Rich and creamy with chunky roasted poblanos, this Vegetarian Tortilla Soup is a hearty soup to warm up with. It features corn tortillas, in a rich chipotle and chili powder tomato base with corn and smoky poblano peppers.
While the soup is cooking on the stovetop, the poblanos are roasted, peeled, and diced, then stirred into the soup. Share with a side of guacamole or sliced avocado, plenty of cilantro, crunchy tortilla strips or soft tortillas. This recipe is freezer friendly, vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
A Cozy and Satisfying Creamy Tortilla Soup
Born and raised in Texas, you can imagine Tex-Mex food is my all time favorite. This soup, I’m completely in love with. It’s creamy, chunky, offers complex and warming flavors and, it’s spicy (!!) … IF you add the optional jalapeños. I do, and my nose and eyes water with every dreamy bite!
This Recipe Is
- boldly flavorful
- adjustable to taste – take the spicy up or down
- chunky and creamy
- freezer friendly
- vegetarian and vegan
It’s easy to make, so satisfying, creamy-chunky and has all the Mexican food flavors we crave! If you love Mexican-inspired recipes, you’ll enjoy this soup!
Recipe Inspiration
Traditional and authentic tortilla soup does not include corn. However, it was at a restaurant in Seattle, Mexico (now closed), where I discovered this inspired recipe with the help of another delicious recipe I started making years ago from California Pizza Kitchen. This tortilla soup is a hybrid of the two with corn tortillas, corn kernels and roasted poblanos in a rich and creamy tomato base.
The addition of corn and poblanos add so much to this mouthwatering creamy tortilla soup. While the corn tortillas assist in thickening the soup, the corn kernels add a hint of sweet and texture, while the roasted poblanos offer a smoky nuance and hearty texture.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Poblano Peppers – mild and uniquely flavorful, these chilis add a smoky/sweet flavor and because they’re roasted, they’re tender yet add a luxurious texture to this soup.
- Corn Tortillas – sliced into small pieces, these get fried in the soup pot along with the onions. They add flavor and also thicken the soup.
- Garlic – enhances the overall flavor of the soup and, complements the other ingredients.
- Onions – adds depth of flavor, sautéed at the beginning of the cooking process to build a flavorful foundation.
- Seasonings – common in Mexican cuisine, chili powder, and chipotle chili powder build the savory base of this soup. One of my favorite spices in Mexican cuisine is cumin. It has an earthy, warm flavor that’s added in this soup as a flavor builder.
- Pickled Jalapeño Peppers – add spice and flavor. Reduce or leave the jalapeños out completely and while the spicy is quelled, the richness of corn, poblanos and tomatoes stand out.
- Corn – adds sweetness and texture. Fresh or Frozen Corn? When in season, opt for fresh off the cob. However, frozen corn works well too! Simply thaw and add to the soup pot.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – find this variety of canned tomatoes alongside other canned tomatoes. They lend a smoky flavor profile and offer a creamy texture.
- Tomato Paste – adds umami flavor, thickens and adds body to the soup.
- Vegetable Broth – you can use homemade or store-bought. I like Better Than Boullion Veggie Base (it’s reduced sodium, but you can’t tell!).
To stretch this vegetarian tortilla soup further, add a can of cooked black beans or 1 3/4 cup home-cooked black beans (rinsed and drained) right after adding the roasted poblanos.
About Poblanos
This creamy tortilla soup recipe highlights the flavor and silky texture of roasted poblanos. Poblanos, a staple in Mexican cooking, are a mild pepper. Poblanos taste best roasted and peeled as this brings out their smoky flavor and it removes the waxy skin.
Although poblanos are known for their mild flavor, they can offer a bit of heat. So, for this recipe, be sure to remove the seeds and ribs after roasting to tame their sometimes unpredictable heat.
If you’re particularly sensitive to handling peppers, be sure to put on a pair of gloves while handling the chiles. Even though poblanos are considered mild, they can still irritate your skin.
Quick Guide: How to Make Tortilla Soup
This Mexican tortilla soup recipe comes together quick after roasting and peeling the poblanos. Note that there is some overlap with roasting the poblanos and preparing other ingredients. If short on time, roasting and peeling the peppers a day or two before you need them is an option. Here’s how to make this inspired Mexican vegetarian soup (see recipe card for details):
- First, roast the poblanos in the oven. Once blistered all over, sweat, peel and deseed the poblanos. Chop into bite size pieces.
- Second, pan fry the corn tortillas, add the onion, garlic, spices, vegetable broth, corn and fire roasted tomatoes.
- Next, simmer the soup, then use a blender to puree’ the soup.
- Last, stir in the corn kernels and roasted poblano peppers.
