This creamy one pot vegan tortilla soup is made with red lentils, black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, corn and lots of fresh spices! It’s incredibly easy to make and the perfect hearty soup for a chilly day.
I don’t love the darkness of winter, but I absolutely love the cozy food! Soup season is my absolute favorite season, and recipes that I can prep in advance are the best.
This vegan tortilla soup tastes just like the classic, but is made with red lentils and black beans to keep it vegetarian! It’s rich and creamy thanks to some cashew cream, but doesn’t make you feel heavy.
With lots of fresh flavor from herbs and spices and homemade cashew cream, this recipe is sure to be a hit with all types of eaters. Serve it with homemade tortilla strips and lots of fresh cilantro for a cozy plant based dinner.
Some recipes use jackfruit to replace the chicken in traditional tortilla soup, but I like to keep it simple with the lentils and beans!
How to make vegan tortilla soup
In a large pot or dutch oven, add the finely diced onion and olive oil. Saute for about 5 minutes.
Add in the minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and diced jalapeno. If you want less spice, just remove the seeds from the jalapeno or use less.
Add the diced tomatoes to a blender and pulse until they resemble something that looks like salsa. This is optional, but I do suggest it for the best flavor/texture!
Add to the pot with the onion along with all remaining ingredients, aside from the lime juice, we’ll add that at the end.
I used 3 cups of veggie broth because I wanted this on the thicker side, if you like it more brothy, use 4. If you’re not sure, start with 3 and add more at the end if you want to thin it out.
Stir everything well to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After about 20 minutes, taste to check to see if the lentils are fully cooked. Let simmer for 5-10 more minutes if they still have a crunch to them.
Once the lentils are done, transfer 2 cups worth of soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust flavors as desired, and/or add more broth to thin it out if you like.
Garnish with tortilla strips, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, avocado and sour cream.
Homemade tortilla strips
I had a hard time finding certified gluten free tortilla strips at the market when I was shopping for this recipe, so I opted to make my own and it was actually SO easy! All you’ll need is a few corn tortillas, oil of your choice (I used avocado) and some salt.
What you want to do is slice the tortillas into thin strips, then slice in the other direction to get about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch wide strips. Add some oil to a pot on the stove (enough to cover the bottom of the pan with about 1/2 inch layer).
Once it’s hot, throw in the strips and let fry for a few minutes on each side until crispy. It helps to do this in small batches so the tortillas aren’t all on top of each other and crowded.
Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Top with a few cracks of salt.
How to store and freeze
Once prepared, this vegan tortilla soup will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. You can reheat it on the stove or microwave. It does thicken up a bit as it sits in the fridge, so you may want to add a splash of veggie broth when you reheat it.
Once the soup is cooked, allow it to cool completely, then transfer it to an air tight and freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve this vegan tortilla soup as the main dish since it’s nice and hearty from the beans and lentils.
My favorite toppings include fresh lime juice, avocado, lots of chopped cilantro and sour cream. Ok, I actually don’t like sour cream, so I just use leftover cashew cream and pretend to the people I’m serving it to that it’s sour cream. Oops!
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Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Soup:
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed for less spice
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 15 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes
- ¾ cup red lentils
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- ⅓ cup cashew cream click for recipe
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 – 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp brown or coconut sugar
- 1/2-1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp lime juice about 1/2 lime
Serving Suggestions
- 1 cup tortilla strips
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, add the finely diced onion and olive oil. Saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and diced jalapeno. If you want less spice, just remove the seeds from the jalapeno or use less.
- Saute for about 3 extra minutes, then add in the corn and saute an additional 2 or so minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes to a blender and pulse a few times until they resemble something that looks like salsa. This is optional, but I do suggest it for the best flavor/texture!
- Add to the pot along with all remaining ingredients, aside from the lime juice, we'll add that at the end.
- I used 3 cups of veggie broth because I wanted this on the thicker side, if you like it more brothy, use 4. If you're not sure, start with 3 and add more at the end if you want to thin it out.
- Stir everything well to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After about 20 minutes, taste to check to see if the lentils are fully cooked. Let simmer for 5-10 more minutes if they still have a crunch to them.
- Once the lentils are done, transfer 2 cups worth of soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Transfer back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust flavors as desired, and/or add more broth to thin it out if you like.
- Serve and garnish with tortilla strips (see the body of the post for how to make these homemade!), chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, avocado and sour cream.
Wes says
I really like the use of red lentils; they add great body and texture. I didn’t puree any of it but it was still nice and thick. Very tasty.
Claire Cary says
Perfect, so glad you enjoyed it!
Erin McNamara says
This recipe never disappoints. It is so flavorful and easy to make. Someone who tasted it was convinced there was meat in it. One night someone even put it over tortilla chips to make nachos. Delicous! Don’t hesitate to make this.
Claire Cary says
Thank you, Erin!
Jessi says
This is one of my newest favs! I’ve made it at least half a dozen times and it never disappoints, even when I don’t have the right amounts of everything. Such a comforting soup. Thanks for sharing!
Claire Cary says
Amazing! Thank you, Jessi!
