How to to make LENTIL TORTILLA SOUP

How to to make LENTIL TORTILLA SOUP

Lentil tortilla soup is easy, filling and so satisfying. This vegan lentil tortilla soup is flavorful, budget friendly and great for meal prep. This soup is a healthy twist on a classic Mexican dish.

Lentil tortilla soup in a large silver pot with cilantro in background.
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WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

  • Easy to make – this vegan lentil tortilla soup is so easy to make, and it’s made in just one pot. After sauteing all the veggies, simply add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 20 minutes until the lentils are soft.
  • Budget friendly – the base of this soup is lentils, canned tomatoes, and black beans, all of which are very budget friendly. This meatless meal is a great way to stretch the weekly budget without sacrificing flavor!
  • Simple ingredients – you likely have all the ingredients you need to make this recipe in your pantry and can easily find all the ingredients at the local grocery store.
  • Great for meal prep – you can easily double the recipe and serve it for lunch or dinner all week long! This lentil tortilla soup is also freezer friendly so a great choice for freezer prep too!
Ingredients to make vegan tortilla soup in bowls on marble countertop.

INGREDIENTS

  • Onion – onion provide a base for the soup and give it a depth of flavor. You can use yellow, red or white onions.
  • Bell peppers – I recommend red, yellow or orange bell peppers for this recipe, as they are sweeter than green bell peppers and pair well with the spices of this dish. You could also use green bell peppers or poblano peppers in place of the bell peppers.
  • Spices: Chili powder, salt, cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika – these spices give this vegan tortilla soup so much flavor
  • Canned green chiles – the canned fire roasted green chiles add a depth of flavor and add a little spice to the dish.
  • Fire roasted tomatoes – canned fire roasted tomatoes add a smoky flavor to the soup. If you don’t have fire roasted tomatoes, you can just use canned tomatoes.
  • Split red lentils – split red lentils are budget friendly and so easy to cook. They cook quickly and help thicken the soup. You can also use green/brown lentils (the cooking time will change, see below).
  • Black beans – black beans are a fun addition to the soup. They also add more protein and fiber, helping make this soup even more filling (and budget friendly). I use canned black beans because I always have them on hand, but you could also use cooked black beans (this recipe won’t work for dried black beans).
  • Vegetable broth – vegetable broth is a great way to add so much flavor the soup in a short period of time. You could also use chicken broth, chicken stock or water.
  • Lime juice – lime juice brightens the soup and helps to cut out any canned tomato flavor that may be left in the soup.
  • Cilantro – cilantro adds so much flavor and adds a freshness to the soup. If you don’t have fresh cilantro, you can simply omit it.
  • Tortilla chips – tortilla chips crushed over the top are the perfect way to add texture to the soup.

HOW TO MAKE LENTIL TORTILLA SOUP

Preheat a large pot over medium heat.

Chop the onion and bell peppers.

Chopped red bell peppers and onion on a wood cutting board.

Once the pot is preheated, spray it with olive oil and add the onions. Cook 3-5 minutes then add the bell peppers and cook and additional 2 minutes.

Add the spices to the pot, stir and cook 1 minute to help the spices bloom.

Spices added to onions and bell peppers in pot.

Add 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add the green chiles, tomatoes, vegetable broth, rinsed red lentils and black beans and stir well. Cover and cook for 20 minutes (on medium heat).

Once the lentils are cooked, add lime juice and blend half the soup with an immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a high speed blender to blend half the soup to help thicken it).

Serve the soup and top with chopped cilantro and tortilla chips.

TOP TIPS

  • Rinse the lentils before adding them to the soup. Red lentils in particular need to be rinsed a few times under cold water to get all the excess starch off the lentils before cooking.
  • Blending the soup helps to thicken the soup and give it a creamy, satisfying texture. You can use an immersion blender or a regular blender. Anytime you are adding hot liquids to a regular blender, it’s important to leave the lid vented so that the hot liquids don’t create too much pressure when blending.
  • Allow the spices to sauté for 1-2 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. This helps the spices bloom and makes them even more flavorful.
  • If you want a thinner soup, add 1 more cup of water or vegetable broth to the soup.
  • Wait to add the tortilla chips to the soup until right before serving for the best texture.
  • This lentil tortilla soup recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for meal prep or serving to a large group or party.
Spoon in a bowl of vegan tortilla soup.

