Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with Black Beans and Avocado

Name: Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with Black Beans and Avocado
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 8 6-inch tortillas (200 g) corn tortillas, halved, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) avocado oil or neutral oil; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch pieces); 1 medium (130 g) poblano pepper, seeded and diced into ¼-inch pieces; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1 can (28 oz) (794 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices; 1 pepper plus 1 teaspoon sauce (20 g) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 lime); ½ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, tender stems included; 2 medium (300 g) ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and diced; 2 limes (130 g) limes, cut into 6 wedges; ½ cup (60 g) cotija or queso fresco, crumbled (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A smoky, brothy Mexican-style soup built on fire-roasted tomatoes, sautéed onion, garlic, chipotle and cumin, then loaded with black beans and topped with crisp baked tortilla strips, creamy avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: About 8 cups (6 bowls)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

6 servings

For the tortilla strips
8 6-inch tortillas (200 g) corn tortillas, halved, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon (15 ml) avocado oil or neutral oil
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt
For the soup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch pieces)
1 medium (130 g) poblano pepper, seeded and diced into ¼-inch pieces
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1 can (28 oz) (794 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 pepper plus 1 teaspoon sauce (20 g) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 lime)
To serve
½ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, tender stems included
2 medium (300 g) ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
2 limes (130 g) limes, cut into 6 wedges
½ cup (60 g) cotija or queso fresco, crumbled (optional)

Equipment (5)

Large rimmed baking sheet (18×13-inch / 46×33 cm)
4- to 5-quart (4–5 L) Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
Immersion blender or countertop blender (optional)
Sharp knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon

Steps

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle.
Corn tortillas that are a few days old crisp best; fresh ones work too, just bake a few minutes longer.
Chipotles in adobo are spicy: start with 1 pepper and add more at the end if you want more heat.
Slice the avocado only just before serving so it stays green.

1
Prep the tortillas
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F (200°C).
- Stack the tortillas, halve them, and slice crosswise into ¼-inch strips.
- Toss on a large rimmed baking sheet with the 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon fine salt, then spread into a single layer.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Strips are evenly coated with oil and not overlapping.
Tip: Separate any strips that stick together so they crisp evenly.
2
Bake the stripsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10–14 minutes, stirring and rearranging once at the halfway point.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan; they crisp further as they cool.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Strips are deep golden at the edges, dry, and snap when broken.
Tip: Check at 8 minutes; thin edges go from golden to burnt quickly.
3
Soften the vegetables
- While the strips bake, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add the diced onion, poblano and ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7–8 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft with light golden edges; poblano is tender.
Tip: If the vegetables start to brown deeply, lower the heat to medium-low.
4
Bloom garlic and spices
- Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and minced chipotle with its 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce.
- Stir constantly for 45–60 seconds.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The mixture smells fragrant and toasty and the garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter; if it darkens, add the tomatoes right away.
5
Add tomatoes and broth
- Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Cook for 3 minutes, then add the broth and black beans.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The surface is bubbling steadily around the edges.
6
Simmer the soup
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup bubbles gently.
- Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Broth is deep red-orange, the vegetables are completely soft, and the soup smells smoky and sweet.
7
Blend partially
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- For a slightly thicker body, blend the soup with an immersion blender using 4–5 short pulses, leaving plenty of beans and vegetable pieces.
- Alternatively, ladle 2 cups into a blender, vent the lid, blend until smooth, and stir back in.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The broth looks slightly thickened with some whole beans still visible.
Tip: Hot soup expands in a blender. Fill it no more than half full and hold the lid with a towel.
8
Season to finish
- Stir in the 2 tablespoons lime juice and half of the chopped cilantro.
- Taste and add up to ½ teaspoon more kosher salt, or a little more adobo sauce if you want more heat.
- Let the soup rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The soup tastes bright, smoky and well seasoned, with no flat or raw tomato flavor.
Tip: Season after adding lime; acid changes how salty the soup tastes.
9
Assemble the bowls
- Dice the avocados.
- Ladle about 1⅓ cups of hot soup into each of 6 bowls.
- Top each with a handful of tortilla strips, diced avocado, a sprinkle of cheese if using, and the remaining cilantro.
- Serve with a lime wedge.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Toppings sit on top of the hot broth and the strips are still crunchy.
Tip: Add the strips at the table or just before eating so they stay crisp.

Good to know

Tips

Bake the tortilla strips instead of frying them for crunch with less oil and no splatter.
Fire-roasted tomatoes provide most of the smoky flavor, so don't swap them for plain canned tomatoes unless you add a little extra smoked paprika.
Blending only part of the soup gives body without making it heavy, so it stays brothy.
Check your vegetable broth label: some are salty, so keep the salt low until the end.

Make ahead

"Make the soup through step 8 up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate. Bake the tortilla strips up to 2 days ahead and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat the soup and add the fresh toppings just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate the soup, without toppings, in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot, adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened. Store tortilla strips airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Avocado does not store well once cut."

Substitutions

poblano pepper → green bell pepper. Gives a similar fresh, vegetal flavor with less earthiness and almost no heat.
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce → 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder. Add it with the cumin. You will lose a little of the sauce's tang, so add an extra squeeze of lime if needed.
cotija or queso fresco → dairy-free sour cream or a sprinkle of toasted pepitas. Keeps the soup vegan and adds a creamy or crunchy topping.
black beans → pinto beans or cannellini beans. Use the same amount, drained and rinsed. The color and flavor will be a little milder.