Easy 30-Minute Tortilla Soup Recipe

Looking for an easy dinner recipe that is delicious but very straightforward to make? This easy tortilla soup recipe to the rescue!

Honestly, it’s become my go-to emergency dinner this spring because it takes literally less than 30 minutes from chopping the first onion to ladling it into bowls.

And it’s the kind of comforting, hearty soup that makes everyone happy—even on those nights when I’m too tired to adult properly.

The best part? I’ve found the most GENIUS shortcut that I’m almost embarrassed to admit: using Doritos instead of making tortilla strips! But seriously, who has time to cut and bake tortilla strips when you can just crush up some chips you probably already have? #ZeroRegrets

Why This Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Makes Me Unreasonably Happy

I’m not exaggerating when I say this Mexican bean soup has kinda changed my life. It’s got that perfect Tex-Mex flavor punch that satisfies my spice cravings (which, if you know me, are INTENSE), but it’s also customizable for my son who thinks black pepper is “too spicy” (he definitely did not get my taste buds).

The soup itself is this gorgeous tomato broth packed with black beans and corn that somehow manages to be both light AND filling at the same time. Then you top it with creamy avocado chunks, a squeeze of lime that brightens everything up, and a sprinkle of cilantro that makes it feel fancy.

And listen, if you’re not keeping it vegan, a little crumbled feta on top takes this from “really good soup” to “I’m literally licking the bowl” territory. I may have done this last week when no one was looking. My cat Milo definitely judged me.

This is seriously the ultimate comfort soup for busy nights, and it works just as well as a starter for when you’re doing a whole Mexican-inspired dinner thing. Or if you’re like me after yoga on Wednesdays, it’s perfect for when you want something that feels nourishing but don’t have the energy to deal with complicated cooking.

What You’ll Need for This Black Bean Tortilla Soup

For the soup base:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 4 if you’re me and believe garlic measurements are merely suggestions)
• 1 small chili pepper, diced (totally optional if spicy isn’t your thing)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 can (14oz/400ml) diced tomatoes (or about 5 medium fresh tomatoes if you’re feeling fancy)
• 4 cups (950ml) vegetable broth
• 1 can (15oz/425g) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup (175g) corn kernels (I use frozen most of the time because EASY)

For the toppings (AKA the best part):

• Tortilla chips or Doritos (nacho cheese flavor is my personal fav)
• 1 avocado, diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Crumbled feta cheese (skip if you’re keeping it vegan or otherwise use vegan feta)

Let’s Make Some Magic Happen

1. Grab a pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and toss in your diced onion.
2. Let that onion soften for about 3-4 minutes. This is usually when my son wanders in asking if dinner is ready yet, and I have to explain the concept of time for the millionth time.
3. Throw in the minced garlic and chili pepper (if using). Your kitchen should start smelling amazing right about now. Give it a quick stir for maybe 30 seconds.
4. Time for the spices! Sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, and oregano, and stir everything quickly to toast those spices a bit and get them all coated with the oil. This step is like 20 seconds but makes SUCH a difference in flavor.
5. Pour in your diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. I like to scrape the bottom of the pot here to get any browned bits of flavor. Bring everything to a gentle boil.
6. Now lower the heat and let your soup simmer. For about 15 minutes. This is the perfect time to check Instagram or help with homework or pour yourself a glass of wine. Not saying I do all three, but… I definitely do all three.
7. Add the black beans and corn to your pot. Let everything heat through for another 5 minutes.
8. Do a quick taste test! Sometimes I add more salt or an extra pinch of chili powder if I’m feeling spicy. Trust your taste buds here.
9. The fun part: ladle your soup into bowls and go wild with toppings! Crush some Doritos right on top (or use proper tortilla strips if you’re a better person than me) or add them on the sides, add diced avocado, squeeze lime juice, sprinkle cilantro, and add crumbled feta if that’s your jam.
10. Devour immediately while contemplating why you don’t make this easy tortilla soup recipe more often.

