This delicious lentil tortilla soup features Mexican-inspired flavors and tons of vegetables. It’s packed with plant protein, thanks to split red lentils and black beans, and is an easy vegan and vegetarian recipe.
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Brr! It’s another freezing January day here in Minneapolis with wind chills below zero — the kind of day that makes you want to snuggle up under a blanket and stay there until spring. Cue ALL of the soups!
I love to make recipes like this new lentil tortilla soup during the winter because 1) a lot of you are craving soups and 2) it’s highly likely that it will be freezing and I’ll get hot leftovers for a week of lunches. A win-win!
Speaking of winners, today’s dish definitely is one. It’s high in plant protein and fiber and packs a ton of veggies. Plus, you only need like 15 minutes of hands-on time to put it together, which means it’s totally fit for a weeknight meal. Leftovers taste great and the toppings you can add are endless.
So what are you waiting for?! Add this vegan and vegetarian Mexican soup to your weekly menu ASAP. You won’t be disappointed, especially with those crispy tortilla strips on top!
How to Make Lentil Tortilla Soup
The full ingredients list and instructions are in the recipe card. Scroll down to the bottom of the post to see it.
- Prep the ingredients. Chop the onions and peppers, open the canned items, and gather the spices and other ingredients.
- Cook the veggies and spices. Sautee them in a large soup pot with some olive oil.
- Add the beans, corn, diced tomatoes, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and cook.
- In the meantime, prep the toppings. Cook tortilla strips in a skillet until crispy. Gather any other desired toppings.
- Serve the soup with toppings. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- The recipe calls for split red lentils. This variety does not take as long to cook as other types of lentils. You can find them at most stores, including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and online.
- You can substitute another type of lentils but will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Refer to the directions on the package of lentils to figure out cooking time.
- To make your lentil tortilla soup spicier, add a 4-ounce can of green chiles, a second jalapeno, or 2 cups of salsa in place of half of the diced tomatoes.
- Topping ideas include crispy tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, lime, and a vegan yogurt or shredded cheese. If you don’t need this recipe to be vegan, you can add regular sour cream, yogurt, or cheese.
- Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
- If you want to freeze lentil tortilla soup, let it cool completely then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Leave about an inch of headspace to allow the soup to expand in the freezer. It should last for 3 or more months in the freezer. Reheat from frozen or thawed.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Love this vegan red lentil tortilla soup? Check out these other recipes: Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls, Veggie-Loaded Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken, and Vegetarian Taco Casserole. You may also enjoy the Ancho Chile Black Bean Sweet Potato Tacos.
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Lentil Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - divided
- 1 yellow onion - diced
- 1 bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeno - seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes - with their juices; or use 2 15-ounce cans
- 1 15-ounce can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can corn - drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup dry split red lentils
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 6-inch corn tortillas - sliced into strips; can sub crumbled tortilla chips
- Toppings of choice - avocado, lime, cilantro, and sour cream, yogurt or cheese (vegan if needed)
Instructions
- Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until tender.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook for a few more minutes until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, drained black beans and corn, dry split red lentils, and vegetable broth.
- Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the lentils are tender. Split red lentils cook fairly quickly, so you may want to check the soup at 15 minutes to see if they already cooked.
- While the soup cooks, prepare the toppings. In a cast iron or other skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sliced tortilla strips. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning the strips around halfway, until crispy. Remove from heat and season with salt.
- When the soup is finished, ladle it into bowls and top with the crispy tortilla strips. Add other toppings of choice, like avocado and cilantro. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post).
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include toppings other than the crispy tortilla strips.
- To make the soup spicer, add a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles, another jalapeno, or 2 cups of salsa in place of half of the diced tomatoes.
- You can use another type of lentils for this recipe but will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Refer to the instructions on the package.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave until warmed through.
- To freeze, let the soup cool then transfer to containers. Leave an inch of headspace, seal, and store in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat from frozen or thawed.
Nutrition
Enjoy this cozy soup! – Lizzie
Jeri Maxwell
This soup was fantastic! So much flavor and great to use red lentils, as we are trying to eat more lentils in our diet! I didn’t have any bell peppers (thinkings you meant green?) but did have some red so used that instead. I don’t like very spicy food so I reduced the chili powder to 1tsp and used maybe a 1/4 of a serano pepper I had in the freezer. I also added 1 can of chopped green chilies (mild) and used fire roasted diced tomatoes. My husband, who loves spicy food, absolutely loved this soup! It will definitely be one of our go to soups!! Thank you!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Jeri, this is all great to hear! It sounds like you made some wonderful ingredient swaps. Thanks so much for your review!
GMS
Can you make this in a crock pot?
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Yes, I think that would work well. I have not tried it, but I recommend combining all of the ingredients (except the toppings) and cooking for 3 to 4 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low. The total cook time will probably depend on the size and age of your slow cooker.
Samantha
Just made this for the second time and it is always delicious. I’m almost 8 months pregnant and I’m going to freeze the leftovers to reheat post-partum!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Samantha, yay! I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying this recipe. It will be a great postpartum meal. Congrats on your upcoming baby!
Nik
Delicious !!
Barb
Very good! I just made this soup & I will make it again. Thanks for another great veggie focused recipe!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Barb, I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your comment!