Vegan Tortilla Soup with Summer Squash and Corn

There are many ways to make a classic southwestern tortilla soup. The one constant is the addition of corn tortillas, cut into strips and cooked on the stovetop or baked until crisp. This vegan tortilla soup is filled with corn and summer squash and embellished with avocado.

The finished soup is either ladled over or garnished with crisptortilla strips, which is what gives it a major yum factor. And there you have it, vegan tortilla soup.

This vegan tortilla soup (many traditional versions aren’t, alas!) can be enjoyed most any time of year, though it’s especially good in the early fall, when squashes and fresh corn are abundant.

An easy soup to make at a relaxing pace: Don’t be daunted by the length of the ingredient list — and since it doesn’t need much cooking, you’ll be serving it and eating in no time.

All this being said, you can also purchase tortillas that are already cut into strips and crisp — that saves a step, though not a difficult one. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, Bittersweetblog.com.

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Yield: 6

Tortilla Soup with Summer Squash and Corn

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This vegan tortilla soup (many versions aren’t!) can be enjoyed any time of year, though it’s especially good in the early fall.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium bell pepper, any color, finely diced
• 2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, or 1 of each, diced
• 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
• 1 or 2 fresh hot chiles, seeded and chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning blend
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the garnish:

• 6 corn tortillas or 12 or so mini-tortillas
• 1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden. 
2. Add 5 cups water plus the remaining ingredients except the cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Adjust the consistency with a little more water if the soup is too crowded. Stir in the cilantro (leave a little for garnish if you’d like) and season with salt and pepper.
4. While the soup is cooking, cut the tortillas into strips about 1/4 inch wide by 2 inches long. Heat a large skillet (spray with a little cooking oil spray or coat with a little olive oil) and add the tortilla strips. Toast on the skillet over medium-high heat, turning frequently, until dry and crisp, then remove to a plate to cool.
5. Once the soup is done, garnish each with some of the tortilla strips, extra cilantro if desired, and a few slices of avocado.

Notes

Variation: To make this more of a main-dish soup, add about 3 cups cooked black or pinto beans, or one 28-ounce can, drained and rinsed.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 559mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 10gSugar: 12gProtein: 8g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used.

If you like this Southwestern-flavored soup, you might also enjoy …

Vegan Taco Soup

See lots more vegan soups & stews.