Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (2024)

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5 from 7 votes

This vegan tortilla soup is a wonderful weeknight dinner which is hearty, flavorful, and spicy! The recipe is healthy and easy to make with simple ingredients. Topped with crispy homemade tortilla strips which will make your mouth water!

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (1)

Healthy Vegan Tortilla Soup

I really love soup but what I love even more is crispy tortilla chips! So, of course, I had to make a healthy vegan tortilla soup with homemade tortilla chips/strips! It’s probably my favorite soup right now, even though I still adore my creamy pasta soup!

Why do I love this tortilla soup?

  1. It’s 100% vegan, no need to add chicken.
  2. The soup is flavorful, spicy, and comforting.
  3. The recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients.

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (2)

How To Make A Vegan Tortilla Soup?

You can easily make this vegan tortilla soup in one pot on the stovetop.

  • First, chop the onion, garlic, jalapeño and sauté everything in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Next, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, all condiments, the vegetable broth, and plant-based milk. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
  • Blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender (don’t overfill the container and be careful not to burn yourself while blending).
  • Add all your favorite toppings and the homemade (or store-bought) tortilla chips and enjoy!

Another possibility would be to make the recipe in a crockpot/slow cooker. Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for about 4-6 hours. I haven’t tried making the soup in an Instant Pot yet.

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (3)

What Is Tortilla Soup Made Of?

Classic tortilla soup is made with chicken (or tomato) broth. It usually contains ingredients like onion, garlic, chiles, black beans, and corn. It’s topped with crispy fried tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream and sometimes cheese.

The ingredients for my recipe are simple and easily available in most stores. You will need the following:

  • Onion and garlic
  • Diced tomatoes and tomato paste
  • Different condiments
  • Sweetener
  • Vegetable broth
  • Plant-based milk (or more veggie broth)
  • Black beans
  • Corn
  • Corn tortillas

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (4)

What Goes With Tortilla Soup For Dinner?

Sometimes I serve the soup with turmeric rice on the side or make wraps with my homemade tortillas.

You can also serve the tortilla soup with toasted tortillas or bread.

How to toast tortillas? I prefer to use my gas stove and the easiest method is this: Simply place a tortilla directly on the burner (lowest heat), and flip with a tong after 15-20 seconds. Watch carefully as you don’t want to burn the tortillas.

You can also toast tortillas in a non-stick pan (without oil) until nicely browned on the edges.

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (5)

How To Make Homemade Tortilla Chips?

It’s actually super easy to make homemade tortilla chips resp. strips! All you need is a few ingredients and an oven or a pan! As a side note, it’s best to use corn tortillas and not flour tortillas.

Mix the condiments together in a small bowl and brush the tortillas with it (from both sides). Cut into strips, spread on a lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

You can also fry the tortilla strips in a pan/skillet but you will need way more oil! Simply cover the bottom of a skillet with oil and heat it up. Then add the tortilla strips in a single layer (not overlapping). Fry from both sides until crispy!

This is what you will need for the homemade tortilla strips:

  • Corn tortillas

Condiments:

  • Smoked paprika
  • Oil
  • Soy sauce

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (6)

You Will Love This Vegan Tortilla Soup, Because It’s:

  • Spicy
  • Satisfying
  • Hearty
  • Comforting
  • Meat-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Low-fat
  • Easy to make with simple ingredients

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (7)

Helpful Tips For This Vegan Tortilla Soup

  1. Make the tortilla soup in a crockpot/slow cooker (cook on low for 4-6 hours).
  2. Double the batch and store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  3. Use store-bought tortilla chips instead of homemade.
  4. Beside black beans and grilled corn, I love to add avocado and lime wedges for serving

Should you recreate this healthy taco soup, please leave a comment and rating below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your remakes! 🙂 If you love Mexican (or Tex Mex) dishes definitely also check out the following recipes:

  • Homemade Gluten-Free Tortillas
  • Lentil Enchiladas
  • Breakfast Burritos
  • Taco Cups
  • Black Bean Quesadillas
  • Spinach Quesadillas with Eggplant
  • Oven Roasted Vegetable Fajitas

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (9)

Vegan Tortilla Soup

Author: Michaela Vais

This vegan tortilla soup is a wonderful weeknight dinner which is hearty, flavorful, and spicy! The recipe is healthy and easy to make with simple ingredients. Topped with crispy homemade tortilla strips which will make your mouth water!