OTHER ADDITIONS

  • Veggies: Poblano peppers, corn (frozen or canned)
  • Spice: Add 1-2 chipotle in adobo, cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
  • Creaminess: Add cashew cream (1/2 cup cashews, soaked in hot water then blended with 1/3 cup fresh water and 1/2 tsp salt) or 1/2 can coconut milk
  • Grain: Add in 1-2 cups cooked rice or quinoa or add 1/2 cup of dry white jasmine rice (rinsed) or 1/2 cup quinoa + 1 extra cup of broth when you add in the lentils.

TOPPING IDEAS FOR VEGAN TORTILLA SOUP

  • Jalapeno
  • Green onions
  • Cheese
  • Chopped red onion
  • Avocado
  • Sour Cream or cashew cream

COMMON QUESTIONS

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN LENTIL TORTILLA SOUP IN THE INSTANT POT

  • Turn on the Saute function and cook the onions (3-4 minutes) and peppers (2-3 minutes) before adding spices and cooking 1 additional minute. Turn off saute function. Add 1/2 cup of broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure there are not any spices or brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients except the lime juice, cilantro and tortilla chips.
  • Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
  • Let pressure naturally release at least 10 minutes before releasing it manually.
  • Add lime juice. Blend 1/2 the soup with an immersion blender or blender.
  • Top with cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips.

WHAT ARE RED SPLIT LENTILS?

Red split lentils are what you will find in most grocery stores (even if they are just labeled red lentils). The brown skin is removed, and the lentils are split in half. Because they are split, they are much quicker cooking than traditional lentils and also don’t keep their form well when cooking and tend to get mushy.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE RED LENTILS?

The red lentils pretty much disappear in the soup, especially after blending. They are a great way to add more protein and fiber to the soup, making it more filling and super satisfying.

You can replace the red lentils with green/brown lentils. Bring the soup to a boil before adding them, then turn the soup down to low and cook, covered for 15 minutes.

DO YOU HAVE TO SOAK LENTILS IN ADVANCE?

No, unlike beans, lentils do not need to be soaked in advance. It is helpful to rinse the lentils first though (especially red lentils) as they can have a lot of starch on them

DO YOU HAVE TO RINSE THE LENTILS BEFORE USING THEM?

You don’t have to rinse the lentils but I recommend taking the time to rinse the lentils before adding them. This ensures that any debris or dirt on the lentils is washed off and I find that it helps make them more digestible.

Rinse them a few times until the water starts to run clear. Don’t use super hot water or the lentils will start to stick together.

Lentil tortilla soup in a white bowl with bowl of tortilla chips in background.

STORING LEFTOVERS

  • Fridge: Store leftover lentil tortillas soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer: This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let the soup cool completely before transferring to the freezer in a freezer safe container. To make this easier to reheat, I recommend you freeze it in individual servings using Souper cubes (you can freeze it in 1 cup or 2 cup portions). Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag.

REHEATING LEFTOVERS

  • Stovetop: Heat the soup (from the fridge or freezer) over medium low heat, covered until warmed through.
  • Microwave: Microwave on high 3 minutes from the fridge. Microwave in 1:30 intervals from frozen until heated through.

SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Onions – onions provide the first layer of flavor for this vegan tortilla soup. You can use white, yellow, red or even green onions in this recipe. You could also use shallots if that is all you have on hand (you will want 2-3 shallots). If you don’t have onion on hand, you can add 1 tablespoon dried minced onion or simply omit the onion.
  • Bell peppers – I prefer the sweeter peppers (red, yellow or orange) but you could also use green bell peppers or even poblano peppers in place of the bell peppers. If you don’t have fresh peppers on hand, you could also use roasted bell peppers or simply omit them.
  • Spices – The spices help to add a deep smoky flavor (from the cumin and smoked paprika) and the chili powder provides a deep richness of flavor. If you don’t have one of the spices on hand, you can use 2 tablespoons of you favorite taco seasoning or fajita seasoning.
  • Canned green chilies – You can find the canned green chiles in most grocery stores around the canned tomatoes or in the Mexican food section of the store. If you don’t have these on hand, you can simply omit them. Alternatively, you can also use a can of Ratel tomatoes (tomatoes with green chiles added)
  • Fire roasted tomatoes – you can use crushed or diced fire roasted tomatoes. If you don’t have fire roasted on hand, regular canned tomatoes will work fine.
  • Split red lentils – the lentils help make the soup thick and creamy (especially after blending). If you don’ have red lentils, you can use green/brown lentils instead. However, you will want to cook them a bit longer. Bring the soup to a boil before adding the lentils then cook over low heat, covered for 15-20 minutes until soft
  • Black beans – use any beans you have on hand. You can use white beans, pinto beans or kidney beans, as long as they are already cooked. You could even use chickpeas if you need to. If you don’t have any beans on hand, simply omit them.
  • Vegetable broth – use whatever broth or stock you have on hand. If you don’t have any broth or stock on hand, you can use water and add a vegetable bouillon cube if you have one.
  • Lime juice – the lime juice balances out all the flavors and adds a fresh element to the dish. If you don’t have lime juice, you can use lemon juice or red wine vinegar in place of the lime juice.
  • Cilantro – if you don’t have fresh cilantro, you can simply omit it, or use chopped green onion.
  • Tortilla chips – use whatever your favorite kind of tortilla chips are for this recipe. If you don’t have tortilla chips on hand, you can simply omit them.
Spoon picking up lentil tortilla soup from a pot.

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE, YOU SHOULD TRY

Red Lentil Flatbread

Lentil Sweet Potato Patties

Lentil Hummus

Quinoa Lentil Meatballs

Mexican Cauliflower Soup

Course: 
Soup Cuisine
Mexican Keywordlentil tortilla soup, vegan tortilla soup
Prep Time: 3 mins
Cook Time: 27 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
 
Servings: 4
 
Author:  Rowland

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat a large pot over medium heat.
  • Chop the onion and bell peppers. Once the pot is preheated, add the onions and cook 3-5 minutes then add bell peppers and cook 2 minutes.
  • After the peppers are soft, add the spices and stir well. Cook 1 minute.
  • Add about 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot to get off any of the spices on the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the rest of the vegetable broth, rinse split red lentils and black beans to the pot. Put the lid on the pot and cook 20 minutes.
  • After 20 minutes, add lime juice and blend 1/2 the soup with the immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a blender).
  • Top with cilantro and tortilla chips and serve hot.

NOTES

Instant Pot Instructions
  • Turn on the Sauté function and cook the onions (3-4 minutes) and peppers (2-3 minutes) before adding spices and cooking 1 additional minute. Turn off sauté function. Add 1/2 cup of broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure there are not any spices or brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients except the lime juice, cilantro and tortilla chips.
  • Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
  • Let pressure naturally release at least 10 minutes before releasing it manually.
  • Add lime juice. Blend 1/2 the soup with an immersion blender or blender.
  • Top with cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips.
Top tips
  • Rinse the lentils before adding them to the soup. Red lentils in particular need to be rinsed a few times under cold water to get all the excess starch off the lentils before cooking.
  • Blending the soup helps to thicken the soup and give it a creamy, satisfying texture. You can use an immersion blender or a regular blender. Anytime you are adding hot liquids to a regular blender, it’s important to leave the lid vented so that the hot liquids don’t create too much pressure when blending.
  • Allow the spices to sauté for 1-2 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. This helps the spices bloom and makes them even more flavorful.
  • If you want a thinner soup, add 1 more cup of water or vegetable broth to the soup.
  • Wait to add the tortilla chips to the soup until right before serving for the best texture.
  • This lentil tortilla soup recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for meal prep or serving to a large group or party.
Storing leftovers
  • Fridge: Store leftover lentil tortillas soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Freezer: This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let the soup cool completely before transferring to the freezer in a freezer safe container. To make this easier to reheat, I recommend you freeze it in individual servings using Souper cubes (you can freeze it in 1 cup or 2 cup portions). Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag.
Reheating leftovers
  • Stovetop: Heat the soup (from the fridge or freezer) over medium low heat, covered until warmed through.
  • Microwave: Microwave on high 3 minutes from the fridge. Microwave in 1:30 intervals from frozen until heated through.

See how I calculate food cost.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
392
Fat
 
4
g
Carbohydrates
 
73
g
Fiber
 
18
g
Sugar
 
13
g
Protein
 
19
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database

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