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–+ servings

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with White Beans

This thick and creamy tortilla soup with white beans is easy to make, delicious and nutritious, with so much potential for tasty fun toppings. It has an luxuriously thick texture from the tortillas and cream in the broth, and velvety soft white beans. This vegetarian soup is big flavor but can be as mild or spicy as you prefer.
4 meal sized portions
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
5 from 1 rating
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Ingredients

  • olive oil, for cooking
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 4 corn tortillas*, roughly chopped into small squares
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • 2 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika, or more chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 can diced green chiles, drained, not rinsed
  • 14 oz (400 g) canned diced tomatoes
  • 3.5 cups (800 ml) vegetable stock or broth
  • 2.5 cups (450 g) cooked white beans, if you're using canned, this is 2 cans worth
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy (double) cream
  • 2 tbsp cilantro (fresh coriander), finely chopped (stems and all)
  • 2-4 additional corn tortillas, cut into strips
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Recommended Toppings

  • grated cheese
  • quartered cherry tomatoes
  • cubed or sliced avocado
  • chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)
  • sour cream

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan or deep casserole dish, heat a little olive oil and saute the onion on a medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and mix for another minute or two until fragrant.
    1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add the fennel seeds. Mix through for about 30 seconds, until the scent fills the air.
    1 tsp fennel seeds
  • Add a little more oil in the pan if it's starting to dry out, then add the roughly chopped tortillas (NOT the strips - save these for later) and the remaining dried spices. Mix through until everything is well coated and the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute, then move on quickly to the next step.
    4 corn tortillas*, 2 tsp ancho chili powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander
  • Add the white beans and the drained green chili. Mix through.
    2.5 cups cooked white beans, 1 can diced green chiles
  • Add the canned tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook, partially covered, for 20-30 minutes, or until the tortillas have broken up and disintegrated into the soup. Stir regularly. You can use a potato masher to encourage the tortillas and some of the beans to break up too - this will contribute to a creamier texture.
    14 oz canned diced tomatoes, 3.5 cups vegetable stock or broth
  • While the soup is simmering, lightly fry your tortilla strips until they are just crisping up. Place on a paper towel and set aside until it's time to serve.
    2-4 additional corn tortillas
  • Once the soup has achieved the right texture, taste it and add more salt and pepper if you wish.
  • Remove from the heat, and add the cream and cilantro to the soup. Stir through.
    1/3 cup heavy (double) cream, 2 tbsp cilantro (fresh coriander)
  • Serve with the crispy tortillas and lime wedges to top, plus any additional toppings you want to use.
    1 lime

Notes

*Corn tortillas can be white or yellow, 5-6 inch size. Scale up or down if you are using different sizes!
Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
Course: Soup
Calories: 468kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 1121mg, Potassium: 883mg, Fiber: 18g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1461IU, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 204mg, Iron: 6mg