When you see a bowl of tortilla soup, the natural response is to devour it. This is completely out of your control because the aroma enchants you, luring you towards the bottom of the bowl, bite by bite. It’s a fairly easy dish to create, and allowing it to cook for a longer time over low heat will only enhance the flavor. If you prefer a soup that has a thinner consistency, you can always add more vegetable broth. Otherwise, this soup will be a little chunky!
The first step for creating this soup is sautéing the onion, garlic, and jalapeño in a large stockpot. Don’t overcook these ingredients; rather, allow them to become translucent and quite fragrant. You may need to turn stove’s vent on high in order to suck up the intense aroma from the jalapeños. Once this trio is sautéed and fragrant, add in the remaining ingredients and bring the liquid to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer and let the flavors intensify for about 15 minutes. Should you want to develop some richer flavors, you can allow the soup to simmer for a longer time.
The great thing about this recipe is it doesn’t take very long to create a flavorful dish. This soup has wonderful flavor combinations, but it’s important for you to taste throughout the cooking process. Adding a little sea salt here or cumin there may prove necessary, especially if you have a specific idea of how you want the soup to taste. Once the soup finishes cooking, ladle it into bowls and prepare to top it with your desired ingredients. Diced avocado, onion, and chopped cilantro make great toppings, in addition to a fresh lime wedge and tortilla strips.
- Prep Time:10m
- Cook Time:20m
- Total Time:30m
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Soups & Stews, Entrees, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 c vegetable stock
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- sea salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 c cilantro, finely chopped
- juice from 1 lime
Optional Toppings
- avocado, cubed
- chopped cilantro
- tortillas, crisped and cut into strips
- chopped onion
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds.
- Add in the onion and sauté until translucent, and then add the chopped garlic. Continue cooking for about 30 seconds and then add the diced jalapeño. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Pour the black beans, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable stock into the pot and stir to combine. Season with the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and sea salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine.
- Reduce the temperature to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to intensify. Make sure to stir every now and again and taste to ensure it exhibits the flavor profile you want.
- In the last couple minutes of cooking, add the cilantro and lime juice and mix well. Remove from heat and get ready to serve.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your optional toppings. Enjoy!
