This easy vegetarian tortilla soup is filled with a hearty blend of beans, fire-roasted tomatoes and Mexican-inspired seasoning. Topped off with crunchy oven baked tortilla strips and avocado for a flavorful meatless meal in just over 30 minutes.
Ingredients
4smallcorn tortillas - cut into strips, can sub flour tortillas
3tablespoonsolive oil, divided
1small yellow onion, diced
4clovesgarlic, minced
1mediumred or green bell pepper, chopped
1jalapeño, minced
2teaspoonssmoked paprika
2teaspoons cumin
1teaspoonoregano
28ouncecan fire-roasted tomatoes
214-ouncecans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
14ouncecan black beans, drained and rinsed
3cupsvegetable stock
½ ouncedark chocolate, optional
1teaspoonsea salt, to taste
Avocado, fresh lime juice and cilantro , for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon of oil and a generous pinch of salt. Spread evenly on the baking sheet, being careful not to overcrowd. Bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.
4 small corn tortillas - cut into strips, 3 tablespoons olive oil
While the tortilla strips bake, make the soup. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. When shimmering, add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, and spices. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, until fragrant.
1 small yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 medium red or green bell pepper, 1 jalapeño, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano
Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and vegetable stock. Bring the pot to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the dark chocolate if using and season generously with salt, adding more to taste if needed.
28 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 14-ounce cans pinto beans, 14 ounce can black beans, 3 cups vegetable stock, ½ ounce dark chocolate, 1 teaspoon sea salt
To serve, divide the soup among bowls and top with tortilla strips, avocado, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Avocado, fresh lime juice and cilantro
Notes
Adding a few squares of dark chocolate make the broth rich and thick. It does contribute a slight bitterness, so maybe leave it out if you don't love the strong flavor of dark chocolate.If you don't want to make your own tortilla strips, use store-bought tortilla chips instead.