Faith says
Absolutely delicious! I am the only vegan in my family, had no problem eating this over a few days by myself. I think it’ll become a weekly staple.
Claire Cary says
So so happy to hear that, thanks Faith!
Heather says
Delicious! This will now be one of my go-to recipes, especially for tortilla soup. The flavor was great and I loved that it was all vegan.
Claire Cary says
Thanks, Heather!
Jannie says
This was an EXCELLENT soup ,creamy just the right spices and the tortilla cilantro and lime to taste was a nice addition . We have had it a couple times and keep coming back. Thank you
Claire Cary says
Thank you, Jannie!
Katy says
This soup was so good! The flavors are amazing. I used fire roasted frozen corn from Trader Joe’s and also added some kale. I actually didn’t blend part of it since I like soups chunkier and it still turned out great! I used 3 cups of broth. 10/10 recommend!
Claire Cary says
Perfect! Thank you, Katy.
Lori says
Fantastic! I’m not a black bean fan so I doubled the lentils and it turned out great. The lentils absorb a lot of water, so I used 4 cups of broth and even added a little more water at the end and it was thick and hearty. Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Claire Cary says
Perfect, thanks Lori!
Linz says
This recipe was a huge hit in my house! Hubby went back for seconds and he isn’t a big soup guy. I’ll definitely have to keep this recipe in my back pocket. It also wasn’t to time consuming or difficult.
Cory says
OMGosh!! Made this yesterday and WOW! Lots of flavor and texture…perfect hearty soup for a cold, rainy winter day! Will definitely be making again.
April says
So tasty! Coconut milk totally works – I ended up using a whole 15ish oz can since I didn’t want to bother storing it for later. I agree with other reviewers that 3 cups broth is plenty! Spices are always a little bit of preference/ trial and error- I likely did them heavy handed. I also went heavy handed with the lime juice at the end. I’ve found with other soups, that I prefer to add lime juice right into the individual bowl as I feel that retains the flavor better. Chopped cilantro and crushed tortilla chips made for a delicious soup! And my meat loving husband gave me the “You could make this for my birthday!” Seal of approval!
Kendall says
This was fantastic! Already looking forward to the next time I make this soup. Next time I think I will add an extra jalapeño since my husband and I like extra spice. Thank you for this recipe!
emily says
I am ADDICTED to this soup! I make it at the start of the week and it’s a great dinner to come home to!
Erin says
For the cashew cream, are you making the basic version without the additional ingredients for this soup or are you making the savory version?
Claire Cary says
Just the basic one, but savory would also work!
Kathryn says
Thank you for this delicious soup recipe. It’s so yum and easy to make. Will double the batch next time as everyone loved it and wanted more.
Ri Burnside says
AMAZING! This was so good, i strayed a bit from the recipe due to limited ingredients and it was still so yummy. I will be making this again and sharing it with more people!
Raquel says
Do you think cream cheese in place of the cashew cream would work?
Claire Cary says
Yes I think that could work!
Eve says
Best lentil soup ever. I am in love. I made this soup couple times already and everyone is asking for a recipe 👌🏼
Allyson says
OMG! I made the Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup last evening. WOW! There is so much flavor! It is absolutely delicious! I have never made a soup that tasted this good!!! I omitted the jalapeno pepper because I don’t like spice and I used evaporated low fat milk instead of the cashew cream. Thanks for the recipe! I will be trying other recipes from your blog.
Claire Cary says
Thank you Allyson! Can’t wait to see what else you make!
Samantha says
SO flavorful! Glad I one-and-a-half the recipe so that we can eat it for 2 nights! YUM!
Jessi says
This recipe is such a win. I am a newer vegan and still finding replacements to some of my favorite foods, but this is even better than the chicken tortilla soup I used to make. So much flavor, and its hearty and filling… Yum!!
Claire Cary says
Thank you Jessi! So happy you enjoyed it.
Linnea says
This was really good! My meat loving husband even said so! We only used 3 cups broth which was plenty brothy for us. I wasn’t sure what cashew cream was (went looking for it), but found out how easy it was to make-and, yum! This soup is a definite winner!
Claire Cary says
The cashew cream recipe is linked in the recipe card, just click where it is listed!
Lauren says
My meat eating, dairy loving boyfriend just said, “this is the best soup you’ve EVER made”. And I couldn’t agree more. Honestly underestimated this recipe bc I make a lot of tomato and bean based soups and they’re usually… just ok. But holy moly, this is freaking delicious. So much flavor. So glad I took the time to make the cashew cream too. I’ve already recommended to a few friends!
Claire Cary says
Just made my day! Thanks so much Lauren!
Kara says
This was delicious!! Perfect soup for a snow day.
shelly says
Made this last weekend. It is excellent. I used 3 cups broth plus half can of beer (why not). I was also generous with the spices, added smoked paprika and about 3 Tbs of nutritional yeast. The cashew cream is a must. We used some of the leftover soup on top of baked potatoes for an easy weeknight meal. Definitely adding to the rotation.
Tanya says
This was so tasty! I doubled the amount of chili powder based on preference and used regular cream because that is what I had – loved this meal and overall super easy to make !
