Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with Homemade Chips

This is such a great summer or late summer soup for cooler days. Usually made with chicken, this vegetarian tortilla soup relies on beans for protein and heft instead, so it’s nice and light but still filling. In-season produce keeps it feeling fresh and (homemade or not) tortilla chips add some extra texture.

A few elements really improve this soup. Using tomato paste and caramelising it properly, cooking the onion and pepper until soft and sweet, and adding fresh herbs and toppings all make a big difference. While it is optional to make your own tortilla chips – and I only do it when I have leftover spelt tortillas – the soup is infinitely better topped with chips whether they’re homemade or store-bought.

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Ingredients You’ll Need and Why

It might seem like a lot, but the basics are onion and garlic, a red pepper, beans, tomatoes, broth and corn. I’ve outlined individual spices for this recipe but you can use chili powder (see below) instead if preferred. These are my notes from recipe testing and you can find the full recipe card with complete measurements and instructions below.

• Onion: a larger onion is best to make a good flavourful base. I usually use yellow onions (they’re cheaper) but red or white are also fine.
• Red pepper: substitute a yellow, orange, or even green pepper if preferred. Red is simply fully ripe and has the most developed flavour as well as being sweeter.
• Beans: a mix of beans makes for some textural variation. If needed use all black or kidney beans instead. This is equivalent to two 400ml (13.5 oz.) cans. Pinto beans are a good substitution.
• Hot pepper: replace with dried hot pepper flakes if you’d like or omit the hot pepper if you don’t want any added heat. How hot the soup turns out will depend on the type of hot pepper you use.
• Tomatoes: use canned diced tomatoes. In a pinch I often use whole tomatoes and cut them into smaller pieces with scissors while they’re still in the can. If you have fresh tomatoes you can use an equivalent weight of fresh – roma are best.
• Tomato paste: a little tomato paste makes a real difference in the depth of flavour and it’s definitely something you should have on hand. Tomato paste should always be cooked to avoid a metallic, mineral flavour.
• Vegetable broth: while I often tell you that water is fine and you don’t really need broth if you season correctly, this is a soup where a good vegetable broth can make a difference. It will still be good with water and enough salt, but broth helps.
• Corn: use frozen or fresh. Canned corn works in a pinch but it does have a chewier, softer texture that can be a little unpleasant.
• Lemon: substitute lime if you can get it. I often can’t find limes and try to only buy European produce so I usually use lemon instead.
• Spices: adjust to your personal taste as needed. Substitute 2 teaspoons chili powder (for making chili, not from hot peppers) to replace the spices if you don’t have them all individually.
• Herbs: use parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro) to stir into the soup and as a topping.
• Tortillas: pictured are day-old whole grain spelt tortillas, and instructions are given in the recipe card on toasting them to make your own baked tortilla chips to top the soup with. Unless you have leftover tortillas, though, definitely skip this step and use store-bought tortilla chips. It is a great way to use leftovers if you have them. Use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option.

How to Make Tortilla Soup

It’s a pretty quick and easy soup, and you have time to prep the other ingredients while the onions and red pepper are cooking. Stick to the cooking times outlined for the best flavour – don’t try to rush it.

Step 1: cook the onion and red pepper for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should be soft and fragrant when cooked, but not significantly browned. Reduce the heat and add a splash of water if needed to prevent sticking.

Step 2: add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes. The tomato paste should turn a deep brick red colour when it’s caramelised and might stick slightly to the bottom of the pot (this will lift when the broth is added). Stir in the spices.

Step 3: add the tomatoes, broth, and beans. Cook for another 20 minutes, covered. All of the ingredients are cooked at this point but simmering now will develop flavour.

Step 4: stir in the corn and parsley. Taste and season as needed. Serve with the tortilla chips (see below) and any other toppings. I recommend lemon or lime, avocado, pickled red onions, and yogurt or sour cream.

Step 5: cut leftover tortillas into strips and mix with oil and salt on a lined baked sheet. Make sure to toss very well so that they’re evenly coated with the oil. This is best with one- or two-day-old tortillas that are a little stale. Corn tortillas are even better but I make spelt tortillas much more often.

Step 6: bake until crisp, about ten minutes, and serve immediately. Corn tortillas will stay crisp longer than flour tortillas, but either way they’re baked while the soup is cooking and will be ready to serve when the soup is.

Expert Tips for the Tastiest Soup

• Season to taste: you’re not bad at making soup, you’re just not tasting it enough. Don’t only add more salt as needed, but also add an extra squeeze of lemon or lime juice if it tastes a little flat.
• Don’t skip cooking the tomato paste: if you forgot to cook it before adding the broth, you’re better off leaving it out. Don’t add tomato paste to soup after the fact!
• Bake the tortillas while the soup is cooking: you want the chips to be fresh. The soup needs 20 minutes to simmer, just the right amount of time to prep and bake the tortilla chips.
• Drain and rinse the beans: if you’re using canned beans, the liquid surrounding the beans in the can should (almost) always be drained off and the beans rinsed well in a colander.