Vegetarian Tortilla Soup by Lisa Xanthos
Serves 4
Nonstick vegetable spray
3/4 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 or 3/4 tsp chili powder (depends how spicy you want it)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 six-inch corn tortillas, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped or crushed tomatoes
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed
2/3 cup chopped zucchini
2/3 cup corn (frozen is fine)
1 1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno chili (optional)
1 avocado, cut into bite-size pieces
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Tortilla chips
Spray large nonstick saucepan with vegetable oil. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, stirring often, about five mins. Stir in tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 mins. Add corn tortillas until they begin to disintegrate. Use an immersion blender to blend the tortillas into the broth. Add tomatoes, beans, zucchini, corn, jalapeno. Cover and simmer until zucchini is tender. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with cilantro, avocados, and tortilla chips. Another option is to add vegan “sour cream.”
