Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

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Delight your taste buds and warm your tummy with this delightful Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe! A hearty soup that’s loaded down with spices such as coriander, cumin, and smoked paprika. Black beans and soy curls swim in a brothy pool, with all the flavor you can handle.

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Vegan Tortilla Soup

Fall is the perfect time to start dragging out all the best soup recipes the recipe book has to offer. There are so many to choose from that it can be so hard to not just make multiple recipes all at once. No worries, I stop myself just short of that decision.

This vegan tortilla soup has been my go-to since the weather started getting a tad chillier. However, I’ve been slightly obsessed with this Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup and Tuscan White Bean Kale Soup as well. Go ahead, dive into all of them and enjoy!

Origins of Tortilla Soup

Not a lot is known about the origins of tortilla soup. However, the thing that’s known for sure is that it’s from Mexico. More specifically, in the Mexico City area of Mexico. The most traditional soup is made just like it is still to this day. Of course, my version is pure vegetarian, plant based and good for you, so it definitely differs from the traditional without losing one ounce of flavor and yum!

How to Make Vegan Tortilla Soup

  1. Prep – Soak the soy curls for 20 minutes. Drain and wring out excess water.
  2. Saute – In a skillet, saute a drop of oil with the carrots, onions, and celery until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
  3. Add the soy curls – Add the curls, stock, beans, and spices to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the tomatoes and yeast. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  4. Serve – Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Garnish, serve, and enjoy!

How to Make Crispy Tortilla Strips

  1. Prepare the bread – Slice the tortilla bread into small strips.
  2. Fry – Let a small amount of oil heat up in a pan and fry the strips until golden brown.
  3. Serve – Salt if desired and enjoy!

Tips + Variations

  • Storage – Store in an airtight container, without toppings, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Can you freeze tortilla soup? – You definitely can, but you need to make sure and not add the toppings before doing so. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating – Reheat using the stove or microwave.
  • Use tortilla chips instead of strips – If you don’t want to take the time and make tortilla strips, that’s perfectly ok. I like using the corn dippers from TJ’s, they’re amazing! However, any vegan-friendly tortilla chips will do the trick.
  • Make it creamy – Ladle about 1/3 of the soup (try to avoid the soy curls) into your blender and puree until silky smooth, then add it back into the pot with the rest of the soup. Give it a good stir.
  • Serving or topping suggestions – There are plenty of toppings to choose from. Some of my favorites are, sliced avocados, vegan sour cream, scallions, sliced green or red chili peppers, salsa fresca, fresh cilantro, corn, brown rice, quinoa, or homemade bread.
  • Save it for the next day – This soup is seriously the best once it’s been able to sit overnight. All the flavors marinate and get a chance to intermingle.
  • Soy curls substitute – Tofu or canned, green jackfruit work great for a protein replacer if need be.
  • Black beans substitute – If you’re not a fan of black beans, swap them out for lentils or chickpeas. Both should replace them well in flavor and thickness.
  • WFPB oil-free + Plantricious compliance – Use veggie broth from my Vegan Vegetable Noodle Soup Recipe or water instead of oil to be in compliance with these guidelines.

What to Serve with Tortilla Soup?

Tortilla soup is one of those dishes that pairs well with quite a few sides or can even act as a side itself. I love preparing some potato flatbread to go along with it. Some of my other favorite sides are Grilled Corn Tomato Avocado Salad, some Chunky Guacamole, Spinach Rice, and Roasted Cauliflower Steaks. Pretty much any cold salad, veggie side, crusty bread, crackers, chips, etc. will work great with this soup!

Soup Recipes

  • Vegan Zuppa Toscana
  • Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
  • Vegan Cabbage Stew
  • Red Lentil Stew
  • Smoky Vegan Black Bean Soup
  • Pinto Bean Soup
  • Spanish Vegetable Soup.

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe (7)

5 from 2 votes

Vegan Tortilla Soup

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe! A hearty soup loaded down with earthy spices such as coriander, cumin, and smoked paprika. Black beans and soy curls swim in a brothy pool, with all the flavor you can handle.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:25 minutes mins

Total Time:35 minutes mins

Ingredients

Toppings Suggestions:

  • sliced avocados, vegan sour cream, scallions, sliced green or red chili peppers, fresh cilantro, grilled corn, a scoop of brown rice or even quinoa or homemade bread.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Place the soy curls in a medium bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to soak for 20 minutes until rehydrated. Drain and wring out any excess water.

  • Sautee the onion, carrot and celery in a drop of olive oil (or water for a fat-free WFPB + Plantricious compliant recipe) over medium heat in a heavy- bottom pot until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook just until you can smell its fragrance.

  • Sprinkle in the spices (cumin, corriander, paprika, onion powder, chili powder an oregano) and give everything a good toss around the pan. Add the rehydrated soy curls, cooked beans and veggie stock or water and bring everything to a simmer.

  • Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes and nutritional yeast, cover with a lid and continue cooking for 20 minutes or so until both the soy curls and black beans are tender to your liking.

  • Season the soup to taste with sea salt and black pepper then squeeze in the juice from one juicy lime.

