastes slow-cooked, even when it’s not. You can have this on the table in about 40 minutes, which fits right into current 2024 trends of fast, high-flavor, one-pot meals.

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

For the soup:

• 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola, avocado, or vegetable)
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional for heat)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chili powder (American style is fine)
• 1 can (14–15 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb total) or 3 thighs
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lime

For the tortilla strips:

• 8 small corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• 3 tbsp oil (for pan-frying)
• Pinch of salt

Toppings:

• Diced avocado
• Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, or cheddar)
• Chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Sliced radishes (optional)
• Sour cream or Mexican crema (optional)

How to Make It

1. Fry the tortilla strips. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tortilla strips in batches and fry until crisp and golden, 2–3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

2. Build the flavor base. In a soup pot, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium. Sauté onion 4–5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and jalapeño; cook 1 minute. Stir in cumin, oregano, and chili powder, letting them toast in the oil for about 30 seconds.

3. Add tomatoes and broth. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth. Stir well.

4. Cook the chicken in the broth. Nestle the chicken breasts or thighs into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

5. Shred the chicken. Remove chicken to a plate, shred with two forks, and return it to the pot.

6. Finish and season. Add lime juice, then taste for salt and pepper. Adjust until the broth tastes bright and balanced.

7. Serve with toppings. Ladle soup into bowls, top with crispy tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Make-It-Your-Own Ideas

• Vegetarian example of tortilla soup: Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth and use black beans or pinto beans instead of chicken.
• Smoky twist: Add a minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for a deeper, smokier heat.
• High-protein trend: Stir in cooked quinoa or extra beans to match 2024’s protein-focused eating habits.

For food safety details on handling poultry and reheating soups, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service is a trustworthy reference.

Rich, Trendy Example of a Mexican Stew: Beef Birria (With Consomé)

Now for the stew that took social media by storm: beef birria. If you’ve seen those viral birria tacos dipped in a deep red broth, this is the base. As an example of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes, birria covers the “deeply savory, slow-cooked, restaurant-style” craving.

Traditionally from the state of Jalisco and often made with goat, modern home cooks in the U.S. usually choose beef chuck. It’s easier to find and more approachable for people who are new to birria.

Why Birria Is One of the Best Examples Right Now

Birria is a textbook example of how Mexican stews layer flavors: dried chiles, warm spices, vinegar, and slow-cooked meat that practically falls apart. In 2024, it’s still trending on TikTok and Instagram because it works as both a stew and a taco filling, which makes it a smart batch-cooking recipe.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

For the meat and broth:

• 3 lb beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
• 1 lb beef shank or short ribs (for bones and extra flavor, optional)
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 8–10 cups water or low-sodium beef broth

For the chile marinade/sauce:

• 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried pasilla or New Mexico chiles (optional, for depth)
• 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo (from a can), plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• 1/2 medium white onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 whole cloves (or a pinch of ground cloves)
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

To serve as a stew:

• Chopped cilantro
• Diced white onion
• Lime wedges
• Warm corn tortillas

Step-by-Step Birria

1. Season and brown the meat. Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Brown the beef in batches until nicely seared on all sides. Remove to a plate.

2. Toast and soak the chiles. In the same pot (wipe out any burnt bits if needed), briefly toast the dried chiles over medium heat until fragrant, 20–30 seconds per side. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak 15–20 minutes.

3. Blend the chile sauce. In a blender, add soaked chiles, chipotle, onion, garlic, vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and 1–2 cups of the soaking liquid or water. Blend until completely smooth.

4. Add meat, sauce, and liquid. Return browned beef to the pot. Pour the chile sauce over the meat. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and enough water or broth to just cover everything.

5. Slow cook until tender. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook on low for about 3 hours on the stovetop, or 6–8 hours in a slow cooker on low, until the meat is fall-apart tender.

6. Shred and skim. Remove meat to a large bowl and shred with two forks. Skim excess fat from the surface of the broth if you like, though a bit of fat adds flavor and that signature sheen.

7. Serve as stew with consomé. Ladle the rich broth (consomé) into bowls, add a generous portion of shredded meat, and top with onion, cilantro, and lime. Serve with warm tortillas.

Birria in 2024: How People Are Using It

Modern home cooks are turning this one example of a Mexican stew into multiple meals:

• Classic birria stew one night with tortillas on the side.
• Birria tacos the next day: dip tortillas in the top layer of fat from the broth, pan-fry with cheese and meat, and serve with a side of consomé for dipping.
• Birria quesadillas or burritos later in the week for fast leftovers.

If you’re looking for general guidance on safe slow-cooking and reheating, CDC and FoodSafety.gov offer clear, science-based advice.

Other Real Examples of Famous Mexican Soups and Stews to Explore

Once you’ve tried these examples of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes, you might be ready to branch out. Some other real examples include:

• Menudo: Spicy tripe soup with hominy, often eaten on weekends or New Year’s Day.
• Caldo de pollo: Chicken soup with vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and zucchini.
• Caldo de res: Beef and vegetable soup, usually served with rice and lime.
• Sopa de fideo: Thin noodles simmered in a tomato-based broth, a kid favorite.
• Sopa de mariscos: Seafood soup with shrimp, fish, and sometimes clams or mussels.

These additional dishes help show how wide the range is when you look for examples of famous Mexican soups and stews beyond the 3 must-try recipes in this guide.

FAQ: Examples of Famous Mexican Soups and Stews

What are some classic examples of famous Mexican soups and stews?

Some of the best examples include pozole (red, green, or white), menudo, caldo de pollo, caldo de res, sopa de tortilla, sopa de fideo, birria, and sopa de mariscos. In this article, the examples of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes you can start with are pozole rojo, chicken tortilla soup, and beef birria.

Which example of a Mexican soup is easiest for beginners?

Chicken tortilla soup is usually the easiest example of a Mexican soup for beginners. It uses simple ingredients, cooks in under an hour, and doesn’t require special equipment or hard-to-find chiles. Pozole and birria take longer but reward you with deeper, more complex flavors.

Are these examples of famous Mexican soups and stews spicy?

They can be, but they don’t have to be. Many examples of Mexican soups and stews get their flavor from dried chiles, which add depth and smokiness as well as heat. You can reduce the number of chiles, remove seeds and veins, or skip fresh hot peppers like jalapeños if you prefer a milder bowl.

Can I make healthier versions of these soups and stews?

Yes. For a lighter take on these examples of famous Mexican soups and stews, you can:

• Use leaner cuts of meat or substitute part of the meat with beans.
• Skim excess fat from the top of the broth.
• Load up on vegetable toppings like cabbage, radishes, and avocado.

For general healthy eating guidance, resources like Mayo Clinic’s nutrition pages and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are helpful.

Do these 3 must-try recipes freeze well?

Yes. Among the examples of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes listed here, pozole rojo and birria freeze especially well for up to 3 months in airtight containers. Chicken tortilla soup also freezes nicely, though it’s better to add tortilla strips and fresh toppings only after reheating so they stay crisp and bright.

Once you’ve cooked these examples of famous Mexican soups and stews – 3 must-try recipes, you’ll have a solid feel for how Mexican broths, chiles, and toppings work together. From there, it’s easy to riff, swap proteins, and start building your own favorite variations.