This vegan tortilla soup is a wonderful weeknight dinner which is hearty, flavorful, and spicy! The recipe is healthy and easy to make with simple ingredients. Topped with crispy homemade tortilla strips which will make your mouth water!
Healthy Vegan Tortilla Soup
I really love soup but what I love even more is crispy tortilla chips! So, of course, I had to make a healthy vegan tortilla soup with homemade tortilla chips/strips! It’s probably my favorite soup right now, even though I still adore my creamy pasta soup!
Why do I love this tortilla soup?
- It’s 100% vegan, no need to add chicken.
- The soup is flavorful, spicy, and comforting.
- The recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients.
How To Make A Vegan Tortilla Soup?
You can easily make this vegan tortilla soup in one pot on the stovetop.
- First, chop the onion, garlic, jalapeño and sauté everything in a large pot over medium heat.
- Next, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, all condiments, the vegetable broth, and plant-based milk. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender (don’t overfill the container and be careful not to burn yourself while blending).
- Add all your favorite toppings and the homemade (or store-bought) tortilla chips and enjoy!
Another possibility would be to make the recipe in a crockpot/slow cooker. Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for about 4-6 hours. I haven’t tried making the soup in an Instant Pot yet.
What Is Tortilla Soup Made Of?
Classic tortilla soup is made with chicken (or tomato) broth. It usually contains ingredients like onion, garlic, chiles, black beans, and corn. It’s topped with crispy fried tortilla strips, avocado, sour cream and sometimes cheese.
The ingredients for my recipe are simple and easily available in most stores. You will need the following:
- Onion and garlic
- Diced tomatoes and tomato paste
- Different condiments
- Sweetener
- Vegetable broth
- Plant-based milk (or more veggie broth)
- Black beans
- Corn
- Corn tortillas
What Goes With Tortilla Soup For Dinner?
Sometimes I serve the soup with turmeric rice on the side or make wraps with my homemade tortillas.
You can also serve the tortilla soup with toasted tortillas or bread.
How to toast tortillas? I prefer to use my gas stove and the easiest method is this: Simply place a tortilla directly on the burner (lowest heat), and flip with a tong after 15-20 seconds. Watch carefully as you don’t want to burn the tortillas.
You can also toast tortillas in a non-stick pan (without oil) until nicely browned on the edges.
How To Make Homemade Tortilla Chips?
It’s actually super easy to make homemade tortilla chips resp. strips! All you need is a few ingredients and an oven or a pan! As a side note, it’s best to use corn tortillas and not flour tortillas.
Mix the condiments together in a small bowl and brush the tortillas with it (from both sides). Cut into strips, spread on a lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
You can also fry the tortilla strips in a pan/skillet but you will need way more oil! Simply cover the bottom of a skillet with oil and heat it up. Then add the tortilla strips in a single layer (not overlapping). Fry from both sides until crispy!
This is what you will need for the homemade tortilla strips:
- Corn tortillas
Condiments:
- Smoked paprika
- Oil
- Soy sauce
You Will Love This Vegan Tortilla Soup, Because It’s:
- Spicy
- Satisfying
- Hearty
- Comforting
- Meat-free
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Low-fat
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
Helpful Tips For This Vegan Tortilla Soup
- Make the tortilla soup in a crockpot/slow cooker (cook on low for 4-6 hours).
- Double the batch and store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Use store-bought tortilla chips instead of homemade.
- Beside black beans and grilled corn, I love to add avocado and lime wedges for serving
Should you recreate this healthy taco soup, please leave a comment and rating below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your remakes! 🙂 If you love Mexican (or Tex Mex) dishes definitely also check out the following recipes:
- Homemade Gluten-Free Tortillas
- Lentil Enchiladas
- Breakfast Burritos
- Taco Cups
- Black Bean Quesadillas
- Spinach Quesadillas with Eggplant
- Oven Roasted Vegetable Fajitas

Vegan Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
Tortilla Soup
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 jalapeño diced*
- One 14-ounce pack (400 g) diced tomatoes (or use fresh tomatoes)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce gluten-free if needed
- 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) plant-based milk or more vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup corn (fried)**
- One 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado chopped (optional)
- Fresh herbs (e.g. cilantro) to garnish
Homemade Tortilla Strips
- 4 corn tortillas
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce gluten-free if needed
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion, jalapeño, and garlic over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, all condiments, the vegetable broth, and plant-based milk (or use more vegetable broth) and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the homemade tortilla strips (skip this step if you are using store-bought tortilla chips). Preheat oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix oil, soy sauce, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Brush tortilla chips with the mixture from both sides (if you use more tortillas you will need to make more "sauce"). Cut tortillas into strips and arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer it to a blender (don't overfill the container and be careful not to burn yourself) and blend until smooth.
- Serve soup in a bowl, add fried corn, black beans, avocado (if using), fresh herbs, and the homemade (or store-bought) tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Notes
- *You can also use 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce instead of the jalapeño.
- **I prefer to fry the corn in a skillet (with a little oil) before serving. You can also fry the black beans in the same pan.
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
I made this for 8 peop[e, 4 of whom were kids and we all devoured it! I am pulling up this recipe to make again today (Cinco De Mayo) and I want to say there was once cocoa powder in this recipe? I remember adding it in and thinking it was strange, but it tasted delicious. If I want to add that in again this time, about how much would you say?
Thanks!
Hi Whitney, I really can’t remember that I ever added cocoa powder. Maybe it was a different recipe?
If we use a crockpot do we still follow instruction 1. 2. and 4. or can we just throw all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook?
Hi Michelle, I would throw all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook. 🙂
Delicious! I’be added a little more almond milk to make it creamier.
I am glad it turned out delicious. 🙂
You did it again, Ela! This soup is an absolute winner! Thank you for sharing this simple yet amazingly tasty recipe 🙂
My pleasure Gretchen! I am glad you like this tortilla soup. 🙂
Perfect for cold winter evenings. Made it before but will make it tonight as well. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome, Ildi! I am glad you like this tortilla soup. 🙂
If I can’t stand vegetable broth would the no chicken chicken broth base be okay?
I don’t know this brand but it should be fine! 🙂
I love the way you describe all of your ingredients and recipes. They not only look delicious they are healthy. And that’s an issue I have with vegetarian food sometimes, that it doesn’t look tasty but yours does. I Definitely going to try your recipes. Thank you for sharing them.?
I meant vegan food.?
Aww, thanks for the compliment, Andrea! I hope you will like my recipes. ?
I’ve never hear about tortilla soup! This one look so delicious! ?
Thank you, Luiza! I hope you will give it a try. ?
This soup looks so delicious ? love that you made your own tortilla chips too! Wanna make a big batch for the weekend ?❤️
Thank you, Bianca! I hope you will love the tortilla soup as much as I do. ❤️