I am a big fan of Mexican food—as my family can attest, I almost always request that my birthday dinner be held at a Mexican restaurant. Almost any establishment that serves Mexican fare offers some sort of tortilla soup on its menu…but it’s rarely vegetarian. So, I set about improvising my own meat-free version.

I didn’t consult any traditional recipes when developing this recipe—I simply put some of my favorite ingredients in a pot and hoped for the best! Accordingly, I do not proclaim this as an authentic tortilla soup recipe…but it sure is tasty

Improv Tortilla Soup

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 can fire-roasted tomatoes (or no-salt-added tomatoes)
• 1 cup broccoli slaw or shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 whole wheat tortilla, cut into thin strips*
• 3/4 cup cooked black beans
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• 2-3 drops Liquid Smoke (optional)
• 1/2 small avocado, mashed

Method

1. Heat a large saucepan sprayed with non-stick spray over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, water, and broccoli slaw. Heat until slaw has become soft and wilted.

3. Turn down heat, and add tortilla strips, black beans, and spices. Allow to come to a slow simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to marry.

4. Pour into serving bowl and top with avocado.

Note:

-Many tortilla soup recipes call for fried/baked tortilla strips as topping to the soup, but I like to include the tortilla into the soup itself, as it releases starch into the broth and makes for a thicker stew.

Filed under: Recipe