Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Ok, I know summer and soup don’t necessary go together, but I don’t think I can wait till fall to share this recipe. (Plus, it’s been a pretty cold spring so far in Omaha – too much rain – I feel like I’m in Seattle!) I absolutely love this soup, and I don’t think I can wait until fall to share it! It is easy to make, healthy, delicious, versatile, and freezes easily – what’s not to love?! I make it hearty with brown rice, corn, and black beans, plenty of vegetables, and just enough spice. This recipe is vegetarian, but you can add shredded chicken, turkey, or pork if you like.  I like to serve with crunchy homemade baked tortilla strips and lime. If you eat dairy, a little sour cream on top is a lovely option. This soup has a lot of ingredients, but don’t let that scare you, it is very simple to make.

What you need:

2 tbs olive oil

½ large onion, diced

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, chopped

3 cans stock

1 cup water

2 cans tomato sauce

2 cans black beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

2 cups brown rice, pre-cooked

2 cans green chilies, drained

½ cup cilantro, chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

1/8 cup chili powder

1 tbs ancho chile powder

1 tbs oregano

S&P to taste

1 lime, sliced into wedges

Sour cream (optional)

Make it happen:

1.

Heat oil in a large stockpot and sauté onion and garlic until fragrant. Then, add green bell pepper and jalapeño.

2.

Add stock, water, tomato sauce, beans, corn, rice, green chiles, cilantro, and tomato.

3.

Add chili powder, ancho chili powder, oregano, and salt and pepper.

4.

Heat soup to a boil, then let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

5.

Top with sour cream, homemade tortilla strips, and lime. Enjoy!