California Pizza Kitchen Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup

A hearty, flavor-packed favorite from the vast menu of California Pizza Kitchen, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to replicate the Sedona tortilla soup at home.



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California Pizza Kitchen Sedona Tortilla Soup

If you think of soup as a boring appetizer or accompaniment to a “real” meal, California Pizza Kitchen wants you to think again. Among the popular chain’s tasty soups is Sedona White Corn Tortilla soup, sometimes just shortened to Sedona Tortilla.

It’s been part of CPK’s menu since the 1990s, giving it plenty of time to acquire a dedicated fan base. Now, there’s no need to spend the time or money on a trip to the restaurant, thanks to this incredible copycat recipe that anyone can make at home in less than half an hour.  

What makes California Pizza Kitchen Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup so good?

One taste of this white corn tortilla soup, and you’ll find yourself shocked at how much flavor can be integrated into a simple soup. It’s the result of robust flavor from onions, garlic, and jalapenos, combined with a Southwestern-inspired spice blend heavy on the cumin and chili powder.

And there are no worries about a thin broth here, as using a blender breaks down the ingredients to thicken the soup, while additional corn provides perfect texture. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

Sure, you could always open a can of soup, but why settle for that when you can have freshly prepared Sedona Tortilla soup with only a few more minutes of work? In addition to its quick cooking time (just about 20 minutes in most cases), it keeps well for enjoying leftovers over the next few days. It’s also made from affordable, easy-to-find ingredients, perfect for thrifty home cooks who don’t want to sacrifice flavor. 

Ingredients

This list of ingredients for this soup might seem long, but you may have many of them already sitting in your pantry or on your spice rack!

  • Olive Oil
  • Corn tortillas
  • Garlic
  • White onion
  • Jalapeno pepper
  • Frozen white corn kernels
  • Chicken stock
  • Water
  • Tomatoes
  • Tomato paste
  • Kosher salt
  • Chili powder
  • Ground cumin
  • Ground white pepper
  • Blue corn tortilla chips (optional, for garnish)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional, for garnish)
  • Fresh Cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Ingredient notes and substitutions

While the recipe is most authentic with corn tortillas, it’s OK to substitute flour tortillas if that’s all you have on hand. However, keep in mind this will create a soup that’s no longer suitable for those with celiac disease or who are avoiding wheat.

It can also be made fully vegetarian by swapping in vegetable stock for the chicken stock. 

Regular tortilla chips can also be subbed in for blue corn ones, while specific taco or Mexican cheese blends can add some additional flavor beyond the traditional cheddar cheese.

What is masa?

Masa (literally translated as “dough”) is a crucial ingredient in traditional Central American and Mexican food, which wouldn’t exist without it! It’s the basic building block of tortillas, tamales, and other delicious dishes. Masa is made from ground corn kernels that have been treated through a process known as nixtamalization, which cooks and soaks them in limewater. This alkaline solution imparts corn tortillas and tamales with their distinctively pleasing flavor. 

Most home cooks use masa in the form of masa harina, a very soft corn flour made from dried masa. It’s then rehydrated before being used in a variety of dishes.

How to make California Pizza Kitchen Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup

This delicious soup is filling, fast, and simple, without the need for any fancy cooking techniques. However, you will need a handheld immersion blender for the most consistent results, though a traditional blender can also work. 

  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven, then fry tortilla squares until golden yellow and crisp. 
  2. Add the onion and jalapeno, followed by the garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent. 
  3. Add half the corn, along with the rest of the ingredients (except the chips, cheese, and cilantro.)
  4. Bring the soup to a low boil for about five minutes, then remove from heat.
  5. Use the blender to process the soup into a coarse puree.
  6. Return the soup to the heat, and add the remaining corn. 
  7. Bring to a boil again, stirring constantly to avoid scorching.
  8. Serve the soup in a bowl garnished with tortilla chips or tortilla strips, cheese, and chopped cilantro. 

What to serve with this dish

California Pizza Kitchen Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup is as versatile as it is tasty and goes well with a variety of pairings. It’s a hearty complement to a green salad for those looking for a lighter, healthier meal.

Meanwhile, it can also serve as a delicious starter for a Mexican feast, served before or alongside tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and others. Finally, tossing in a bit of precooked chicken, beef, or pork can make this soup filling enough to enjoy on its own. 

How to store

This white corn tortilla soup is easy to store, making it an excellent choice for meal preppers and others who want to have a tasty meal on hand all week long. Just allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then package it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. 

What’s the best way to reheat California Pizza Kitchen Sedona Tortilla Soup?

If you’ve frozen your soup, first defrost it overnight in the fridge. Refrigerated white corn tortilla soup can be easily reheated in the microwave in 30-second to one-minute bursts, stirring to ensure the soup is evenly heated through. You can also heat it up on the stove on medium-low heat for larger batches, again stirring frequently. 

About California Pizza Kitchen (CPK)

California Pizza Kitchen has become a casual dining institution in the nearly four decades since it opened its doors in Beverly Hills in 1985. To start, the chain focused on its namesake pizza, including unique varieties like its Original BBQ Chicken pizza or Thai Chicken pizza, cooked in an open kitchen.

