Oct 25, 2022
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This veggie tortilla soup is perfect for days when you want a simple, flavorful meal that’s also delicious.
Filled with chipotle flavors, this soup will help you up your vegetable intake with this easy-to-make nutritious soup.
Tortilla Soup with Vegetables
This simple one-pot soup proves that you can combine simple ingredients and infuse them with flavor. The soup base uses chipotle peppers in adobo to add loads of authentic depth of flavor.
To bulk it up, we add black beans paired with the rest of the veggies is the perfect way to add fiber and protein while filling everyone’s bellies.
This is the perfect weeknight meal because it’s quick to make, and it makes a large enough batch to have leftovers that taste great the next day. Talk about a great way to meal prep for the week!
Ingredients
This recipe is all about flavor, texture… and more flavor! Veggies, aromatics, and tortillas come together to deliver an amazingly tasty soup.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy vegetable tortilla soup recipe:
- Oil: for cooking.
- Yellow onion: finely chopped. White onion also works.
- Garlic: minced garlic adds flavor and aroma.
- Jalapeño: adds a little heat!
- Salt & pepper: the classic duet for seasoning the soup.
- Chili powder: for flavor.
- Chipotles: you can use chipotles in adobo sauce or in pieces (from the can), chopped.
- Can crushed tomatoes: a delicious base for this soup.
- Vegetable broth: prefer low-sodium broth or stock.
- Water: to stretch the broth.
- Frozen corn kernels: thawed before adding them to the soup.
- Avocado: cut in cubes to top the soup.
- Cilantro: fresh and chopped to add more flavor. It’s optional, but it shouldn’t be!
- Lime: for a citrusy final touch.
- Corn tortillas: the stellar topping of this epic soup.
- Kosher salt: needed if you use the frying method to cook the tortillas.
As always, check the recipe card for the ingredient amounts and detailed cooking directions.
How to Make Tortilla Soup with Vegetables
You can make this tortilla soup in one large pot: just add the ingredients and cook. It’s that simple! Check out the step-by-step to make a perfect soup every time:
- Cook the aromatics
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and stir for a minute to toast the spice. - Add chipotles & tomatoes
Add the chipotles in adobo (sauce or chopped) and crushed tomatoes and stir while cooking for about 3 minutes until they come to a simmer. - Add the liquid
Once simmering, add the vegetable broth, corn, and water. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Continue cooking for 20 minutes. - Top & Serve
To serve, squeeze 1 to 2 lime wedges over the soup, place a handful of tortilla strips over the soup, and submerge with a spoon to soften up. Top with chopped cilantro and fresh avocado pieces. Enjoy!
How to Thicken Tortilla Soup
To thicken tortilla soup, you can make a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch + 1 tablespoon of cold water into a small dish, mix it, and dump the slurry into the soup. Heat it up, and within a few minutes of simmering, the soup will thicken up.
How to Make Tortilla Strips for Veggie Tortilla Soup
You can make tortilla strips for this veggie soup by frying or baking them. Both methods work well, so choose the one you prefer!
Frying method
- Heat oil to 375F in a large cast-iron or stainless-steel pot.
- Once hot, fry tortilla strips in batches until light golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
- With a frying ladler (skimmer), remove the tortillas from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Season with salt while slightly hot.
- Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.
Oven method
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (optional, for easy cleanup).
- Place the corn tortilla strips on the baking sheet, drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil over the top (if using oil spray, be generous, what you don’t spray won’t crisp as much), and toss with your hands to coat.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, removing the baking sheet and stirring the strips halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and set aside for serving.
What to Serve with Veggie Tortilla Soup
Even though this tortilla soup recipe can be a meal on its own, you can easily pair it up with a few side dish options and stretch it to serve more people. Try pairing this soup with:
Vegetable Tortilla Soup Toppings
A couple of soup toppings go a long way to make a bowl feel a little extra special. Try topping your soup with:
- Shredded cheese
- Pico de Gallo
- Spicy Guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
- Caramelized onions
- Sliced avocado
Make-Ahead Tips
If you want to meal prep a bit, go for it! You can make this simple soup a day ahead of time and have it stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When it’s time to serve, just put it back into a pan on the stovetop and warm it up.
If you want to make it further than a day in advance, cook it and then store it in a freezer-safe container. You can freeze this soup recipe for up to 3-4 months! Move it to the fridge to thaw, and then reheat it on the stove when ready to eat.
Veggie Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- ¼ cup chipotles in adobo sauce from the can or
- 2 chipotles in adobo chopped
- 28 ounce canned crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels thawed
- 1 avocado pitted and cut
- ½ bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 lime sliced in wedges
For the tortillas:
- 2 cups vegetable oil if frying
- 6 small corn tortillas cut into ¼-inch strips
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and stir for a minute to toast the spice.
- Add the chipotles in adobo (sauce or chopped) and crushed tomatoes and stir while cooking for about 3 minutes until they come to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add the vegetable broth, corn, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
- To serve, squeeze 1 to 2 lime wedges over the soup, place a handful of tortilla strips over the soup, submerge with a spoon to soften up, top with chopped cilantro and fresh avocado pieces.
The tortillas:
- Frying method: Heat oil to 375F in a large cast-iron or stainless-steel pot. Once hot, working in batches, fry tortilla strips until light golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. With a frying ladler (skimmer) remove the tortillas from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt while slightly hot. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.
- Oven method: Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (optional, for easy cleanup). Place the corn tortilla strips on the baking sheet, drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil over the top (if using oil spray, be generous, what you don't spray won't crisp as much), and toss with your hands to coat. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, removing the baking sheet and stirring the strips halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside for serving.
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