There are many variations on tortilla soup, a southwestern classic. The common denominator is a crisp corn tortilla garnish. This veggie-filled rendition is a light and pleasant way to begin a meal with a southwestern theme — try it with vegan quesadillas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
Tortilla Soup
Author: Nava
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Southwestern
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
There are many variations on tortilla soup, a southwestern classic. The common denominator is a crisp corn tortilla garnish.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ medium green bell pepper, finely diced
- ½ cup quinoa
- 32-ounce carton vegetable broth
- 6 corn tortillas
- 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, diced
- 14- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (try fire-roasted)
- 1 to 2 small hot fresh chili peppers, seeded and minced, or one 4- or 8- ounce can chopped mild green chiles
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until they are golden.
- Add the bell pepper, quinoa, and broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and cover. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the tortillas into strips about ½ inch wide by 1½ inches long. Heat a large skillet (spray with a little cooking oil spray or wipe it down with a little olive oil) and add the tortilla strips. Toast on the skillet over medium-high heat, turning frequently, until dry and crisp, then remove to a plate to cool.
- Stir the squash, tomatoes, chiles, cumin, and oregano into the soup.
- Continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quinoa and squash are tender. Season with salt and pepper. If you wish, let the soup stand for an hour or two before serving, then heat through when needed.
- When ready to serve, divide about half of the tortilla strips among 6 serving bowls and ladle some soup into each. Garnish each serving with the remaining tortilla strips. Serve at once.
Nutrition information
Per serving: Calories: 117; Total fat: 3g; Protein: 3g; Fiber: 3.2g; Carbs: 19g; Sodium: 141mg
- Explore other delicious vegan soup recipes here at Soulful Soups.
4 Comments
Fred Rickson
October 10, 2014 at 11:09 amTo make a truly great stock, as opposed to a weeknight quickly, cook the veggies for 2-3 hours, and throw out the chunks. In a stock (or broth) you want the flavor, not the residue. Try it, and then add new vegetables….there is a world of difference in the final product.
Nava
October 10, 2014 at 8:59 pmThanks for the suggestion, Fred!
Paul
January 14, 2017 at 9:59 amDirection #2 says, “add A bouillon cube” but it’s not mentioned in list of ingredients. Any special type of cube?
Nava
January 14, 2017 at 11:16 amHi Paul, ignore that — I took out the bouillon cube from the ingredient list when I replaced water with broth; I just updated the instructions, but the update will take a few hours to show up. In the meantime, if you make the soup, I hope you enjoy it! And thanks for the eagle eye.