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There’s nothing better on a chilly day than a warm bowl of creamy, spicy tortilla soup. My Vegetarian tortilla soup is hearty, full of flavor, and made effortlessly in the crockpot or Instant Pot. With beans, lentils, corn, and creamy cheese, it’s loaded with texture and protein. Whether you’re meal-prepping or cooking for family, this soup will keep you cozy and satisfied.
Colder weather calls for soups and chili recipes. This creamy vegetarian tortilla soup is cozy, hearty, full of flavor, and made without any meat! It’s a Tex-Mex inspired soup that’s loaded with beans, corn, tomatoes, and spices, then finished with cream cheese for that smooth and creamy texture. Best of all, you can make it in your slow cooker, Instant Pot, or on the stovetop, so it works for any schedule.
For a non-vegetarian version of this soup, check out this creamy chicken tortilla soup recipe. You may also love my creamy chicken enchilada soup or my Marry Me Chicken Soup.
Recipe Overview
Skill Level
Intermediate
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Tips for Success
- Add cream cheese at the end. This keeps the soup creamy and prevents curdling.
- For more heat, add jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Want it lighter? Swap cream cheese with Greek yogurt. Just make sure you add it at the very end.
- Make your own Crispy tortilla strips: Cut tortillas into thin strips, toss with olive oil, and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.
Ingredients you will need
Below is just a list of ingredients to check if you have and that you’ll need to make this soup. Full measurements will be listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Onion, garlic, and bell peppers: the aromatic base.
- Corn & diced tomatoes: for a sweet, crunchy, and juicy flavor.
- Black beans + lentils: add protein and make it filling. Black beans, red beans, or any other beans of choice, like pinto beans.
- Olive oil, or any other neutral oil like avocado oil.
- Vegetable broth: The base of the soup.
- Jalapeno pepper: Adds a nice touch of heat. A lot of times, my kids can’t handle spice, so I skip it.
- Seasonings: Smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes: Use fresh or canned. If you have fire-roasted diced tomatoes, even better.
- Mild or medium salsa: Brings out the flavor of this tortilla soup, so try not to skip this.
- Cream cheese: You can also use lite cream cheese.
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: Crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, sliced or diced jalapeños, chopped red onion, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, sour cream, or Greek yogurt.
How to make vegetarian tortilla soup in a crockpot or slow cooker
- Start by prepping the vegetables; dice the onion and peppers. Drain and rinse the beans. Wash the lentils thoroughly under cold running water and set them aside.
- Except for cream cheese, combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW for 7-8 hours, until vegetables and lentils are cooked through and the soup is thick.
- Once done, remove the lid and mix in the cream cheese. Pour the soup into a large serving bowl.
- Add your favorite toppings and serve warm!
How to make in an instant pot
- Turn the Instant Pot on and add oil. Stir in the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, place all the ingredients into the pot, except for the cream cheese.
- Cover the pot with the lid, setting the valve to the sealing position. Then, cook on high for 15 minutes. Once the pot beeps, allow the pot to release pressure naturally.
- Unlock the lid and add the cream cheese. Stir well and serve with your favorite toppings.
How to make it on a stovetop
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in bell pepper and jalapeño, and cook, stirring constantly until slightly golden brown.
- Immediately pour in the broth. Add tomato sauce, salsa, beans, corn, and lentils.
- Stir in the spices, and mix well until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes until the lentils are tender and the soup is thick according to your liking.
- Once the soup is done, stir in cream cheese. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed.
- Pour the soup into bowls. Add sliced jalapeños, onion, and avocado.
- Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips or crispy tortilla strips, and cheddar cheese on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and enjoy!
Variations
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut milk instead of cream cheese for a dairy-free option.
- Extra Veggies: Make it even heartier by adding zucchini, carrots, or spinach.
- Add a Protein Boost: Stir in quinoa or chickpeas for some added protein.
- Non-Vegetarian: Add shredded chicken or ground turkey.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes! You can prep and chop all the veggies a day before, then dump everything into the slow cooker the next day. It also reheats beautifully.
What If i don’t have lentils?
If you don’t have lentils, you can swap for another can of beans or cooked quinoa.
What if my soup is too thin?
Let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes, or mash some beans/lentils to thicken naturally.
How long is tortilla soup good for?
Vegetarian tortilla soup will last in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Be sure to store it in a tightly sealed container. You can freeze this soup for up to 4 months.
How to store and reheat
- Storing: Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may freeze this vegetarian tortilla soup for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat single servings in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. You may reheat it on your stovetop in a small pot or saucepan. If the soup is too thick, you may add 1/4 cup of water or vegetable broth.
More Soup recipes to try
- Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Easy French Onion Soup
- Meatball Soup
- Middle Eastern Red Lentil Soup
- Homemade Tomato Rice Soup
- Beef Noodle Soup
- Vegan Lentil Soup
Creamy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup (Easy & Hearty)
This creamy vegetarian tortilla soup is hearty, flavorful, and easy to make. Perfect for busy days when you want something warm and filling.