How to Deal With Leftovers (If You Actually Have Any)

OK so here’s the truth – I rarely have leftovers because Mark literally goes back for thirds. But when I DO manage to hide some away (sometimes I secretly fill a container before serving dinner… don’t judge me), this tortilla soup keeps amazingly well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Pro tip from someone who’s learned the hard way: store the soup base separately from all the toppings. Unless soggy chips and brown avocado is your thing? No judgment but also YUCK.

I once made the mistake of storing everything together after book club night (we were discussing that K-drama that everyone was obsessed with and I wasn’t paying attention to my food storage decisions). Lisa still brings it up EVERY TIME I serve this soup. Like, we get it, Lisa, I ruined perfectly good leftovers ONE TIME.

You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months! I sometimes make a double batch specifically to freeze individual portions for those nights when you really don’t feel like cooking. Just thaw, heat, add your toppings, and pretend you just made it from scratch. I won’t tell.

My Tortilla Soup Tricks (AKA How I Pretend I Know What I’m Doing)

After making this hearty soup approximately 500 times (thanks, pandemic cooking phase), I’ve picked up some tricks that make a big difference.

First, don’t skip toasting those spices with the onions and garlic. I tried rushing this step once when I was on the phone arguing with the dance studio about my daughter’s recital costume (don’t even get me STARTED on the sequins situation), and the soup was definitely missing that depth of flavor.

If you have an extra 20 minutes (big IF, I know), roasting fresh tomatoes for this soup takes it to another level. Just slice them in half, roast at 400°F (205°C) for about 20 minutes, and then add them to your soup. The caramelization adds this amazing sweetness that makes you look like you actually went to cooking school instead of just watching too many TikTok recipes.

For my fellow spice lovers: adding a spoonful of chipotle in adobo sauce makes this soup absolutely magical. It adds this smoky heat that’s just chef’s kiss. Obviously I only add this to my portion because my son would literally cry. He gets his spice tolerance from Mark, who thinks mild salsa is “pretty kicked up.” Bless his heart.

And let’s talk about those Doritos. This hack happened during one of those classic “I forgot to buy tortillas” moments when I was already in my sweatpants and ABSOLUTELY not going back to the store. Honestly? Game changer. The nacho cheese flavor adds this extra something that plain tortillas just don’t have. Sometimes my kitchen fails lead to my best discoveries!

What to Serve With Your Mexican Tortilla Soup (If You’re Feeling Fancy)

This soup is pretty much a meal on its own but sometimes you want to fancy things up a bit, especially if you’re having friends over.

I think that a simple green salad with a lime vinaigrette works great for keeping things light and fresh. Just mix olive oil, lime juice, a tiny bit of honey, and salt to make the dressing. Takes like 30 seconds. I made this combo when my astrology group came over for our Libra season celebration, and everyone wanted the recipe. As if I actually measure anything when making salad dressing!

If you’re doing a whole Mexican food theme night (which happens at least monthly in our house), this soup makes an amazing starter before quesadillas or loaded nachos. We did this setup last Friday when Anna and Jim came over, and it was a hit. Though if I’m being honest, the margaritas I served alongside probably helped make everything taste amazing. Two margaritas in and Jim was asking for my tortilla soup recipe while calling it “life-changing soup.” I mean, he’s not wrong.

For dessert, cinnamon-sugar churros or a churry style banana bread would be amazing, but who has time for that? Not this mom who’s already spent her energy allocation on driving to swimming lessons and answering work emails. I usually just serve vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Takes zero effort but seems thoughtful.

FAQs About This Easy Tortilla Soup Recipe (AKA Questions Nobody Asked But I’m Answering Anyway)

Can I make this Mexican bean soup in a slow cooker?

Absolutely! I do this ALL the time on Mondays when I know I’ll be rushing home from yoga. Sauté the onions, garlic, and spices first and then add the rest of the ingredients (except the toppings) into your slow cooker. 4-6 hours will be enough if you cook on low, or if on high 2-3 hours.

The best part is walking through the door after being bent into pretzel shapes for an hour and having dinner ready to go. Our instructor Jen has been on this “let’s hold this pose for 2 minutes” kick lately and I swear my legs are still shaking when I get home. Perfect time for easy comfort soup that’s ready to eat!

