As a graduate student, my schedule is all over the place. Sometimes I have classes first thing in the morning, sometimes I have classes late into the evening. Sometimes I head downtown for an internship, sometimes I spend hours at school on the weekends trying to finish grading problem sets. Having something ready in the fridge to grab and go is essential. This tortilla soup is the perfect meal to pack for wherever the day may take me.
Having a big batch of something in the fridge ready to take with me is a lifesaver, but I also have to balance that with my tendency to quickly grow tired of food. Nobody wants a big tupperware filled with boring slop to take with them to work or school each day. Snore. I love taking this tortilla soup with me because I also bring along a small container of grated cheese to add in once the soup is heated, and a small bag of chips to crumble in as I eat. Sometimes I bring along a some avocado to toss in as well. Remember how much fun Lunchables were as a kid because you got to assemble your food as you ate it? This tortilla soup is basically grown-up Lunchables: interactive, convenient, and fun. The opposite of boring slop.
This recipe also has a special place in my heart. Tortilla soup is one of the first things I learned to make when I started cooking for myself (it’s so easy) and a recipe I come back to every couple weeks (it’s so delicious). Even though I have made it often, no two soups have ever turned out the same. I only recently started cooking meat, so the soup photographed here was the first non-vegetarian tortilla soup I made. The chicken in the recipe is optional and this tortilla soup can definitely stand alone as a vegetarian recipe. It serves as the perfect repository for whatever extra veggies you have in the refrigerator. In past soups you may have found yellow squash, zucchinis, and even some kale.
Choose your own adventure in terms of spice levels too. I added a bit of spice and smokiness to this latest soup by adding a chipotle pepper in adobe sauce (can usually be found by the canned beans in the grocery store). Jalapeños are another great way to turn up the heat. In summary, this soup is easy, delicious, convenient, and totally customizable. Have fun!
- 2 chicken breasts [optional]
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3/4 medium red onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers (any color), diced
- 4 white mushrooms, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced*
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can black beans, partially drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- Tortilla chips
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or plain yogurt
- Lime
- Avocados
- Place the two chicken breasts in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot, and let simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove chicken breasts from the water and let cool. Once cool, use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Heat olive oil in a medium or large pot.
- Sauté the onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the garlic, chipotle pepper, and paprika and sauté for one minute longer.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes (with liquid) and the can of black beans (partially drained) into the pot and stir until heated (~2 minutes).
- Add vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 15 minutes before enjoying!
- Serve with any (or all) of the following: grated cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream (or plain greek yogurt), a sprinkle of cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and/or diced avocado. Crumble tortilla chips into the soup as you eat!
- *Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can usually be found near the canned beans in most supermarkets. If you have not tried them before, do yourself a favor and try them out! They'll add spice and smokiness to the soup for much more depth. The cans typically come with ~5 peppers inside. To store the extra peppers, freeze them or blend them in a food processor with the adobo sauce and freeze.
- Note: This soup is entirely customizable. Chicken is optional, it can stand alone as a vegetarian soup. Use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. Spice level can be adjusted by adding more or less chipotle peppers, adding jalapeños, or adding cayenne pepper at the same time as the paprika. Have fun experimenting with it!