Over time, the menu expanded to include the massive selection of diverse and delicious items it’s known for. Today, you can find more than 250 CPK locations in over 30 states and 11 countries. 

If you’re interested in other CPK recipes, you can pick up a copy of The California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook. All of the proceeds from the cookbooks are donated to children’s charities across the country.

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California Pizza Kitchen Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup

Make California Pizza Kitchen Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup at home.
4.96 from 21 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: California Pizza Kitchen Sedona White Corn Tortilla Soup, Tortilla Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 352kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 7 corn tortillas cut into squares
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon white onion minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno pepper minced
  • 1 pound white corn kernels
  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes chopped
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 24 blue corn tortilla chips (optional garnish)
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Over medium-high heat, fry tortilla squares in olive oil until they begin to crisp and turn a golden yellow. Add garlic, onion and jalapeno; cook 1 to 2 minutes, until onion becomes translucent. 
  • Add half the corn along with all other ingredients (except garnishes), reserving other half of corn to be added at the end. Bring the soup to a low, even boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. 
  • Use a hand-held propeller blade processor to process in batches to the consistency of a course puree. You can also process in batches in a blender. Return the soup to the burner and add the reserved corn. Bring the soup to a boil once again being extremely careful to avoid scorching or burning the soup. Serve, garnished with blue corn tortilla chips, cilantro and sharp cheddar cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 1336mg | Potassium: 658mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1430IU | Vitamin C: 19.5mg | Calcium: 255mg | Iron: 2.1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carolyn

    5 stars
    This recipe is so good! I used to dine at CPK quite a bit and now that there is not one in our area, I think this is a fantastic copykat! I have made it several times now.

  2. K E

    5 stars
    I worked at CPK years ago and I had this soup often. I missed it so when I decided to try and make tortilla soup, I thought of theirs. This recipe is an excellent version of it. It tasted very much like what I got every day. I did add chicken and I did not add cheese and it was spot on. The CPK version didn’t have cheese (or chicken), and I’m allergic to dairy, so it wasn’t even a question of adding it. I added the chicken because I cook for my parents who need all the protein they can get. I just purchased pulled chicken from my local grocery store, shredded it a bit further, and then tossed it in with the corn at the end.

  3. StabbySabi

    5 stars
    wow! I worked at CPK for years in my youth and I had this soup almost every day. I now live thousands of miles from the closest CPK so I can’t get my fix. Until this. I was super skeptical at first but this pretty much tastes EXACTLY like the CPK Sedona Torilla!

    I doubled the recipe and used fresh roma tomatoes but cut those down to 2lb total, and I used 1 Trader Joe’s 1 lb bag of frozen white corn, and I could only find canned white corn so I used that for the second portion- I would have preferred the frozen corn but it was still fantastic.

    I have to admit I was also skeptical about the seasonings but it was literally SPOT ON.

    I used a blender as I do not have a immersion blender. I recommend allowing the soup to cool significantly before blending but it turned out perfect. With a doubled recipe I had about 5 batches to process.

    If you want to add heat, I recommend adding more jalapeno.

    Anyway- thank you SO MUCH for this recipe!!! It was a hit at our Christmas Potluck and multiple family members have already requested it again. Mine was the only soup to disappear :).

  4. alexandra gross

    what in the world is a POUND OF WHITE CORN KERNELS?

    are you talking about DRY corn kernels (which i never see) or canned, ie HOMINY in water? but then
    it wouldn’t be DRY.

    So, therefore, just what is it. please be specific. i love this soup and want to make it but am stumped. thanks.

  5. patel

    Hi,

    In the menu of CPK for the Sedona tortilla soup it is showing tomatillos also, how that can be used in the recipe?

    SEDONA TORTILLA

    Vine-ripened tomatoes, tomatillos and corn with mild green chilies, Southwestern spices and crispy tortillas.

  6. wayne

    Hoping this feed is still live – I’m in the UK and can’t get white corn – can it be made with yellow corn instead

    • Donna

      I add a can of white or cannellini beans before puree-ing. This cuts the acid of the tomatoes & tastes more like the cpk version to me. I love, love, love this recipe. Thank you so much for this recipe. I make it all the time :>)

  7. Mzaczyk1121

    I made this recipe and it made 6 big bowls…. I think I am going to double it next time it was so good and it went fast!!

  8. E Schmorleitz

    I have the origional CPKr recipie book, in the book it states chix broth as the origional recipie, but you can sub veg broth. My book is an old copy, 1st edition.

  9. insovietrussia

    CPK states their soup is vegetarian so this isn’t a copycat recipe unless you use vegetable broth. http://cpk.com/menu/pdfs/vegetarian.pdf

    • Jill

      Can I use vegetarian stock as I am a vegetarian and saw chicken stock so wanted to swap. Pls let me know as I’m dying to make this and hope it tastes just like the CPK version.

    • Chef LyssaRae

      I imagine that’s exactly why Stephanie specifically mentioned that you could use Veggie Broth if you preferred. Therefore, your comment was redundant and unnecessary.
      Apparently you’re not the only one who failed to read her instructions though, as plenty of others have followed with the same ol’ repetitive question, “I’m vegetarian, can I use Vegetable Broth?”. I’m truly shocked by the fact that there are so many people who don’t feel like they can confidently make that simple substitution without asking permission…

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