The onset of chilly Fall weather calls for a bowl of warm, inviting soup. That said, I wasn’t always a soup person. I prefer to chew my food, thank you very much. That was until I started making all sorts of savory soups that are packed with vegetables, protein & incredible flavor! They totally feel like a full-fledge hearty meal. This soup is one of my favorites, particularly because it’s so hands-off & can be made in a crockpot. All you have to do when you come home is throw in some avocado, sprinkle fresh cilantro, splash some lemon & whip up an easy cashew sour cream recipe (for those who don’t consume dairy) 😉
This recipe has been adapted from my mom’s repertoire. “The other Aleyda”- did I tell you we share the same name? Well, she’s a fantastic cook. Simply superb. I watched her prepare this an infinite number of times in her kitchen as a little girl. The essence of this soup lies in the roasted tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic & onion. This extra step takes a little time, but if you trust me- it’s worth every effort! And if you’re vegan- just add some good quality & preferably low-sodium organic vegetable broth in lieu of chicken stock. Some days I make my own chicken stock, sometimes I buy pre-made organic varieties. It all truly depends on how much time I’ve got on my hands at the moment.
Crockpot Vegan Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño, very finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves (skin on)
- 4 large, very ripe tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of chilli powder (you could do 1/2 teaspoon if you prefer it less spicy)
- 1 large whole yellow onion, peeled
- 3 tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro (set 1 tablespoon aside for garnish prior to serving)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon or a squeeze of lime. Remember, limes are stronger so I would use a little less. This soup tastes better with limes! 😉
- 5 cups of organic, low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegan options
- 1 cup of water
- 6 boneless, organic chicken thighs (For vegan options, black beans go amazingly well with this as your source of protein)
- 3-4 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 10 thin yellow corn tortillas (leave some for garnish)
- A pinch of Tabasco (optional)
- A pinch of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- Fresh Shredded Cheese for melting (I don’t consume dairy but my mom put lots of cheese in hers!)
Instructions
- Heat a pan over medium to high heat. Throw in tomatoes, onion, garlic (skin on) & green pepper. Cook until slightly blackened/charred on both sides. This takes roughly about 10 mins. Remove from the pan, & peel the skin off the garlic & green bell pepper.
- Throw the vegetables into the blender along with the 1 cup of water & 3-4 tablespoons of tomato paste. Add the cumin, paprika, jalapeños, olive oil & chilli powder. Blend until smooth. This is your deliciously thick soup base & the heart of the soup.
- Turn your crockpot to high, & throw in the 4 cups of broth along with the cilantro, lemon or lime juice & 6 boneless organic chicken thighs.
- Tear your corn tortillas & throw em’ in to the crockpot. The tortillas simmering away & blending into the soup will give it wonderful thickness & traditional flavor.
- Throw the tomato soup base from the blender into the crockpot. Stir well to integrate.
- Cover & simmer away for 4-6 hours. If you want a soup that’s more broth-like, use 1 additional cup of broth & add it towards the end.
- Top with LOTS of avocado, fresh cilantro, corn tortillas, sour cream or cashew sour cream (like me!) An all-star recipe below!
P.S. (1)if you don’t have the time to charr or blacken the vegetables prior to throwing them into the blender, simply throw them in fresh. I just find that cooking them prior to blending them brings out the most amazing flavor!
(2): I often buy organic rotisserie chickens at Whole Foods. I used to throw away the carcass. I now boil it to make the best chicken stock, that way a chicken provides two meals; the meat & then the delicious broth.
(3) I fried my corn tortillas in cold pressed coconut oil in a sauce pan. They taste that much better in the soup! 🙂
For the Cashew Sour Cream (This stuff is amazing! I had to share “Against All Grain’s” Recipe)
Dairy-Free Cashew Sour Cream
Author: Danielle Walker – AgainstAllGrain.com
Serves: ¾ cup
Prep Time: 5 mins
Ingredients
½ cup whole raw cashews
⅓ cup water
½ teaspoon lime juice
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¾ teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional, gives it a cheese-dairy type flavor)
Instructions
- Put the cashews in bowl and fill it with enough water to cover them. Soak for 2 hours.
- Drain and rinse the cashews and add them to a blender. Add the fresh ⅓ cup water, lime juice, vinegar, salt, nutritional yeast.
- Blend until very smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving, or up to 3 days.
