RECIPE: Vegan Tortilla Soup
Everytime im at a Mexican resturant and someone orders Tortilla soup my heart crys and my mouth waters. I have finally found a way to make it vegan style! It was so filling and delicious, I can’t wait to make it again.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
6-8 corn tortillas, cut in half and then into matchstick-thin strips a big splash of extra virgin olive oi + sea salt
20 small yellow or red cherry tomatoes
another splash of extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 large white onion, chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or other spicy red chili powder 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes 6 cups vegetable broth (or water)
a few sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1/4 cup of VEGAN SOUR CREAM or goat cheese, crumbled (non vegan option)
Gently toss the tortilla strips with a glug of olive oil and salt. Turn them out onto a baking sheet, arrange them across the pan and bake in a 350F degree oven for 10 minutes or until golden and crispy. Set aside.
Halve (or quarter) the tomatoes lengthwise and put them in a small roasting pan, oven proof dish, or rimmed baking sheet. Toss with a bit of olive oil and a pinch or two of salt. Bake in a 350F degree oven for 40-45 minutes (less time if you use smaller cherry tomatoes), or until the tomatoes are shrunken and golden around the edges. The tomatoes keep nicely in a jar for days (refrigerated), so you can do this part in advance if you like. Set aside.
Now for the soup itself – in a big pot over medium-high heat cook the garlic and onions in a splash of olive oil along with a couple pinches of salt for just a minute or so. Stir in the spices and then the tomatoes. Cook down for about five minutes or so, it should thicken a bit. Remove from heat, add one cup of the broth and puree with a hand blender (or puree in a traditional blender). Add the remaining 5 cups of broth and puree until smooth. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes.
Serve the individual bowls topped with plenty of tortilla strips, the roasted and sun-dried tomatoes, and some crumbled goat cheese (non vegan) or vegan sour cream! Alternately, as I mention up above, you can finish with sliced avocado, cilantro, white onions, and a squeeze of lime.
