There are few things I enjoy more in this world than soup. I love everything about it – it’s a versatile base for a handful of dishes, it’s incredibly delicious, it’s beautiful to look at, and it’s both easy and inexpensive to prepare. What more could you ask for?
It’s also incredibly convenient to have around when the weather starts to change from unbearably hot to bone-shivering cold…goodbye gazpacho, hello hearty stews! It’s finally winter, and that means one thing: it’s finally soup season. How cozy!
There’s a wide array of soup varieties in this world and so far, there hasn't really been one I haven’t liked: cheddar broccoli, spicy chili, chicken noodle, hearty lentil, wonton dumpling, French onion, you name it – I love each and every one. Each soup holds a special place in my heart, but one in particular surpasses all the others – and that soup, ladies and gentlemen, is tortilla soup.
While there are dozens of recipes for tortilla soup out there, each recipe spotlights the same three components – a spicy broth as a base, with shredded cheese and crunchy tortilla chips as toppings. Everything in between varies per recipe; shredded chicken breast, sautéed veggies, tangy sour cream, and even penne pasta has made an appearance in some of the bowls I’ve tried in the past.
Today my tortilla soup bowls are prepared a little differently than they were before. In my attempt to make it vegan without missing out on any of the flavor or heartiness, I’ve recreated this recipe without the chicken, and instead substitute beans for a filling and delicious source of protein. Along with sautéed zucchini and red peppers, crunchy tortilla chips, juicy yellow corn, hearty crushed tomatoes, spicy cumin, cayenne pepper, and tangy vegan sour cream, this recipe provides an amazing combination of flavors and textures that leaves you wanting more after every bowl.
To be quite honest, you may not even get through one bowl before you find yourself wanting more. There’s a system to eating tortilla soup that I essentially follow to a “T” every time:
- Pour large bowl of soup.
- Garnish with handfuls of tortilla chips, avocado, and cheese.
- Quickly scarf down top half of the bowl.
- Add more toppings to the remainder of the soup in the bowl.
- Consume the remaining contents of bowl.
- Repeat.
Don’t believe me? Try it out for yourself and see. Trust me, you WON’T regret making this soup!
That is, until you find yourself completely addicted and making it once a week. Whoops? I’m sorry in advance.
Mexican Tortilla Soup
(serves 6)
This recipe is a vegan, gluten-free, soy-free variation of my favorite Mexican tortilla soup recipe. It contains an adequate amount of cayenne pepper for spiciness, but I tend to up it to about one full teaspoon for an extra kick! This recipe contains only beans as a source of protein, but to make this soup more authentic you could add about one to two cups of shredded Beyond Meat chicken strips to the pot when sautéing the vegetables. Meat eaters won’t know the difference! Serve with crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, vegan cheese, fresh lime, cilantro, and vegan sour cream as garnish. Since everyone likes different amounts of toppings, I don’t list a specific amount of each in the ingredient list. Add and top to taste – everyone’s bowls will be unique and delicious!
Ingredients:
- 2 zucchini
- 3 peppers (red, orange, or yellow)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil*
- 6 cups of vegetable broth
- 1 (28) oz. can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons of cumin
- ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 4 (15.5) oz. cans of cooked beans, rinsed**
- 2 (15.4) oz. can of yellow corn
- Tortilla chips (use gluten-free chips if needed)
Optional, but HIGHLY recommended:
- Vegan cheese, shredded
- Fresh lime
- Vegan sour cream
- Cilantro
- Avocado
Instructions:
1. Wash peppers and zucchini. Peel zucchini and chop vegetables into desired size; I tend to dice my zucchini into very small pieces no bigger than a bean, and julienne my peppers into thin strips (this is my personal preference, though if you prefer a chunkier soup, go for it!).
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add peppers and zucchini to pot and sauté until softened, about 5-6 minutes, stirring every few minutes or so.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, cumin, cayenne pepper, beans, and corn to the pot. Stir together to incorporate all ingredients. Raise heat to from medium-high to high. Bring soup to a boil.
4. Once the soup has come to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer. If you prefer a soup with a thinner broth, simmer for about 15-20 minutes; if you prefer a thicker broth, simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring every so often. When finished simmering, remove from heat.
5. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with tortilla chips, cheese, fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and fresh lime juice as desired. Lick bowl clean. Repeat. Enjoy!
* To make this recipe oil-free and 801010 friendly, I’ve tried using water instead of oil to cook the vegetables and it works just as well, but requires more cooking time and more frequent stirring. It’s definitely doable!
** While not necessary, I enjoy using a variety of beans in the soup. For my personal favorite combination, I’ll typically add two cans of black beans, one can of pinto beans, and one can of kidney beans. Yum!
I personally like to have the bag of tortilla chips and vegan cheese handy in front of me to add more as I go along, but that’s just me. ☺
My whole family enjoys this soup, and I hope yours will, too. It’s not too spicy, but definitely spicy and hearty enough to warm you up from the inside out. It makes the transition from summer to fall that much more exciting and definitely a lot more bearable. I’ve made this recipe countless times and it never fails to exceed my expectations for a great meal!
Thanks for stopping by!
- The Friendly Foodie ♥
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