This Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe is a family favorite. Add a salad and/or warmed bread to this incredibly delicious bowl of comfort, and dinner’s ready! This is not a traditional tortilla soup recipe. It contains no tortillas, after all — and it’s vegan.
It might make no sense for me to call my recipe “tortilla soup,” since it doesn’t contain tortillas and some of the other key ingredients.
I’m calling my vegan tortilla soup this because it tastes too reminiscent of tortilla soup not to call it that. Please forgive me. 😉 I do hope that’s okay with you. While it might not be what you expected to find here, I think you’ll be quite satisfied.
What is Tortilla Soup?
- Tortilla soup is a traditional Mexican soup.
- Though recipes can vary, it’s typically made corn tortilla pieces, tomato, garlic, onion, chiles and epazote, chicken broth and chicken.
- It can be served with various toppings, like avocado, pasilla chiles, sour cream and cheese.
The flavors are super warming, it’s wonderfully comforting, and it’s super delicious!
What’s in this Tomato Vegan Tortilla Soup?
- tomatoes
- onion
- garlic
- potatoes
- oregano
- paprika
- cumin
- vegetable stock
Yep, it’s all of those ingredients together that create the tortilla soup vibe — and a lot of the flavor is derived from the cooking process.
How to Make it
–Fire Roast the tomatoes! Place tomatoes directly on top of a high flame and let them char each side for a few minutes. Remove them from the stove and place them on a plate. DO NOT remove the charred skins. (This is key to bringing incredibly flavor to this vegan tortilla soup!)
–Sauté the onion and garlic with olive oil in a large pot.
–When the onion is soft and caramelized, add potato, oregano, paprika and cumin.
–Then add the charred tomatoes to the pot and mix them with the other ingredients.
–Add vegetable stock, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
I love serving this with fresh avocado slices, and it would also be lovely with tortilla chips, of course.
I hope you love this Vegan Tortilla Soup as much as my family and I do.
More comforting vegan soup recipes:

- 10 Roma tomatoes, washed and dried, stems removed
- olive oil for the pan
- 1½ cups yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 approximately (12-ounce) Russet potato
- 1½ tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste
- 1 thinly sliced avocado for garnish, optional
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Place each tomato directly on top of a high flame and let it char for a few minutes. Use metal kitchen tongs to turn the tomato as each side chars. The skins should be mostly charred when you’re done. This should take just a few minutes. Remove them with the tongs and place them on a plate. DO NOT remove the charred skins! Set aside.
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Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Place the pot over medium-high heat and stirring frequently, sauté the onions until they are soft and turning golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
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Peel and roughly chop the potato. Then add it to the pot, along with the oregano, paprika and cumin, and stir to blend. Let this sauté until it's very aromatic, about 30 seconds.
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Add the charred tomatoes to the pot and mix them with the other ingredients. Use a wooden spatula to break the them into large chunks. Then add the broth and bring it to a boil.
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Cover the pot, turn the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are quite tender, about 20 minutes.
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Pour the contents of the pot into a powerful blender -- likely in two batches -- and purée until it's as smooth as possible. Pour the soup back in the pot and season generously to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
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Serve with diced avocado if desired.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
It has been bitter cold and a warm, hearty bowl of soup has been on the menu of late. I must try this Tomato Tortilla Soup, it is wonderful!
valentina says
Thank you, Deb. I totally agree. 🙂
David says
This sounds fantastic – but, silly me, I kept looking for the tortillas!! 🙂
valentina says
Ah, my deceiving titles. 😉
Daniel says
So no tortillas in the soup – I don’t understand the title??
valentina says
Hi Daniel, You’re so right, the title is misleading. It’s a tortilla soup, without the tortillas. I know, that’s an oxymoron. The tortillas are typically cut into strips and made into chips for the garnish. I’m going to change up the writing a bit to have it be more clear. Thanks. It’s delicious!