Amazingly creamy healthy Vegan Tortilla Soup with black beans, poblano peppers, and decadent cheezy flavor. Hearty, filling, and so satisfying!
This soup is NEXT. LEVEL.
We have officially elevated our game. Vegetable Soup lovers, where you at? There's a new soup in town and she's major.
This vegan tortilla soup is insanely luscious and creamy thanks to the blending of cashews and corn tortillas with salsa and soup liquid, which makes it nice and thick.
Paired with flavorful poblano peppers, onion, and Mexican spices, we've got all the goods here for a soup masterpiece.
You must top it with handfuls of crushed tortillas chips! Crunch crunch crunch. And don't miss my Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup, too!
Ingredients
- Corn tortillas: Use standard, 5.5 inch corn tortillas. I used these. Recipes often call for masa harina, but since a lot of people don't keep that on hand, I thought tortillas would be an easier swap. I know it sounds weird to put them in the blender, but trust me. Do not use any tortillas other than corn or the flavor will not be the same.
- Poblano peppers: These are mildly spicy green peppers that you should be able to find at your regular grocery store. Be sure to remove the seeds and membranes. The final result is not spicy, don't worry!
- Nutritional yeast: I always get questions about this ingredient. You can find it in a yellow plastic bottle at most mainstream grocery stores. It gives a lovely cheesy flavor and is packed with protein. You can omit it, but I’d add some cheddar cheese in its place!
- Add veggies: I kept it simple with poblano, onion, and garlic, but you could definitely amp up the veg factor. Zucchini and bell peppers would be nice. Even potatoes and cauliflower would work! Trader Joe's roasted corn would also be great.
- Liquid: You can always swap broth for water or water + bouillon if you don't have broth on hand, but definitely increase the salt and seasonings.
Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
I'd say almost all soups are adaptable to the Instant Pot, which is fab. I haven't made this one in there yet, but I have no doubt it would turn out.
- First, press the sauté function and heat the oil. Follow recipe steps two and three and then cook soup on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Quick release any remaining pressure. While soup cooks, proceed with step four. When soup is done, proceed with step five. Topping ideas galore!
The best soup toppings
What's vegetarian tortilla soup without crunchy creamy flavor explosions on top?!
- Plenty of crushed tortilla chips...this is a requirement. You can even bake your own in a pinch with extra corn tortillas!
- Fresh cilantro.
- A sprinkle of cheddar cheese if you're not vegan OR some nooch if you are.
- Sliced jalapeños or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like heat. The soup is not spicy as is.
- Sliced green onions. Yum.
- Cool and creamy diced avocado. Double yum!
How to store
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Can you freeze soup?
Transfer completely cooled soup to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months. To reheat, imply thaw soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Craving more soup goodness? Don't miss these vegan soup favorites:
- Vegan Lasagna Soup
- Vegan Corn Chowder with Quinoa
- Instant Pot Vegan Cream of Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup
- Vegan Cream of Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
- Golden French Lentil Soup
You need this tortilla soup in your face like last Thursday!!
PrintThe Creamiest Healthy Vegan Tortilla Soup
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Amazingly creamy Vegan Tortilla Soup with black beans, poblano peppers, and decadent cheezy flavor. Hearty, filling, and so satisfying!
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 poblano peppers, de-seeded and chopped (1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast (can sub ½ cup grated cheddar cheese if not vegan)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (do not rinse)
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup medium salsa
- 4 corn tortillas*
- ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from 1 small lime), to taste
- 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper, more to to taste
- Tortilla chips, for garnish
Instructions
- Place cashews in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Warm oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Once hot, add onion and poblano peppers. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until softened, stirring often. Add garlic, coriander, chili powder, and cumin and sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Add nutritional yeast, broth, tomatoes, and beans and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
- While the soup heats up, drain and rinse cashews. Place in a blender (I used my Nutribullet) with salsa, tortillas, and 1 ¼ cups of the soup broth (be careful to allow mixture to cool before blending if needed). Blend until completely smooth and creamy. If it's too thick, add more broth.
- Once soup is done simmering, remove from heat and stir in cashew mixture, cilantro, and plenty of salt and pepper to taste. I used low sodium broth and a heaping 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt. Add a squeeze of lime juice and taste for brightness. The flavors should really pop! Ladle into bowls and top with more cilantro and plenty of crushed tortilla chips for crunch.
Notes
*Do not use flour tortillas or an alternative tortilla that isn't corn or the flavor and texture will not be the same. Corn tortillas are essential for flavor.
If you're not vegan, this soup is also excellent topped with shredded cheddar cheese. My husband added chicken and loved it!
TO STORE: Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
TO FREEZE: Transfer soup to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to three months.
Valerie says
This was AMAZING! Certainly doesn't "taste vegan" at all. I made one small change - I added a can of pinto beans into the simmering soup (of which part was removed & blended with other ingredients) and then added the black beans when the creamy mixture was added back to the pot. I thought pintos would blend up a bit smoother and I also wanted the extra fiber/protein to make this a hearty meal. Definitely making again!! This comment was left by a close supporter of Alexis Joseph, owner operator of Hummusapien LLC
Alexis Joseph says
That is so delish! I'm thrilled you loved this one, thanks so much Valerie!
AME says
I made this as written, except for the fact I used one jalapeno and one poblano instead of two poblanos, because that's what I had on hand. I am vegetarian, not vegan, so I opted for cheese over nooch. I would recommend soaking the cashews as long as possible for even, smooth blending. It is quite yummy. The lime is essential! Next time I would add a tsp of cayenne to give it a little zip. Thank you for a tasty recipe!