How can I make this easy comfort soup even spicier?

As someone who puts hot sauce on everything (a habit I picked up in Thailand that never went away), I have many ways to amp up the heat! Add a diced jalapeño with the onions, sprinkle in some cayenne with your spices, or stir in chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

I once made this soup so spicy that I was sweating through dinner. Mark looked at me like I was possessed. Maybe I was taking out some frustrations after sitting through a 3-hour parent-teacher conference? Therapeutic cooking is a thing, right? Anyway, start small with the spice—you can always add more but you can’t take it away!

Will my picky eater actually eat this hearty soup recipe?

OK so this is the soup that convinced my son that he doesn’t hate ALL beans. Just most of them. But Mexican black beans in this soup? Somehow acceptable. Kids’ logic is fascinating.

The beauty of this soup is the toppings bar approach. Put out all the toppings separately and let everyone customize their bowl. My son skips the cilantro (claims it tastes like soap, which apparently is an actual genetic thing?), loads up on Doritos and avocado, and miraculously eats a nutritious dinner without complaints.

My daughter, on the other hand, drowns hers in lime juice and adds extra beans. This is why I stopped making separate meals years ago—this kind of customizable dinner saves my sanity.

Is this tomato soup recipe freezer-friendly?

SO freezer-friendly! I have a whole section of my freezer dedicated to soup emergencies. Freeze the base soup (without toppings) in individual portions, and it’ll keep for about 3 months.

Last month when I had that deadline for work and everyone was sick at the same time (because of COURSE they were), my freezer stash of this soup saved dinner three nights in a row. I just thawed, heated, and threw the toppings on. Mother of the year right here.

Make-Ahead Tips for When Life Gets Chaotic (So… Always?)

If I’ve learned anything as a working mom who still wants to feed her family something better than cereal for dinner, it’s that prep is EVERYTHING. This recipe is perfect for meal prep because you can approach it a few different ways.

On Sunday evenings (when I’m already dreading Monday because ugh, Mondays), I sometimes chop all the vegetables and measure out the spices. I store everything in containers in the fridge, so when dinner time rolls around, I just start cooking without having to hunt for anything or wash a cutting board.

You can also make the entire soup base ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it. Then just reheat and add those fresh toppings when you’re ready to eat.

My friend Lisa (who somehow manages to meal prep like it’s her job—oh wait, it kinda is since she bakes professionally) makes a triple batch of this easy tortilla soup recipe once a month and freezes it in family-sized portions. She swears it’s saved her sanity more than once. And if anyone needs sanity-saving tips, it’s Lisa with her four kids. I thought two was challenging!

Why This Easy Soup Recipe Will Become Your New Bestie

The thing about finding a recipe that really works for your life is this: it’s like finding the perfect pair of jeans or a bra that doesn’t stab you in the ribs. Once you know it fits just right, you keep coming back to it again and again.

This easy tortilla soup recipe is my perfect jeans. It’s reliable, makes me feel good, and works for almost any occasion.

I’ve made it for last-minute dinner guests (paired with margaritas), packed it for lunch at work, and even delivered it to my neighbor when she had surgery (which, side note: much better received than my attempt at baking bread during the pandemic sourdough phase).

The night I got stuck in traffic coming back from my daughter’s ballet showcase and walked in at 6:45 with everyone starving? This soup saved dinner because it came together so quickly. The time my book club decided last minute to meet at my house? This soup + some store-bought guac made me look like I had my life together.

When you find yourself making the same recipe on repeat, you know you’ve found a winner. This tortilla soup has earned its spot in my permanent rotation, and I bet it will in yours too!

If you’re looking for more quick, healthy meals to add to your arsenal, check out my collection of healthy smoothie recipes for breakfast. Starting your day with a nutritious smoothie and ending it with this comforting tortilla soup? That’s what I call living your best food life! And trust me, your future self will thank you when you’re running late for work but still manage to grab a healthy breakfast on your way out the door