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Lentil Tortilla Soup

Name: Lentil Tortilla Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon cooking oil; 1 large yellow onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 chipotle in adobo (finely chopped); 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 tablespoon chili powder; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 15 ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed); 1 cup frozen corn kernels; ¾ cups dry lentils (brown or red are fine); 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (juices included); 15 ounce can tomato sauce; 2 cups vegetable stock; Kosher salt and ground black pepper (to taste); Sour cream; Tortilla strips; Sliced jalapeños; Wedge of lime; Fresh cilantro; Freshly grated cheese

By Julie Chiou

Oct 16, 2026

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If you’re craving tortilla soup on a meatless Monday, this lentil tortilla soup is about to become your new best friend. It’s a hearty soup loaded with black beans, corn, and lentils simmered in a smoky chipotle-spiced tomato broth. Made in one pot in about 45 minutes, this vegetarian tortilla soup is a quick and easy weeknight meal. Load it up with your favorite toppings—I guarantee you won’t miss the meat!

Two bowls of bean and corn tortilla soup garnished with sour cream, jalapeños, cheese, and lime, with side dishes of tortilla strips, sliced jalapeños, and shredded cheese.

A Vegetarian Mexican Tortilla Soup That Doesn’t Skimp on Flavor

I already have a few tortilla soup recipes that I make on repeat, but this one is for anyone who wants all that same smoky, spiced comfort without the chicken. It’s a heartier take on my Mexican Vegetable and Bean Tortilla Soup made for the cooler months. Between the lentils, black beans, and corn, you’re getting a big dose of plant-based protein and fiber in one bowl. Plus, this dish reheats beautifully for lunches all week long.

Brown vs. Red Lentils

Both brown and red lentils work well in this soup, but they behave a bit differently:

Brown lentils hold their shape better and give the soup more texture, closer to the black beans and corn. They typically take closer to 20 minutes to turn tender.
Red lentils break down more as they cook, which naturally thickens the broth and gives you a slightly creamier consistency. They cook faster, usually in 10–15 minutes. For an even creamier soup, remove 1-2 cups, blend, and return to the soup before serving.

Add the lentils dry—no need to cook first. If you’re using split lentils of either color, start checking around the 10-minute mark, since they cook faster than whole lentils.

Love lentils? Check out my Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Squash, Slow Cooker Lentil and Spicy Sausage Stew, or Instant Pot Curried Coconut Lentil Soup.

A bowl of bean and corn chili topped with tortilla strips, sour cream, jalapeño slices, and cilantro, served with lime wedges and additional tortilla strips.

How to Make Lentil Tortilla Soup

Start by sautéeing your onion, garlic, and chipotle in adobo in a large pot until softened and fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste until it coats everything, then sprinkle in the chili powder and cumin so the spices lightly toast and bloom in the oil.

From there, it’s a dump-and-simmer situation: add the black beans, corn, dry lentils, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock. Bring everything to a boil, cover, and let simmer until the lentils are tender.

✨ Click to see the recipe card below for exact measurements & instructions ✨

Swaps and Substitutions

This lentil tortilla soup is a pantry-forward recipe, so it’s easy to make swaps with what you have on hand:

Black Beans: Pinto or kidney beans both work well. You could even use two cans of beans and skip the lentils if you’re in a pinch.
Corn: I usually use frozen corn since it’s quick and easy, but canned (drained) or fresh corn cut off the cob also work.
Chipotle in Adobo: You can usually find these in the International aisle or Mexican foods section. If you can’t find them or want a milder soup, you can leave it out and add a pinch of smoked paprika to get a similar smoky flavor.
Vegetable Stock: Feel free to sub in chicken stock if you’re not keeping this vegetarian.
Tomato Sauce: In a pinch, you can blend an extra can of diced tomatoes until smooth to replace the tomato sauce.

Alternative Cooking Methods

This soup is easy to make on a faster (or slower) timeline:

Slow Cooker: Sauté the onion, garlic, and chipotle in a skillet first, then transfer everything to the crockpot and cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the lentils are tender.
Instant Pot: Sauté the onion, garlic, and chipotle, then stir in the tomato paste and spices. Add the remaining ingredients, secure the lid, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes with a quick release.

A bowl of tortilla soup topped with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapeño slices, and cilantro, with a lime wedge on the side.

My Favorite Tortilla Soup Toppings

Half the fun of making tortilla soup is loading up your bowl at the end. My favorites are tortilla strips (made from my own homemade tortillas), sliced jalapeños, a wedge of lime, fresh cilantro, and some freshly grated cheese. A bit of sour cream is nice to cool things down. Of course, if you want a vegan lentil tortilla soup, opt for dairy-free sour cream and cheese.

Storage Instructions

Store leftover lentil tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop set over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of stock or water if the soup has thickened too much in the fridge. Wait to add toppings until just before serving.