Alexis Joseph says
Ohhh cayenne sounds epic! thanks for letting me know how that all worked out. Cheers!
AME says
Just FYI, I did have a prob with graininess, as one of the other commenters mentioned. Next time I might try masa harina (1/3 cup was recommended in a few recipes I googled) instead of tortillas to hopefully eliminate that problem.
Christy Lea says
Hi!
What can use in place of cashews? Nut allergies in my home.....
Thank you
Alexis Joseph says
I have only made this one with cashews and don't have a suggestion at this time, so sorry! I think you could omit them and still have a very flavorful soup, just not as creamy.
Yvie says
This soup is ridiculously delicious! My nice and nephew (not vegan) came over for the weekend and helped make the soup. They loved it! I’d honestly double the recipe because these kids inhaled it! So, so yummy!
Alexis Joseph says
Heck yes, best news ever! Thanks for letting me know the kiddos loved it, Yvie!
Kelly says
So good! This is absolutely going into the rotation. Added some diced avocado and wanted to lick the bowl clean.
Alexis Joseph says
Mmmm love the avocado addition!!
Amanda says
This was amazing!!! Followed the recipe exactly! Adding it to my recipe rotations!
Alexis Joseph says
I'm thrilled to hear it, thanks Amanda!
Maria says
I made this for my family and it was a hit!! Next time I’m doubling the recipe because the pot was literally licked clean! Definitely adding it to the rotation. Thank you!!
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing news, thanks so much Maria!
Sarah says
Made this for lunch- so easy and delicious!! Love how your recipes are easy to follow and delicious. I also added corn, it had awesome flavor. Will make again!
Lindsay says
So yummy! My kids gulped it down too. Topped ours with corn chips, diced avocado, cilantro, vegan yogurt and jalapeños.
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thanks Lindsay!!
Émilie Tan says
This is my favourite soup EVER! I am honestly craving it often and have to order some ingredients from a special Mexican shop. It’s super easy to make and sooo tasty 😋
Elizabeth says
This is all my friends and fam's fav soup. They are not vegan, FTR and no one would ever know it's vegan bc it's so creamy. We add corn and make of ton of it as it goes really fast and also freezes really well.
Alexis says
Awww you made my day, thank you tons Elizabeth!! Love that it freezes well, too.
Elizabeth says
No lie, this is everyone's fav soup. I've made it for my whole family as well as all my coworkers and everyone LOVES it. FTR, my friends and fam are NOT vegan. As soon as the weather started to cool off, they started asking for it. It also freezes really well so we make a ton of it. Sometimes we add corn.
Roop Sandhu says
Sounds delicious! Can I sub masa harina for the corn tortillas, and how much should I use? Happen to have that on hand and no corn tortillas. Thanks!
Alexis Joseph says
Hey! Yes, masa harina is what's traditionally used, so that will definitely work. I've only made it as written so I'm not sure how much masa harina to use. I would do some googling and check out other recipes that call for masa harina and use that as a guide. That's what I always do! Enjoy 🙂
Rachel says
So delicious and so easy! I added 1 cup of frozen corn with beans and tomatoes. Flavor was awesome, this will definitely go into our soup rotation.
Alexis Joseph says
Mmmm love that! Thanks so much for letting me know, Rachel!
Abbey says
Loves this recipe so much! Added mushrooms and vegetarian bacon for some crunch. The blended corn tortilla made it a little grainy, I may have needed to blend a little more. Still delish!
Alexis Joseph says
Mmmm that sounds fab! The blended mixture should be super creamy--definitely blend it a bit more next time 🙂 Thanks for reviewing, Abbey!
Jen says
Made this for lunch today and it was perfect! Both my husband and I loved it! I also loved how quickly it can be made...definitely in my soup rotation for this fall, thank you!
Alexis Joseph says
Awesome! Thanks a ton for letting me know, Jen!
Rachel says
My husband and I absolutely loved this recipe! The only additional veggie we added was corn, though next time we may add potatoes, as well. This recipe will become a go-to in our house, for sure. I highly recommend trying it!
Alexis Joseph says
Potatoes would be soooo good. Thanks a ton for letting me know it got the seal of approval, Rachel!
Sally says
Was a little thrown by putting tortillas in the blender, but this was excellent!
Alexis Joseph says
Hahah it's a little weird I admit, but a good sub for traditional masa harina using tortillas that most people have in the kitchen! I'm so glad you liked it.
Alexis Joseph says
Hahah I love the enthusiasm! Thank you!!
Dylan says
Fabulous, as always! Yum!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy thanks, Dylan!!
Rachel says
I made this today and loved it! I used a hatch instead of a poblano. So delicious!
Alexis Joseph says
I'm thrilled to hear it worked with hatch chiles! Thanks a ton, Rachel.
Rachel says
I made this today and it is delicious! I substituted a hatch chile for a poblano to use what I had. I don’t typically enjoy creamy soups but I’m so glad I tried this one.
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful, thanks!!
Candace says
Looks fabulous! I am looking forward to making this sometime this week. We are in Oregon and the constant smoke in the air has been making our throats sore so we are craving cozy soup-y things. Thank you for another great looking recipe <3
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so sorry to hear that. It's horrible what's going on right now. My heart goes out to you, and I hope this soup can help a little bit!