Vegan tortilla soup

I love soups. Well, actually I love anything that comes in a bowl. And there’s nothing I like more than a soup you can make, freeze, and eat for weeks without getting bored of it. I made a vegan version of tortilla soup and then ate it a number of different ways – some non-vegan ways that included cheese, and other more filling variations like pouring it over rice.

I started with a good bounty of fresh veggies…

 

And then here’s what I did to make the soup:

 

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp ground cumin
• One can of corn, drained and rinsed
• One 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can chopped green chilis, drained
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• One can black beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Crushed red chili pepper, to taste
• Fresh lime juice, to taste
• Cheese (optional)
• Chopped avocado
• Chips (optional)
• Brown rice (optional)
• Cilantro, for garnish
• Chips (optional)

In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes.. Meanwhile, chop your veggies. Add the veggies into the pot and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add in the crushed tomatoes, green chilis, cumin, broth, and a little fresh lime juice. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes. Stir in beans, corn and additional lime juice (to taste) before serving. Add cilantro, avocado slices and chips and enjoy!

To spice it up or make different variations, top with cheese! Or pour it over chips and top with cheese to make tortilla soup nachos. Pour over brown rice to make a mexican inspired rice bowl.

This recipe makes quite a bit of soup so you can either eat it within 5 days or freeze some of it for about a month or so.