Vegan Tortilla Soup

Um, yum. This soup totally hit the spot for me tonight. I guess I can see if others don't like it, but let me tell you, the toppings are what make this soup. Definitely. Those tortilla chips, cilantro, lime, cheese and avacado are not to be missed. Without them, it's honestly a rather watery vegetable soup, but with them yummmmm. Also, the other secret to this soup's success is that we blended up a rinsed can of black beans and added it so as to make it a little more substantial. It was essential. Next time, I'm adding two. Also, we used corn tortillas instead of flour for the strips and they take way longer than 3 minutes in the oven to get crispy. More like 10-12.

source: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/08/30/vegan-tortilla-soup/

Vegan Tortilla Soup
A wonderful soup to transition from end of summer into Fall. It packs a bounty of summer flavours, with a warming comfort for those cooler summer evenings. Be sure to season well, as it will really bring out the flavours. We added a hefty handful of vegan cheese, chopped avocado, tortilla strips, and green onion on top to really round out this hearty and filling dish.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 ear fresh corn
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
3 tbsp ground cumin
One 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can chopped green chili peppers, drained (optional)
3 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
1.5-2 cups cooked black beans (or beans of choice)
salt & pepper & crushed red chili pepper, to taste
Fresh lime juice, to garnish on top
Non-Dairy Cheese (I use Daiya cheese), for sprinkling
Chopped avocado, for garnish
Tortilla sticks (flour tortillas, olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, to taste)
 

1. In a large pot over medium to low heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Preheat oven on medium broil setting.

2. Meanwhile, chop the peppers, zucchini, green onion, and remove corn from cob (I take a chef’s knife and slice down the 4 sides). Add the veggies into the pot and sauté for another 5-10 minutes.

3. Add in the crushed tomatoes, cumin, broth, and chia seeds. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low-medium heat for 25-30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make your tortilla strips. Slice flour tortillas into 2 inch strips (see below). Place in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on garlic powder and chili powder (to taste) and mix well with hands. Place on a lined baking sheet and broil for up to 3 minutes on medium. Watch very carefully. When golden, remove from oven.

5. After the soup simmers, ladle into bowls, and top with chopped avocado, fresh lime juice, cheese, green onion, and tortilla strips. Serve immediately. Keeps in fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for 1 month.