This creamy, flavor-forward, Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup is the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner! It takes just 20 minutes to throw together and uses just a handful of pantry staple ingredients. It's healthy but super hearty so the meat-eaters in your life won't even realize that it's totally vegetarian!
You Will Love This
- It's SO quick and easy! We are talking 20 minutes from start to finish. Which means you can walk in the door and have dinner on the table in a flash. The only prep required is chopping an onion and mincing a few cloves of garlic! If you love this soup, be sure to check out my Vegan White Chickpea Chili and Vegan Three Bean Chili!
- It's vegan, but you'd never know it! This vegan lentil tortilla soup is a delicious meatless meal, but it's also hearty and loaded with tons of familiar Mexican flavors, fiber-filled beans, and veggies! Top it with delish garnishes - tortilla strips, sour cream, and fresh cilantro - and the meat-eaters in your life are never even going to know that it's vegan!
- It's a great meal prep recipe for a busy week! I love having a big pot of soup in the fridge for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week. This lentil tortilla soup and my Vegan Curry Lentil Soup are two of my favorite 20-minute soups!
- This vegan lentil tortilla soup reheats beautifully which makes it one of our family's favorites. Spend 20 minutes prepping on Sunday and you've got healthy, hearty meals all week!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive Oil - This is our family's favorite olive oil. Look for one that is ideally cold-pressed and organic.
- Red Onion - You could also use yellow onion or white onion in place of the red onion in this recipe.
- Fresh Garlic - I really prefer fresh garlic for this recipe, but if you don't have any on hand you could use ½-1 teaspoon of garlic powder in place of fresh.
- Cumin - I love adding cumin to chili because it adds such an earthy, warm flavor. Feel free to omit it if you don't have any on hand.
- Chili Powder - The chili powder in this recipe is one of the key ingredients that gives it that classic chili flavor.
- Chipotles in Adobo - My favorite secret chili ingredient is chipotles in adobo. They add such a smoky depth of flavor to this chili.
- Black Beans - Feel free to add whatever beans you've got on hand. We've always got a can of black beans in the cupboard, but pinto beans or even kidney beans would work in their place.
- Corn - If you don't have canned corn on hand, frozen will work in it's place.
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes - Regular diced tomatoes or even crushed tomatoes would work just fine in place of the fire roasted diced tomatoes in this chili. The fire roasted flavor just adds more depth to the chili.
- Split Red Lentils - I like to use split red lentils for this recipe because they cook so quickly. You could use other lentils in place of the split red lentils, but keep in mind that you'll likely have to increase the cooking time significantly to allow the lentils to cook through.
- V8 Vegetable Juice - You can use any brand of tomato based vegetable juice in place of V8 in this recipe.
- Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk - This is our family's favorite brand of coconut milk. Be sure to grab the the canned coconut milk and not the stuff in the carton.
- Lime Juice - If you can use fresh squeezed limes that's definitely best, but here is our family's favorite lime juice that comes in a bottle.
Instructions
Saute onion in olive for 3-4 minutes in a large heavy bottom pot.
Add garlic, cumin, chili powder and chiles in adobo.
Stir and cook for another minute.
Add black beans, corn, split red lentils, tomatoes (these are my favorite fire-roasted diced tomatoes).
Add V8 and coconut milk (this is my favorite brand!) along with a few large pinches of salt and pepper.
Stir to combine and simmer over medium heat.
Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through. Add lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish and enjoy!
Tips
- Don't worry about the coconut milk giving this vegan lentil tortilla soup a coconutty flavor. The spices in this dish are going to flavor the coconut milk so much that you really won't taste coconut at all. Also, the sweetness of the coconut milk is going to help balance out the acidity from the tomatoes which is why I love it in this recipe!
- If you're not worried about this soup being vegan, you can substitute ¾ of a cup of heavy cream in place of the can of coconut milk. You may have to add just a teaspoon or so of granulated sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes if you're using heavy cream as you'll be losing that hint of sweetness from the coconut milk.
- This is a simple recipe, so make sure that you salt LIBERALLY. Salt throughout the recipe and also season to taste with salt and pepper at the end too. Don't be afraid of the salt in this recipe - it's really going to boost the flavors of all the ingredients!
- Feel free to use whatever lentils you have on hand if you don't have split red lentils. Split red lentils cooks in 5-7 minutes. But if you use another kind of lentil, you'll have to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Check the cook time on your lentils and start with the lowest recommend time. Taste the lentils throughout the cooking process and take the soup off the heat as soon as the lentils are tender and cooked through!
