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Swap the chicken for quinoa in this healthy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Recipe! Quinoa is high in fiber and protein and makes a great non-meat alternative in this spicy Mexican soup.
If you’ve been a blog reader for awhile, you know I’m a soup lover. A few years ago, I shared a new soup recipe every single Sunday. If that isn’t commitment, I don’t know what is. I love soups because they’re amazing for meal prep! Make a big batch of this vegetarian tortilla soup recipe on the weekend and enjoy all week long.
I also believe that soups are one of the easiest recipes to make for people of any cooking level. Mostly because you really can’t go wrong. Even if the measurements aren’t 100% perfect, there’s a pretty good chance your soup will turn out anyway… unless you accidentally add cinnamon instead of cumin – been there…done that!
Here’s What You Need:
This vegetarian tortilla soup recipe is actually super easy to make and uses fresh ingredients mixed with pantry staples:
- olive oil
- vegetables – yellow onion, garlic cloves and a bell pepper.
- pantry staples – diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, diced green chiles, white quinoa, black beans and corn kernels.
- seasonings and spices – chili powder, cumin, sea salt and pepper.
- lime juice
- fresh cilantro
- corn tortillas – for making crispy tortilla strips
- optional toppings – avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro or green onion.
Why quinoa?
I love using quinoa in vegetarian and vegetarian dishes because it’s an amazing source of plant-based protein! It contains all nine essential amino acids and adds a hearty texture to the soup. I always try to get a mix of protein, fiber and fat in my meals and this soup packs in all three thanks to the vegetables, quinoa and beans, and avocado.
Make This Soup Your Own
If you’re like me, you’ve been auditing your pantry and trying to meal plan from what you have! I want to encourage you to get creative in the kitchen and make this soup your own! Here are a few suggestions:
- Use whatever canned beans you have – don’t let a lack of black beans confine you
- No vegetable stock? Replace with water or any kind of stock
- Throw in whatever veggies you have – seriously! This soup is super forgiving.
- No tortillas? Just use whatever chips you have on hand or skip them entirely
Feel free to get creative! That’s what cooking is about.
PrintVegetarian Tortilla Soup Recipe
Swap the chicken for quinoa in this healthy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Recipe! Quinoa is high in fiber and protein and makes a great non-meat alternative in this spicy Mexican soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 bowls 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 1 4 ounce can of diced green chilis
- 3/4 cup white quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- juice, 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- optional: 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more for extra spicy
- 6 corn tortillas (if making tortilla crisps)
- Top with: avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro, green onion, or toppings of choice
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil.
- Add in yellow onion and saute until translucent (about 3-4 mins).
- Add in garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add in bell pepper and cook for another minute.
- Top with diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, green chilis, quinoa, black beans and corn.
- Add in spices and bring soup to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover with lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove lid and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
- Top with lime juice, cilantro and cayenne if using.
- Add to bowls and sprinkle with toppings of choice.
*For Homemade Tortilla Crisps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice corn tortillas in half and then into thin crisps.
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 mins or until browned.
- Sprinkle on soup or store in a paper bag on counter top for several days.
Like this recipe? Here are other soup recipes you might enjoy:
Meal prepped and froze this recipe for my dad who’s going through cancer treatment – for the days when he’s too tired to cook. He loves it and I’m so grateful that I had something simple and easy to make for him.
I am so glad! Sending love and well wishes to you and your dad <3
I have this soup simmering right now. We love vegetarian anything’s. This is a good find. Can’t wait to serve it up! Thank you!
So happy to hear that! Enjoy!
I love this recipe! With everything going on right now, I can’t find quinoa. Can I sub rice for the quinoa? If so, how much should I use? Thank you!!
Yes! I’d recommend 3/4 of a cup of rice in place of quinoa. Enjoy!
Nice recipe. I would like to try this. It looks tempting. Thanks
This recipe used to include green onions but it appears to have changed. Am I right?
I make this as a staple in my house and today after making it I realized something was missing! Green onions. I swear the recipe used to list green onions… and today I felt it was lacking without them (but still really great).
Why the reason for the change? You can see green onions in your soup photos even.
I will modify to add green onions going forward =) My husband says this is my best dish and always asks for it!
Hey there! Nope, no changes to the recipe! The green onions were just used as a topping (it’s still there under toppings!). Feel free to modify and use green onions instead of yellow. Love that you’re making the recipe your own. That’s what it’s all about! Happy cooking 🙂