Video
Equipment
- Crock Pot
- Chef's knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
- 1 cup corn, fresh, canned, or frozen
- 3/4 cup dried red lentils
- 15 ounces tomato sauce , or crushed tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, or green peppers, diced
- 3/4 cup salsa , use mild or spicy, or salsa verde
- 15 ounces black beans, one can, drained & rinsed
- 15 ounces red beans, one can, drained & rinsed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or 2 fresh garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional, use more for a spicier soup
- 1/2 cup light cream cheese, or any creamy cheese of choice, dairy-free works great too
- Salt and pepper, to taste
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- crushed tortilla chips to garnish, or sliced avocado, sour cream, sliced or diced jalapeños, chopped red onion, shredded cheddar, fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Start by prepping the vegetables; dice the 1 medium onion and 1 red bell pepper.
- Drain and rinse the beans. (15 ounces black beans and 15 ounces red beans)
- Wash the 3/4 cup dried red lentils thoroughly under cold running water and set them aside.
For Slow-Cooker/crockpot directions:
- Into the slow cooker, add the rinsed lentils, rinsed beans, chopped bell pepper, and chopped onions. Then add 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 jalapeno pepper (diced), onions, peppers, 1 cup corn, 3/4 cup salsa , 15 ounces tomato sauce , 1 teaspoon smoked paprika , 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth, and Salt and pepper. Toss everything together.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW for 7-8 hours, until vegetables and lentils are cooked through and the soup is thick.
- Once done, remove the lid and mix in the 1/2 cup light cream cheese.
- Pour the soup into a large serving bowl. Add your favorite toppings like crushed tortilla chips to garnish, and serve warm!
Notes
- Serving size: One bowl is about 2 cups
- Don’t forget to add the cream cheese at the very end
- You can use any oil of your choice for this tortilla soup
- Use your favorite beans. I used black and red beans.
- Use any creamy white cheese instead of heavy cream for a creamy, thick soup.
- Corn: fresh, canned, or frozen corn can be used.
- The cayenne pepper is optional; if kids will be eating this, I suggest you skip it. Add more if you prefer it to be spicier.
- To keep this vegetarian-friendly, use vegetable broth. Otherwise, you can use any broth.
- If you aren’t a vegetarian and would like to add some meat to this, try chicken or beef. You can use shredded chicken, or add a full chicken breast and shred it later after it is fully cooked.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 22gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 1022mgPotassium: 1177mgFiber: 21gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1523IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @healthyfitnessmeals or tag #healthyfitnessmeals!
Going to make this this weekend for a party. But I need to like triple the recipe for the party. What size crockpot did you use for the normal recipe?
Can you sub the salsa for canned tomatoes + taco seasoning? Any recommendations for the taco seasoning measurements? I rarely have salsa on hand. Thanks.
That should work yes
Can you make this and freeze it,for later use?
Yes. you sure can
Followed recipe exactly. Cooked it on low in the crockpot. It was delicious but it didn’t thicken up at all. I don’t know what I did wrong, it was good but we had to basically drain some of the liquid and put it over the chips kind of like chili instead of it being a thick creamy soup.
Huh that’s odd? you couldn’t put it on high to dry out some of the liquid? I am not sure either how that happened. Trying to brainstorm
I love this recipe! I accidentally added a cup of cream cheese instead of 1/2 cup. It was so creamy. I think I will keep doing the full cup.
I love this recipe! It was super easy and delicious! I added two chicken breast and cooked on low for 6ish hours. I will definitely make it again!
This was delicious!!
Hi! Excited to make this soup. Would sour cream work in place of the cream cheese?
I am not too sure about the use of sour cream
What type of salsa do you use? The ingredient list says salsa verde, but in the picture of ingredients I don’t see anything green and salsa verde is green.
Hi Tyler. Just salsa. Mild or spicy. My mind was thinking you could also use salsa verde. I adjusted it
Second time making this and I’m still obsessed! Such a great soup, nice and warming on this cool, rainy autumn day.
Nice. Glad you loved it
This was delicious! I made it for dinner tonight, super easy! I did add 2 chicken breast and cooked on low for 7 hours. I will be making this again!
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you loved it
Could I use precooked canned lentils and add them at the end?
What tomato sauce do you recommend? I only see it included on the second ingredient list.
I usually use Hunts. Any brand you like will work
I made this today in the crockpot on high for 5 hours. I omitted the cream cheese as it didn’t need it and wanted to make it vegan. It was delicious!! It’s a keeper with my family. Thank you for the great recipe.
Awesome.
Made this today, stovetop. It turned out awesome. I did add some cornstarch at the end to thicken it more, but that’s just personal preference on consistency of soup.
Heavy cream is mentioned in the comments at the end but not on the ingredient list. How much heavy cream should be added?
Hi. That’s if you would like to use heavy cream instead of cream cheese. You can use 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup. if watching calories go with 1/4 cup
Have you made this stovetop or in the instant pot? Wondering on times. I do not have a crock pot. This recipe looks amazing.
You can easily make it on your stovetop. Cook the onions with oil first. Then add in bell peppers. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add in all the other ingredients including the cheese. Let it boil on the stove for 15-20 mins under medium heat covered. Remove cover and mix and leave it to simmer for another 10 minutes until you feel it’s thick enough.
Hi! Just wanted to ask how to adjust time if I cook it stovetop instead of a crockpot. Is it still the same time?
My bad, I missed that earlier in the article
This recipe was simple and easy, and the absolutely delicious! Thank you
Thank you Xena
Just wanted you to know that I’ve included your recipe in a collection of Irish foods.