Share vegetarian tortilla soup with your favorite condiments like tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips, cilantro, lime juice, sour cream, cheese and/or avocado.
Expert Tips
- Poblanos can be roasted on an open flame on stove top or in the oven. I prefer the oven method for this recipe because it frees up hands for prepping other ingredients.
- This Mexican vegetarian soup calls for minced jalapeños. Since jalapeños can vary in their heat, feel free to omit them or reduce the amount to taste.
- Add Beans! Cooked black beans make a delicious and hearty addition. Use one can, rinsed and drained added towards the end of cooking.
- Make it Vegetarian or Vegan Tortilla Soup: As written this Mexican tortilla soup is vegan, however, feel free to top it with your favorite condiments like sour cream and/or cheese.
- Fresh or Frozen Corn? When in season, opt for fresh off the cob. However, frozen corn works well too! Simply thaw and add to the soup pot.
More Soup Recipes to Love
- White Bean, Cabbage and Potato Soup
- Vegetarian Corn Chowder
- Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
- African Peanut Stew
Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with Roasted Poblanos
Ingredients
- 6 (385 grams) Poblano Peppers
- 3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil I like coconut or olive oil
- 4, 6 inch Corn Tortillas cut into 1 inch strips
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced, about 2 teaspoons
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) White Onion diced small, about 1/4 of an onion
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt + more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder or more chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Pickled Jalapeño Pepper minced (for intense heat – optional)
- 2 cups (300 grams) Sweet Corn divided. fresh, about two ears or frozen thawed
- 28 ounce (793 grams) Can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 4 cups (885 grams) Vegetable Broth
- Fresh Lime
For Garnish and/or Serve With:
- Fried corn tortilla strips (*see note for homemade) or tortilla chips, jalapeño peppers, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, avocados
Instructions
Roast the Poblanos:
- Set one oven rack to the top of the oven and preheat oven to broil.Arrange the poblanos evenly on a baking sheet. Place the poblanos on the top rack. Using tongs, turn the poblanos about every 2 – 3 minutes for a total of about 9 – 12 minutes, or until they're nice and charred (blistered) on each side. Remove from oven and transfer the peppers to a covered bowl to steam for about 10 minutes (this makes them easier to peel). The peppers will be soft at this point. Peel the skins off the peppers, working the seeds and ribs out with a little bit of running water (this helps them cool as well).Cut into strips, then into bite size pieces. Set aside.
Make the Soup:
- In a 4 quart soup pot or Dutch oven add the oil on medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add the cut tortilla pieces to the hot oil. Stir frequently on medium high until strips are crisp, about 8-10 minutes (a bit of sticking here is ok).
- To the tortilla strips add the minced garlic, onion and optional jalapeño pepper. Saute’ for about 2 minutes on medium, stirring frequently.
- To the tortilla mixture sprinkle in the cumin, chili powders and salt. Add half the corn, tomatoes, tomato paste, and veggie broth.. Bring to a simmer, stir and simmer for five minutes.
- Remove from the heat and using an immersion blender (or blender), blend until soup is smooth and creamy.
- Return to heat on low, stir in the remaining corn and poblano peppers. Warm through, about 5-8 minutes on low. (**see note about adding black beans if desired). Squeeze half a lime juice into the soup, stir and taste for salt adjustment.
To Share:
- Share tortilla soup with your favorite toppings such as lime wedges, tortilla strips* see note for homemade or tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, grated cheddar and/or cilantro.
To Store:
- Store up to three days in the refrigerator or allow to cool completely before freezing. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight and reheat for about 10 minutes stove top on low heat.
I made this soup; it’s absolutely lovely! The store was out of poblano peppers so I used Anaheim chiles instead because they were in stock.
Hi Cheryl! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go. Thank you for sharing your tip about Anaheim! It sounds fabulous!
This is such a great variation on most tortilla soup recipes I’ve made. The puréed tomato base is so rich and flavorful and the roasted poblanos add such a nice smoky flavor and just a little heat. I loved being able to use up all of the end of the season peppers in this recipe. Thanks, Traci!
Hiiii Jean! SO nice to read your comment here and happy to hear you enjoyed it! Those smoky poblanos are so satisfying.
One of our favorite soups Traci! Just perfect for comfort food season. I love the smoky flavor of the roasted poblanos.
Such a treat Mare! Agreed! Poblanos have such incredible flavor.
Yum! Our friend just gave us a bunch of peppers from his garden. We’re in California, so his garden is still producing some great stuff. Can’t wait to try this soup!
How fabulous that your friend shares his garden veggies! And he’s growing pablanos? That’s even better! I hope you enjoy the recipe, Robin!