Mexican Tortilla Soup with Pinto Beans
If you are craving spicy burst of flavor from a one-pot meal on a cool autumn day ( or evening), try this vegan, gluten-free Mexican tortilla soup with beans, either on its own or over a bed of brown rice.
Ingredients
To make the Mexican tortilla soup with beans
- 1 tsp avocado oil (or any other type)
- 1 cup white onion (1 medium, finely chopped, can use any other type)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup carrots (grated, 1 medium)
- 1.5 cups zucchini (grated, 1 medium to large)
- 1 red pepper (roughly chopped, can sub with 1 Anaheim pepper)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced, or to taste)
- 1 tsp homemade cumin powder (or store-bought)
- 1 tsp ground chipotle pepper (or sub with equal amount red chilli powder or 1 tbsp Chipotle in Adobo sauce, use per taste)
- 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste, no more than 1 tsp)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder (or sub with red chilli powder)
- 2 cups pinto beans* (home cooked, or one 15-oz can)
- 1 cup corn kernels** (fresh or frozen, or sub with another cup of beans)
- 2.5 cups Homemade vegetable broth (or low-sodium store bought)
- 1-2/3 cups crushed tomatoes (1-14oz can, fire-roasted variety works well)
- 1/4 cup fresh chilantro (chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
To make corn tortilla chips
- 3 corn tortillas (6" diameter cut into equal-size triangles or strips, can sub with wheat tortillas)
- 1 tsp avocado oil (can use any other kind; preferably not extra-virgin olive oil)
- 1 pinch homemade cumin powder
- 1 pinch chipotle pepper powder (or chilli powder, optional)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
Instructions
To make the Mexican Tortilla Soup with Beans
- In a heavy-bottom pan, heat avocado oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and minced garlic. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions softens a little. If needed, add a 1-2 tsp water to prevent the onions and garlic from sticking. Add chopped red peppers, jalapeño peppers, grated carrots, and salt--cook for 3-4 minutes or until peppers are a little soft. Add zucchini and corn kernels and cook for 2 minutes.
- When all the veggies and corn are a little soft (about 8-10 minutes), add cumin powder, chipotle chilli powder, and ground cayenne pepper: stir well to mix. Add pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, and homemade vegetable broth and stir to mix. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; cover partially and cook for 40 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking on the bottom of the pan.
- The soup will have the consistency of slightly diluted chili or stew. Add more broth or water if it's too thick. Once the soup is done, stir in freshly-chopped cilantro and lime juice. Immediately after, take the pot off the stove and serve hot with homemade tortilla chips.
To make corn tortilla chips
- Preheat over to 350°F. With a brush or fingers smear oil and sprinkle spices on tortillas; then cut into equal-size triangle or stripes. Bake for about 25 minute in a cookie/baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Serve hot with the bean soup.
Notes
*can sub with equal quantity cooked black beans or red kidney beans. Can also mix all three types.
**when buying corn--fresh or frozen, always look for organic or non-GMO variety.
Make it heart healthy
- Use only dried, ground chili power. The chipotle in adobo sauce is high in sodium and fat.
- Use Ditch-the-oil cooking method instead of oil.
- Decrease salt to 1/4-1/2 tsp and double the amount of lime juice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 5gFat: 3gSodium: 524mgPotassium: 529mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4555IUVitamin C: 39.8mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1.9mg
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