Whether you are looking for a pantry meal which you can dress up with whatever toppings you wish or just want a quick and delicious weeknight meal, my vegetarian tortilla soup is just what you need! Rich and thick, smoky and spicy, full of beans, and done in about 30 minutes, this is one of our favorites and I know you will love it as well.
Hello, all.
Here we are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic as I write this. Which, I’m just going to say, has made getting posts out quite difficult!
Not so much the cooking and taking photos (I have plenty of recipes to post), but the concentration needed to write. But here goes since I know you all need pantry meals, freezer meals, comfort food, and simple dinners to get you through.
What do you need?
- Onions/Garlic – The base of the recipe and how you are going to get such an awesomely thick broth.
- Spices – Chipotle (very important!) for it’s spicy/smoky qualities, along with ancho and chili powder.
- Roasted Tomatoes – The other component to the thick and rich broth.
- Stock – Vegetable preferred, but if chicken is all you have on hand it’ll work, just not be vegetarian.
- Black Beans – One big can or two small cans.
- Tortilla Chips – It is a tortilla soup after all!
- Toppings – Go as wild as you want here. I won’t tell.
Tip: No fire roasted tomatoes? Switch to regular chopped tomatoes and, if you have smoked paprika, add about 1/4 tsp to recipe.
How to make this
To make vegetarian tortilla soup, cook together the vegetables with stock and spices. Then puree until smooth and add black beans. Heat through, crumble in some tortilla chips, and serve with the toppings of your choice.
1. Cook the Vegetables
Saute the chopped onions and garlic with oil and a bit of kosher salt until everything is all soft. Add the spices and let them toast a little in the oil, about 30 seconds. And then add the chipotle, adobo, and chopped tomatoes.
2. Simmer
Now add the stock, bring to a simmer, and let cook about 15 minutes.
3. Puree
Move everything to a blender to make it completely smooth or use a immersion stick blend if you don’t mind that it won’t be quite as silky. We’re into super smooth here, so into the blender it goes. And then back to the pot!
4. Finish the Soup
Add black beans, some lime juice, and check the spices.
Done! Serve with crumbled tortillas and all the toppings you want.
More Comforting Vegetarian Soups
If you try my recipe for Vegetarian Tortilla Soup, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
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– Stay Safe, Annemarie
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ancho powder
- 1-2 chipotles in adobo
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 16-oz can fire roasted tomatoes, chopped or whole
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 15-oz cans black beans, drained
- 1 lime
- 2 cups tortilla chips
Toppings
- sour cream
- sliced avocado
- chopped fresh cilantro
- shredded cheddar cheese
- minced jalapenos, pickled or fresh
Instructions
- In a large pot heat the oil on medium until shimmery.
- Add the onion, garlic, and kosher salt. Saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Turn down the heat if the onion or garlic start to brown.
- Add chili and ancho powder. Stir to mix in and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add chipotle, adobo sauce, tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Take off heat and puree in a blender until smooth. (Be careful with the hot liquid and use a cloth over the lid.)
- Pour it back in the pot and add the beans.
- Squeeze in the juice of one lime. Then, stir and taste. Add more salt and seasonings if needed.
- Bring to a simmer and serve with portions of tortilla chips broken up and stirred into the soup in each bowl.
- Add the toppings of your choice.
Notes
- Pureeing the Soup: This gives it extra body and makes it thick and rich.
- Chipotle: One or two will depend on your heat tolerance. If you are not sure, use one and taste after it is pureed into the stock. (while still in the blender) Add another and puree if needed.
- Onion: I prefer the white onion, but if yellow onions are what you have use those.
- Beans: Pinto beans are also nice in the soup in place of the black.
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