FAQ
Yes! You can throw uncooked lentils into soup without soaking or cooking them before. In this soup, we use split red lentils which cook in about 5-7 minutes which make them ideal for a quick an easy dinner! Other colors of lentils will take considerably longer to cook, so be sure to buy split red lentils for this tortilla soup!
This vegan lentil tortilla soup is thickened with the addition of a can of full fat coconut milk. This gives the soup a deliciously creamy texture while thickening it slightly. You could sub heavy cream (about ½ a cup) in please of the coconut milk if you're not worried about this soup being vegan.
This is not an Authentic Tortilla Soup Recipe
- This is in no way meant to be a classic tortilla soup recipe. This is my Midwestern vegan twist on tortilla soup using ingredients that my family commonly has in our kitchen.
- If you're looking for some background history on this delicious Mexican dish, here's a brief summary.
- While tortilla soup originally came from Mexico, the exact origin is actually still unknown, however, traditionally, tortilla soup is made with onion, garlic, chicken broth, roasted tomatoes, and fried tortilla strips.
Family Favorites
- Homemade Fried Tortilla Strips
- Vegan Curry Ramen Noodles
- Vegan Curry Lentil Soup
- Vegan Spicy Black Bean Soup
- Easy White Bean and Kale Soup
- Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup
- Vegan Curried Cauliflower Soup
Creamy Lentil Tortilla Soup
This creamy, flavor-forward, Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup is the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner! It takes just 20 minutes to throw together and uses just a handful of pantry staple ingredients. It's healthy but super hearty so the meat-eaters in your life won't even realize that it's totally vegetarian!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish - Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican/American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1–3 teaspoons chiles in adobo, optional
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup split red lentils
- 32 oz. V8 or other brand vegetable juice
- 1 (13.5 oz.) can full fat coconut milk
- juice of 1 lime
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Garnish:
- tortilla strips
- sour cream
- sliced jalapeno
- fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Add onion and cook, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin, chili powder and chiles in adobo and cook, stirring frequently for another minute.
- Add black beans, corn, lentils, tomatoes, V8, and coconut milk along with a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through.
- Add the juice of 1 lime and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish and enjoy!
Notes
Don't worry about the coconut milk giving this vegan lentil tortilla soup a coconutty flavor. The spices in this dish are going to flavor the coconut milk so much that you really won't taste coconut at all. Also, the sweetness of the coconut milk is going to help balance out the acidity from the tomatoes which is why I love it in this recipe!
If you're not worried about this soup being vegan, you can substitute ¾ of a cup of heavy cream in place of the can of coconut milk. You may have to add just a teaspoon or so of granulated sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes if you're using heavy cream as you'll be losing that hint of sweetness from the coconut milk.
This is a simple recipe, so make sure that you salt LIBERALLY. Salt throughout the recipe and also season to taste with salt and pepper at the end too. Don't be afraid of the salt in this recipe - it's really going to boost the flavors of all the ingredients!
Feel free to use whatever lentils you have on hand if you don't have split red lentils. Split red lentils cooks in 5-7 minutes. But if you use another kind of lentil, you'll have to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Check the cook time on your lentils and start with the lowest recommend time. Taste the lentils throughout the cooking process and take the soup off the heat as soon as the lentils are tender and cooked through!
Keywords: vegan tortilla soup, vegetarian tortilla soup, southwest chili, creamy tortilla soup
Ash
This is one of my favorite soups of all time! I add more chiles in adobo for more spice and I've recently discovered that Trader Joes carries an amazing vegan tzatziki sauce that pairs perfectly with this soup. I dollop a bit on top for a nice creamy tang as a replacement for sour cream and the flavor is mind blowing.
★★★★★
Katie
I made this in my crockpot and it is absolutely delicious!! I will definitely make this again!! Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Nic
Hello! What is a good substitute for V8/veggie juice? I just never buy those products so wonder what else would taste good in the soup- while maintaining the flavor profile it needs from the v8
Thanks!
Kylie
Any type of tomato based vegetable juice will work! I often just use the generic "V8". You could also sub enchilada sauce or even just tomato sauce.
Theresa
Loved this recipe! Made it in my crockpot and added extra chipotle in Adobe peppers and also put it in my blender to purée and thicken it up! Great flavor!
★★★★★
Katie
I love using my crock pot. Did you just dump everything in and go? Also how long did you set it for?
