It’s getting cooler outside, so I guess it’s officially soup season! Growing up I never cared for soup at all. Weird, right? I know. As I’ve said many times before, going vegan encouraged me to revisit foods that I wasn’t particularly fond of in the past. Lucky for me, I’m long past those days! This Easy Vegan Tortilla Soup recipe has quickly become one of my favorites and I know it will be one of yours too!
How to Make Tortilla Soup
Making vegan tortilla soup is really easy! Before getting started with any recipe I think it’s important to start by prepping. Round up all of your ingredients so that putting this tortilla soup together is a breeze!
The good news is, all of these ingredients are pretty common, so you may find that you don’t even need to make a trip to the grocery store at all! And if you do, you’ll likely only need to purchase a few things.
Once you’ve rounded up all of your ingredients, it’s now time to start chopping up everything so that they’re ready to be added to the soup when it’s time. In addition, now is a great time to start measuring out your seasonings, and crackin’ open those cans. Once everything is chopped and measured out, you’re ready to start cooking!
To begin cooking your vegan tortilla soup, you’ll start by sautéing your diced red onion and minced garlic together until fragrant in a large pot. Next, add in all of your fresh vegetables (excluding the cilantro), vegetable broth and canned goods. Give these a good stir and mix everything together well. Now it’s time to crank up the heat. You want to increase the temperature of the eye to a high heat so that the flavors are able to really come together.
Once your pot is boiling, it’s time to reduce the heat to a low boil while continuing to stir frequently. Let the pot continue to boil for another 10-15 minutes. I always use this time to clean up the kitchen. 15 minutes will be over in no time!
Once the time has passed, add in the last few ingredients: the chopped cilantro, liquid smoke and fresh lime juice. I like to add these in last because for me, they’re the icing on the cake! After adding in these items, allow the soup to continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, then it’s time to eat!
What’s in Tortilla Soup?
One of the reasons I love this vegan tortilla soup recipe is because it’s PACKED with vegetables and has a really comforting tomato base! I absolutely love the addition of the fresh zucchini and I’m a sucker for all things with black beans! This vegan tortilla soup has all of the usual suspects including bell peppers, garlic, red onion, fire roasted corn, fire roasted tomatoes and seasonings such as chili, cumin and smoked paprika.
Something else you wanna add? Go for it! To make the soup a little heartier, you could even add vegan chicken! I love soups because they’re super easy to customize and not to mention, a great way to clean out your fridge!
What to top tortilla soup with?
Tortilla soup can be topped with a variety of things, one topping being the most obvious, TORTILLA CHIPS! Though I definitely paired a few tortilla chips with this recipe, they aren’t mandatory. My favorite vegan tortilla soup topping will probably always be fresh diced avocado. It’s so good! Here are a list of other suggestions:
- Tortilla strips
- Fresh diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Vegan cheese
- Vegan sour cream
How to Make Homemade Tortilla Strips
No tortilla chips on hand? If you’ve got tortillas, you can make your own! Simply slice the tortilla into roughly 2 inch pieces. Add about 2-3 teaspoons of oil to a pan that’s warmed over medium heat, then allow the tortilla strips to cook on both sides until lightly browned. Remove the tortilla strips from the pan and set aside.
How to Store Tortilla Soup
Vegan tortilla soup can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container (if it doesn’t get eaten first!). This meal is perfect for meal prepping. I’ve been eating it all week and it just gets better and better everyday! To give it a new spin, I simply adjust the toppings. Never gets old 🙂
Can This Vegan Tortilla Soup Be Frozen?
Yes! This soup can be made ahead and then frozen. Once the soup has been cooked, allow it to cool completely. Transfer the soup to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once you’re ready to eat it, remove it from the freezer the night before and transfer to the fridge to thaw. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
I know you’ll love this vegan tortilla soup recipe! It’s super easy to make, comforting, and perfect for enjoying during the winter season. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think of it in the comments below!
Other Soup Recipes You’ll Love:
Pair this soup with my Easy Vegan Jalapeño Cheddar Drop Biscuits!
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Easy Tortilla Soup | Vegan + Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 3½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 1 medium yellow squash diced
- ¼ cup jarred jalapeños reduce amount for less spice
- 1 15oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 15oz can fire roasted corn (regular or frozen corn will work too)
- juice from ½ a lime
- 8-10 drops liquid smoke
- ½ cup cilantro roughly chopped
Garnish (optional)
- diced avocado recommended
- fresh cilantro
- corn tortilla chips or strips
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic (using water or neutral oil of choice) until fragrant, then mix in tomato paste and spices.1 cup red onion, 2 tsp minced garlic, 3 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp chili powder, salt and pepper to taste, ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- Add in vegetable broth, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, cilantro, jalapeños, black beans, fire roasted diced tomatoes, and fire roasted corn. Mix well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer on medium low heat for 10-15 minutes.3½ cups vegetable broth, 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 medium zucchini, 1 medium yellow squash, ¼ cup jarred jalapeños, 1 15oz can black beans, 1 15oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 15oz can fire roasted corn
- Add in liquid smoke, cilantro and lime juice and allow to continue simmering for another 15 minutes.juice from ½ a lime, 8-10 drops liquid smoke, ½ cup cilantro
- Once finished remove from heat and serve. Top each with fresh avocado, cilantro and tortilla strips. Enjoy!diced avocado, fresh cilantro, corn tortilla chips or strips
