Description

Creamy delicious vegetarian tortilla soup is loaded with flavor, and filling, easy to make, and made in the crockpot or slow cooker.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil

3 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 cup corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)

3/4 cup dried red lentils

15 ounces tomato sauce

1 red bell pepper (or green), diced

3/4 cup salsa (mild, spicy, or salsa verde)

15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed

15 ounces red beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 fresh garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 cup light cream cheese or creamy cheese of choice (dairy-free works too)

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings:

Crushed tortilla chips

Sliced avocado

Sour cream

Sliced or diced jalapeños

Chopped red onion

Shredded cheddar

Fresh cilantro

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Instructions

1. Start by prepping the vegetables; dice the onion and red bell pepper.

2. Drain and rinse the black and red beans.

3. Wash the dried red lentils thoroughly under cold running water and set them aside.

4. Into the slow cooker, add olive oil, diced jalapeno, onion, bell pepper, corn, salsa, tomato sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, vegetable broth, and salt and pepper. Mix everything together.

5. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4–6 hours or on LOW for 7–8 hours until the vegetables and lentils are tender and the soup is thick.

6. Once done, remove the lid and stir in the light cream cheese.

7. Pour the soup into a large serving bowl.

8. Add your favorite toppings like crushed tortilla chips, and serve warm.

Notes

Serving size: One bowl is about 2 cups.

Don’t forget to add the cream cheese at the very end.

You can use any oil of choice for this tortilla soup.

Use your favorite beans — this recipe uses black and red beans.

Any creamy white cheese can be used instead of heavy cream for a thick, creamy texture.

Fresh, canned, or frozen corn all work well.

The cayenne pepper is optional — omit it for a milder version or increase for more heat.

Use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian. You can substitute with other broths if preferred.

For a non-vegetarian version, shredded chicken or beef can be added.