Carly says
Just made this and I absolutely love it! I added a vegan chick’n bouillon cube to make it feel a little more like a chicken tortilla soup and let the spices simmer with the vegetables before adding the tomatoes and everything else and it’s delicious! I did have to add green lentils instead of red but they’re just fine. Saving this and adding it to my favorites!
Kim says
Made this tonight and my husband loved it! Could not click the link for the cashew cream but still was great without it. Will be a staple in this house.. Thank you!
Jenn says
Made this for the family last night. I skipped the cashew cream as I just didn’t feel like making it. Added a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast and a little extra broth. It was huge hit! Everyone licked their bowls clean and went back for seconds. Definitely a keeper!
Sara says
I have made this twice now, it has been amazing both times. Followed recipe exactly. My co workers have all requested this for weeks and weeks. Finally made a double batch for them! They are in heaven! Great recipe! The cashew cream and sugar make this recipe a game changer.
Claire Cary says
Amazing! So glad it’s been a hit!
Patty says
Soup is delicious. The cashew cream adds richness.
The heat of the chili peppers does not come from the seeds. It is co rained in the white ribbing. It’s called capsaicin.
I also added a 15 oz can of hominy to the soup.
Angela R says
I made this in the crockpot. Made a couple substitutions with what I had on hand. Instead of red lentils I used green, and instead of jalapeño I used green bell pepper and added some chipotle powder. Delicious! I will definitely be making this again and again.
Claire Cary says
Delicious! Glad it worked with those subs!
Lesley says
This is really good! You
need to make this!
Mel says
Don’t hesitate. Just make the soup. One of the best tortilla soups I’ve ever had! 3 cups of vegetable broth is perfect:)
Claire Cary says
Thank you Mel! So glad to hear you’re enjoying it!
Sonya says
Hello, I am anxious to try this recipe however I was wondering if you had directions for the instant pot.
Claire Cary says
I have not made this in an instant pot yet, but you’ll want to follow all of the usual instructions, using the saute function, then add all ingredients and set it to manual high pressure for about 8-10 minutes. I can’t say the timing for sure, but that should be about right. let me know if you try it!
Kate says
The cashew cream link isn’t working for me on multiple browsers, just thought I’d update on that! Can’t wait to make this tonight 🙂
Claire Cary says
Thanks for pointing that out, should be ok now!
Becca says
Holy crap, this is amazing! New favorite at our house, so rich and creamy. Made it exactly as written w/3 cups broth and it is seriously the best soup ever. Thank you!
Claire Cary says
Thank you Becca! So happy you enjoy it!
Steffani says
I made this the other night and it was delicious! My boyfriend and I are not vegan, but we are trying to eat more veggies, so recipes like this make it easy! I used coconut cream instead of cashew cream and I didn’t blend at the end because I didn’t want to dirty my blender for either, but it turned out fantastic! I used 1/2 onion, 1/2 green bell pepper, and 1/2 orange bell pepper because that is what I had on hand as well. Then I added a can of sliced potatoes because I love potatoes. Topped with sour cream, olives, avocado, and hand-fried tortilla strips. This will be a staple in our house for sure!
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So glad it worked with those subs!
Emily says
I have dried green split peas, can that be used in place of lentils?
Claire Cary says
I don’t recommend that! It will change the flavor/liquid ratio needed for the recipe.
Sable says
Hello
In Germany and there is no Fire roasted anything good here. Alternative?
Claire Cary says
just regular canned tomatoes will be fine!
Christie says
Excellent!! Will be making over and over!!
Jennifer Jacobs says
Really rich, really yummy. The red lentils are a great addition.
Cori says
So GOOD! I only had one can of roasted tomatoes, so I bumped up the coconut cream, vegetable broth, and tomato paste and it was still perfect. 100% recommend!
Carly Hadley says
The soup is delicious, but I really wish the ingredients were listed in the order you use them.
Claire Cary says
So happy you enjoyed it! And thank you for the feedback, the recipe card is now updated and in an easier to follow order 🙂 Hope that helps!
Erin says
Best tortilla soup ever! We kept it thick and used tortillas to dip and eat. Savory Cashew crema is a Must!
Claire Cary says
yum, sounds perfect! So happy you enjoyed it!
Carla @ Foodie Digital says
The whole family loved this! It came together really quickly, even with all of the toppings (don’t skip the cashew cream!). The addition of red lentils is so smart – they boost the nutritional profile and nobody could even tell they were in there.
Claire Cary says
The cashew cream is a must! So happy you all enjoyed this, thanks Carla!
katie says
my gf made this soup using this recipe and it was to die for!! love love love it, it’s now a favorite in our household 🙂
Claire Cary says
Love to hear that!! It’s a favorite over here too 🙂
Alysia says
So good!! Super easy to make. Very flavorful and filling! & sooooo tasty, going to be making this a lot. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Claire Cary says
Yes! It’s going to be on repeat all winter!
Telina says
AMAZING
I didn’t have cashews so I just used oat milk. Next time I’ll try the cashew cream.
Totally hit, I’m glad I had leftovers.
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So happy you enjoyed it, thanks Telina!