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 283 kcal

Ingredients

Tortilla Soup

Homemade Tortilla Strips

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion, jalapeño, and garlic over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

  • Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, all condiments, the vegetable broth, and plant-based milk (or use more vegetable broth) and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, prepare the homemade tortilla strips (skip this step if you are using store-bought tortilla chips). Preheat oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix oil, soy sauce, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Brush tortilla chips with the mixture from both sides (if you use more tortillas you will need to make more "sauce"). Cut tortillas into strips and arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

  • Blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer it to a blender (don't overfill the container and be careful not to burn yourself) and blend until smooth.

  • Serve soup in a bowl, add fried corn, black beans, avocado (if using), fresh herbs, and the homemade (or store-bought) tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Notes

  • *You can also use 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce instead of the jalapeño.
  • **I prefer to fry the corn in a skillet (with a little oil) before serving. You can also fry the black beans in the same pan.
  • Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Tortilla Soup

Amount per Serving

Calories

283

% Daily Value*

Fat

8.8

g

14

%

Carbohydrates

34

g

11

%

Fiber

10.7

g

43

%

Sugar

10.7

g

12

%

Protein

9.6

g

19

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically

Equipment

Blender*

Immersion blender*

Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (10) Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!

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Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe - Elavegan (2024)

FAQs

What can I use to thicken my tortilla soup? ›

Hi Tom, Sure, cornstarch will work. I'd mix it with some cold water and add it at the very end. You could also use fine cornmeal (or instant polenta), increase the amount of corn tortillas, or reduce the amount of broth to make the soup thicker. Enjoy!

Will corn tortillas dissolve in soup? ›

Corn tortillas, torn into small pieces, were used as the thickening agent. They thickened the soup beautifully and added a subtle, yet tasty addition to the soup. In case you are wondering, the tortillas simply 'dissolve' in the broth.

What is chicken 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.

How do you thicken taco soup? ›

One option is to add crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips to the soup. The chips will dissolve and create a thicker consistency. Another alternative is to use instant mashed potatoes. Simply sprinkle some into the soup and stir well, allowing it to thicken before serving.

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.

How do you thicken soup without cornstarch and flour? ›

Possibilities include cream, coconut milk, yogurt, or even pureed avocado. If you choose coconut milk, be aware that it will impart a sweet, coconut flavor, which might not be right for every soup. Yogurt will add tanginess.

How do you thicken soup with masa harina? ›

Masa harina is an especially effective thickener, so start with a small amount — say, 1 tablespoon each water and masa harina per 3 cups of chili. It can take a few moments for masa harina to work its magic, so let the chili simmer, stirring often, for about five minutes, and then check its consistency.

What does lard do in tortillas? ›

Baking powder: Baking powder acts as a leavener, giving the tortillas a slightly pillowy texture. Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor of the flour tortillas. Lard: Lard, a common baking ingredient in Mexican cuisine, adds flavor and helps create the perfect flour tortilla texture.

What country is tortilla soup from? ›

Although the exact origin of tortilla soup is unknown, it is known that it comes from the Mexico City area in Mexico. Traditional tortilla soup is made with chicken broth combined with roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, chiles and tortillas, cut into strips and fried.

What is the significance of tortilla soup? ›

Without a doubt the tortilla soup is one of the most representative dishes of the Mexican gastronomy. Its origin is attributed to the state of Tlaxcala (soil of maize) and the dish represents the fusion of the Prehispanic and Spanish cultures.

Is there milk in Chick Fil A tortilla soup? ›

Heads Up! The Chicken Noodle and Chicken Tortilla Soups at Chick-fil-A do contain milk.

How to add egg to soup without curdling? ›

Occasionally, a soup recipe will call for beaten eggs as a thickening agent. Both whole eggs and yolks can be used. To avoid curdling the eggs, start by drizzling about ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, stirring vigorously while you pour. Then add the egg mixture to the soup and cook until thickened.

How do you know when soup goes bad? ›

Check the smell: If the soup smells sour or has an off-putting odor, it's a sign that bacteria has started to grow and it's no longer safe to eat. Look for mold: If you see any mold growing on the surface of the soup, it's definitely time to throw it out.

What cream to add to soup? ›

Whole milk or half-and-half also thicken up the soup. I've even made it with half the amount (1/2 cup or 120ml) heavy cream in a pinch. (Add more chicken broth if you use heavy cream; see recipe Note.) Nice and thick, without being too heavy.

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 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.

How to thicken taco soup without cornstarch? ›

If I had made the soup and want it thicker, I would use a small skillet to melt 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 3 minutes or so over medium-low heat. I would add some of the roux to the soup as I whisk the part of the soup where the roux has been added.

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