Introducing your new all-time favorite fall soup recipe: vegetarian lentil tortilla soup. Packed with plant-powered protein, a killer combination of spices, and SO. MUCH. FLAVOR...this is guaranteed to be a recipe you keep coming back to any time the weather cools off. So, grab yourself a bowl, top it with some cheese and tortilla chips, and let's eat!
I'm not "just saying this," this lentil tortilla soup genuinely one of the recipes I'm most proud of...and most obsessed with. It's actually one I've been making for a few years but for some reason I never got around to sharing it. Now, I don't even have pictures of it that I love. But I realized you're going to love it so much once you try it that no pictures could ever do it justice.
Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup
There's something really special about vegan recipes that are "accidentally vegan." You know, you aren't substituting anything to make it vegan...it's just how it's meant to be! Any time I have leftovers of this in my fridge, I'm truly excited about it. And that's not something I can say about a lot of leftovers.
The same way there aren't really pictures that can do this soup recipe justice, the same goes for words! You'll just have to try it for yourself.
Lentil Tortilla Soup Ingredients
Here's what you need:
- Olive oil
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Chipotle peppers in adobo (Don't skip this!)
- Cinnamon (Don't skip this either! It's my secret ingredient that makes this recipe what it is)
- Canned black beans
- Canned fire roasted tomatoes
- Full-fat coconut milk
- V8 vegetable juice (this is your broth)
- Split red lentils (The dry kind, not canned)
- The juice of one lime
- Salt and pepper
Soup Toppings and Options
A lot of lentil tortilla soup recipes include canned corn. But, confession: I DESPISE corn. Always have! However, if it's something you love, go ahead and add a can to the soup.
As for toppings, I highly recommend a sprinkling of tex-mex cheese and some crunched up tortilla chips or tortilla strips. And don't skip the lime juice!
You'll notice I wrote this recipe makes five servings. If you had reeeeally big bowls, it could be four, but could also easily serve six.
Now, let's get into the details! Here's how to make it for yourself.
NOTE
I also want to acknowledge that this isn't an authentic Mexican recipe, it is just my take on the dish. To learn more about the origin of tortilla soup, click here.
Do lentils need to be soaked before making soup?
No! Certainly not for this recipe, anyway. The lentils cook in the broth in this recipe so there is no need to soak and soften them before adding them to the recipe. Be sure to give them a good rinse before adding them, however, and pick out any debris that might be mixed in with them.
What color lentil is best for soup?
Red lentils work best for this recipe. They cook relatively quickly compared to most lentils. You can make soup with all different kinds of lentils, but they have different cooking times and qualities to consider. Red lentils cook quickly and have an excellent texture that lends itself to lentil tortilla soup.
Is lentil soup high in iron?
Yes—lentils are an excellent source of iron! I also sometimes mix in a few handfuls of spinach at the end of cooking this recipe to up the iron content even further.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo Or more, to taste. don't skip this!
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 19 oz black beans drained and rinsed
- 28 oz fire roasted tomatoes
- 14 oz full-fat coconut milk
- 32 oz V8 vegetable juice
- 1 cup split red lentils measured dry, not from a can
- juice of one lime
- salt and pepper I usually add at least half a teaspoon of salt, but you can taste test and add as you go.
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Add diced onion and cook, stirring frequently for about five minutes.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat (covered). This will take about 15 minutes or so.
- Reduce heat to medium low and let the soup simmer (covered) for about 5-10 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Squeeze the juice of one lime, add salt and pepper, and stir. Taste test and adjust seasonings accordingly.
- Top with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, or your other favorite toppings and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Other lentil recipes
If you've been around XO&So for a while, you know I'm a big fan of lentil recipes. If you are too, here are some other recipes you'll want to check out next.
- CHEESY BEAN & LENTIL VEGETARIAN CASSEROLE
- SMOKY TOMATO AND LENTIL SOUP (VEGAN)
- CHEESY CHIPOTLE TORTILLA LENTIL SKILLET
Well, that's it for today! Hope you love this lentil tortilla soup as much as I do—I'm excited to hear your thoughts.
XO,
C
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