★★★★★
PILAR
I would give more stars if I could! We all went vegan a month ago. My family loves chili which has a distinctive strong flavor but this recipe is just so mild and delicious. We did not miss the meat. I used little less of the tomato juice so it would be thicker , really was so fast to make, not a lot of prep, ingredients I had in the cover. It’s a keeper. Thank you 🙂
★★★★★
Celia
Very good recipe! I used a whole 46 oz bottle of low sodium V8, so I added a jar of cooked cannelloni beans as well. I used about as many chipotles in adobos as it calls for as it’s what I had left in my fridge from a different meal. I didn’t add much salt and was happy with the seasoning. The coconut milk definitely makes this terrific. I don’t love buying/using V8, but it works so I will likely make as directed when I make again. If substituted tomato sauce I think one would have to use at least 2 cans and then add a bunch of veggie broth (or better than bullion & water).
★★★★★
Jill
This soup is delicious and so easy to make with very little prep!! I made the recipe as written but used frozen corn instead of canned and just added a little extra of the spices and substituted lite coconut milk for the full fat version. It was still creamy and delicious! Thanks for a great recipe! 🙂
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad that you enjoyed this tortilla soup, Jill! And love to hear that it worked with your substitutions! Thanks for leaving a review - I so appreciate it 🙂
Katie
This looks amazing! I will be making this tonight. Do you know what the amount per serving is?
Kylie
Can't wait to hear what you think, Katie! I don't typically measure out the ounces/cups for each serving. To be honest, I don't love including the nutrition facts in general because I think they can be misleading - everyone eats a different amount and I'm certainly not in a place to recommend what a "serving" should be for someone. I have to include them for SEO purposes.
Joni
Soooo good!
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad that you enjoyed this lentil tortilla soup, Joni. Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂
Ann-Marie Nowak
Awesome, Easy and delicious
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this tortilla soup, Ann-Marie! Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂
Laura
So delicious! The whole family enjoyed it (and they are super picky). We are making an effort to eat better, recipes like this are helping us do it! Can’t wait to try other recipes ❤️ Thank you Midwest Foodie!
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad to hear that your family enjoyed this lentil soup recipe! Thanks so much for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂
Chelsea XO&So
I've made this twice now and it's a new favorite! Thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad that you enjoyed this tortilla soup, Chelsea. Thanks for leaving a review!
Carolina
This tortilla soup was amazing! So delicious and filling. I made it for my non vegan family and they absolutely loved it ?? Fast and easy makes it my favorite ?
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad to hear that your family enjoyed this tortilla soup, Carolina! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Natalie Flaten
This was SO DIVINE. It’s savory and filling and the flavor is spot on. Anything healthy, fast and easy to make is a winner. I’ve sent this recipe to 4 friends so far, it’s just too good not to share. Thank you for all the great vegan recipes!!
★★★★★
Kylie
Thank you so much for sharing this chili with your friends, Natalie!! I am glad that you enjoyed this recipe - thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Taylor F.
Soooo good!!!! I have been trying to eat more plant-based foods for the past 9 months. It’s honestly been pretty difficult to find some really good vegan/vegetarian meals to add to my lunch rotation (I’ve only found maybe 5 new recipes that I love) but this one is hands down the BEST. I did use regular lentils - just had to cook a little longer, and added some Fritos. It’s a meal I really look forward to eating. Will be eating this regularly. Thank you to whoever made this!!
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Taylor! Glad that the regular lentils worked as well. Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it 🙂
Andrea Thompson
I’m new to vegan cooking and this looked like a good recipe to start with. It was! I thought it was flavorful and filling with just the slightest coconut flavor. I added Tabasco and sliced avocado in my serving. It was very good - will make this again.
★★★★★
Kylie
This is the perfect recipe for those new to vegan cooking! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Andrea. Thanks for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!
Jill Ford
Can I freeze the leftovers? I would love to be able to do that if anyone has tried.
Kylie
Yes! I just warmed up a Tupperware full of frozen leftover lentil tortilla soup last week! I like to thaw it in the fridge overnight and then heat over medium heat on the stove. Don't forget to season to taste with salt and pepper after reheating!! Great question, Jill!
Laura
So delicious and so easy! Even my hardcore meat eater partner loved this and said the recipe was a keeper. Now off to find my next Midwest Foodie Soup!
★★★★★
Kylie
LOVE when the meat eaters can enjoy a vegan meal too! I'm so glad you've enjoyed this recipe. Can't wait to see what you make next. Thanks for leaving a review!