  • At this point if you wanna make a creamy soup you could ladle about 1/3 of the soup (try to avoid the soy curls) into your blender and puree until silky smooth then add it back into the pot with the rest of the soup.

  • Serving suggestions: sliced avocados, vegan sour cream, scallions, sliced green or red chili peppers, fresh cilantro, corn, a scoop pf brown rice or even quinoa or homemade bread.

  • To make tortilla strips simply slice the tortilla bread into thin strips and pan fry them in a little bit of oil until golden brown on both sides to your liking.

WFPB + Plantricious

  • To make the recipe oil-free and compliant simply sautee your aromatics in a little splash of water or veggie broth.

    Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe (8)

Notes

  • Storage - Store in an airtight container, without toppings, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Can you freeze tortilla soup? - You definitely can, but you need to make sure and not add the toppings before doing so. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating - Reheat using the stove or microwave.
  • Use tortilla chips instead of strips - If you don’t want to take the time and make tortilla strips, that’s perfectly ok. I like using the corn dippers from TJ’s, they’re amazing! However, any vegan-friendly tortilla chips will do the trick.
  • Make it creamy - Ladle about 1/3 of the soup (try to avoid the soy curls) into your blender and puree until silky smooth, then add it back into the pot with the rest of the soup. Give it a good stir and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2221IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 6mg

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: plant based, vegan recipes, vegan tortilla soup

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 222kcal

Author: Florentina

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use to thicken my tortilla soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

What is tortilla soup made of? ›

Chicken tortilla soup actually is an authentic Mexican dish. The traditional soup is made with chicken broth, tomatoes, garlic, onion, chiles, and fried tortilla strips. There are also variations of the soup, like ones that include beans.

What can I add to chicken tortilla soup to make it less spicy? ›

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a little vinegar can help cut through spiciness. Acidic foods tone down the spiciness in foods and can add some flavor, making this a good trick for seafood dishes or creamy soups and chowders.

Why is my tortilla soup watery? ›

Keep Simmering

Sometimes all your soup needs is a little more time on the stove. Allow your chicken tortilla soup to simmer uncovered for an extended period. The heat will help evaporate some of the liquid, naturally thickening the soup.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

What is the best ingredient to thicken soup? ›

About this method: One of the most common ways to thicken sauces and soups is with a starch-based slurry, and cornstarch is a popular choice. Cornstarch is flavorless, easy to mix up, and versatile, which makes it a go-to pantry ingredient.

What is the real name for tortilla soup? ›

Sopa Azteca — or its more familiar name here in the U.S., tortilla soup — is a pasilla chile- and tomato-based broth that is then tailored to individual tastes at the table with myriad options for garnishes, including crispy fried tortillas, chicken, avocado, chicharrones, cilantro, salsa and limes.

Why are tortillas vegan? ›

Yes, tortilla wraps are completely vegan-friendly. They're made from either wheat or corn flour, vegetable oil and salt. There was a stretch of time where lard was often included for mass production purposes, but thankfully for those of us on a plant-based diet, this is no longer in practice. Hungry for more?

Why is my chicken tortilla soup bland? ›

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Start with the basics. Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper.

How to tone down chicken tortilla soup? ›

Basically, there are two ways to reduce how spicy any soup is:
  1. Make more soup and dilute the spices.
  2. Add more starch and/or dairy to the existing soup.
Nov 8, 2018

How do you deepen chicken soup flavor? ›

Here are some ideas for imparting richer and more interesting flavors to soups.
  1. Good Stock - Usually you can buy good stock. ...
  2. Roasted Vegetables - Roasting vegetables intensifies their flavors and gives them depth. ...
  3. Alliums - Onions, leeks, shallots, or even garlic sweated until light golden.
Apr 5, 2022

What does cornstarch do in soup? ›

Cornstarch, or corn flour, can be used to thicken soup through its high starch content. Cornstarch is a great thickener for soup because only a little bit is needed to significantly thicken a soup, and it will not affect the flavor profile of the soup.

How to make tortilla soup less salty? ›

Add Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes will go even further because they add acidity while also diluting an oversalted soup. This method works especially well for soups that already have tomatoes on the ingredient list, such as minestrone, chili, or tortilla soup.

How can I add flavor to tasteless soup? ›

I'd use a base of onions, celery, and garlic. Then I would use spices and herbs to give the soup a specific flavor: an Italian spice mix, or a Mexican mix, or even a curry mix. I'd put in fresh seasonal vegetables and plenty of fresh-ground pepper. I might add a small can of salt-free tomato sauce or some coconut milk.

How to thicken tortilla soup without cornstarch? ›

Just mix one tablespoon softened butter with one tablespoon all-purpose flour. Stir the paste into a warm soup to add a luxurious mouthfeel. As the butter melts it disperses the flour into the soup and thickens it. Try one of these methods next time you end up with a pot of soup that needs a little something extra.

How do I thicken my taco soup? ›

If you're looking to upgrade your taco soup into a rich, creamy meal, you could turn to tried-and-true thickeners like cream cheese, heavy cream, flour, or corn starch.

What can you use instead of flour to thicken soup? ›

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

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