Tortilla Soup
You will love this spicy, smokey, flavorful soup topped with buttery avocado, crisp tortilla strips, fresh cilantro and citrusy lime. This easy soup makes a quick and delicious dinner. Vegan | Gluten Free
Servings 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspooon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspooon dried thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo see Notes
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper finely chopped, seeds and veins removed
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 14.5 ounce can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes
- 29 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 8 corn tortillas sliced into about 1/4" wide strips
Toppings
- fresh cilantro or parsley
- avocado cubes
- fresh lime juice
- fresh jalapeno slices
- plant-based sour cream or yogurt
- drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
- extra tortilla strips
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Sauté until the onions have softened, then add the garlic. Cook for a minute then add the cumin and thyme. Stir for a second until fragrant, then add the chipotle and jalapeño. Cook one more minute then add the broth and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 20 - 25 minutes.
- Add the black beans and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the tortilla strips on a baking rack. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until just golden and crisp.
- Just before serving, remove the soup from the heat and add most of the tortilla strips to the soup, saving some to top it off later. Allow to sit for a few minutes while you prepare the toppings.
- Serve the soup with your choice of toppings. Don't forget a generous squeeze of lime juice and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Notes
Blend a seven ounce can of chipotle in adobo in your blender until pureed. Use what you need, one tablespoon in this case, then store the rest in a labeled zipper bag in the freezer. Whenever you need chipotle in adobo, just break off a piece.
Jalapeños can be unpredictable as far as heat. Start with the recommended amount, but feel free to add more.
Tip: Jalapeños gain some heat as they get older. So, look for jalapeños with striations or with a bit of red color to be sure you're getting spicy pepper.