Warm, spicy and flavorful Vegetarian Tortilla Soup made in the Instant Pot! Topped with avocado, cilantro, corn tortilla strips, this soup makes a filling meal!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil (I used avocado oil)
  • 1 small red onion (chopped)
  • 1 jalapeno (de-seeded & chopped)
  • 5-6 large garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 1 medium red pepper (chopped)
  • 2x15 oz can black beans (drained & rinsed)
  • 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I pureed the tomatoes in a blender before using in the soup or use can of crushed tomatoes)
  • 1 cup salsa (I used medium spicy, use any salsa of choice)
  • 1 cup sweet corn (I used frozen)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile pepper powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
  • 2.5-3 cups vegetable broth (or water)
  • salt (to taste, around 1 teaspoon)

Toppings

  • 6 small corn tortillas (6 inch diameter) (cut into strips or use tortilla chips)
  • 2 avocado (diced)
  • cilantro
  • 1 jalapenos
  • lime wedges

Method

  1. Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add the oil to the pot and then add the chopped onion, jalapeno, garlic and red pepper.
  2. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions are softened.
  3. Add in the drained & rinsed black beans, diced tomatoes (which I pureed in a blender before), salsa and sweet corn.
  4. Also add the spices- cumin, smoked paprika, ancho chile pepper, red chili powder, chipotle powder and tomato paste (if using).
  5. Add vegetable broth or water and also add the salt. Stir to combine.
  6. Close the pot with its lid. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, with the pressure valve in the sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally.
  7. Open the lid, ladle vegetarian tortilla soup into individual bowls and top with the prepared corn tortilla strips, diced avocado, jalapenos, cilantro and enjoy!

Corn Tortilla Strips

  1. Cut each corn tortilla into thin strips, 2 inch long and around 1/2 inch wide. Toss the strips with little oil or spray with a oil spray and sprinkle salt.
  2. Place the strips in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with silicone mat or parchment paper. Bake at 400 F degrees for 12 to 15 minutes on until the strips are crispy. Remember to turn/toss them once through the halfway mark.

Stove-Top Instructions

  1. If making the soup on stove top, follow all the steps as it is. But in stead of pressure cooking, once you have added all the ingredients let the soup simmer for around 20 minutes.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.