This vegan chickpea tortilla soup is simple to make but full of flavor! Fire-roasted tomatoes, hearty chickpeas, and plenty of vegetables create a colorful, flavorful meal in minutes!

Vegan Tortilla Soup
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Why I Love This Soup

This Chickpea Tortilla Soup is a favorite because it only requires a handful of pantry staples ingredients but it’s so full of flavor! Plus, it only takes a few steps to get this simmering on the stovetop, so it’s quick and easy with minimal prep! It’s also a flexible recipe, so it’s easy to make substitutions as needed. And it’s packed with plant-based protein and fiber, so it will really fill you up!

Chickpea Tortilla Soup Ingredients

  • Onion– This adds a nice flavor to the base of the soup. You can substitute with shallots, if you prefer.
  • Bell Pepper– I used a combination of small red, yellow, and orange peppers but any color will do.
  • Jalapeño– If you like things spicy, add a whole jalapeño! If you want to keep this soup mild, feel free to skip it.
  • Cumin– This adds an earthy, rich flavor to the soup.
  • Vegetable Broth– I like using “Not-Chicken” style broth, which has a chicken flavor but is vegetarian.
  • Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes– These add a nice smoky flavor to the soup, but you can add regular diced tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Corn– I love the sweetness the corn adds to this spicy soup!
  • Chickpeas– Obviously, we need chickpeas for chickpea tortilla soup! This adds lots of protein for a filling soup.
  • Crispy Tortilla Strips– I like toasting corn tortillas in the oven but you can use storebought tortilla strips if you want to save time.
  • Additional Toppings– I’ve included a list of some of my favorite toppings below!

The Best Chickpea Tortilla Soup Toppings

I love adding tons of toppings to this soup! Here are some of my favorites:

  • Tortilla strips– Obviously, tortilla soup needs torillas on top! I like making my own by baking corn tortilla strips until crispy but you can also find crispy tortilla strips at the store. You can also substitute with tortilla chips.
  • Avocado– Diced avocado adds a rich, creamy flavor, while still keeping this soup completely vegan.
  • Cilantro– I love the flavor of fresh cilantro! Try a generous pinch of chopped cilantro top of your soup.
  • Cheese– A little shredded cheddar or crumbled feta can be delicious on this soup!
  • Sour cream– Sour cream or greek yogurt can be a great way to add creaminess to this soup and balance out the heat.
tortilla strips in a bowl

Easy Homemade Tortilla Strips

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Stack two corn tortillas on top of each other and use a sharp knife to cut into thin strips.
  3. Spread the tortilla pieces in a single layer on baking sheet and spray or drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with salt.
  4. Bake for 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees until they begin to brown!

How to Make Chickpea Tortilla Soup

Sauté the onion and bell pepper until softened.

peppers and onions in a dutch oven

Add the garlic and cumin and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, chickpeas, and corn and simmer for 15 minutes. It’s that simple!

soup in a dutch oven

Add the vegetable broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, and corn, then simmer the soup for 20 minutes or until the chickpeas are softened.

soup in a a dutch oven

How to Store Leftovers

If you have leftover soup, let it cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. Do not freeze the toppings. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

chickpea tortilla soup in a bowl
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chickpea tortilla soup in a bowl

Vegan Chickpea Tortilla Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3 bowls 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Mexican
Print Recipe

Description

This vegan chickpea tortilla soup is simple to make but full of flavor! Fire-roasted tomatoes, hearty chickpeas, and plenty of vegetables create a colorful, flavorful meal in minutes!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded* and diced (Optional)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 28oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 15oz can sweet corn (or 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn)
  • Salt to taste

For the Crispy Tortilla Strips

  • 3 corn tortillas
  • Olive oil spray
  • Salt

Instructions

To make the soup:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet for 30 seconds.
  2. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes or until softened.
  3. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes, chickpeas, corn, and cumin.
  5. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for about 15 minutes.
  6. When you’re ready to serve, top with fresh cilantro, corn, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips.

To make the tortilla strips:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Stack two corn tortillas on top of each other and use a sharp knife to cut them into thin strips.
  3. Spread the tortilla pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and spray or drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with salt.
  4. Bake for 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees until they begin to brown.

Notes

Note: If you’re using a jalapeño or other hot peppers, wash your hands immediately after and be careful not to touch your eyes.

We made a batch the last time we made this soup and they were delicious.

The first time I made this, I added an extra habanero pepper to ours, and it was super spicy! If you’re not a huge fan of spice, leave it out. I think we were both sweating by the end of this dinner. Still, it was good, and an easy dinner to make with only one pot to clean!

Looking for a cheesy option? Try this cheesy tortilla soup!

tortilla soup

What’s your favorite kind of soup?

This post was originally published in July 2013, updated September 2021.