A fiesta in a bowl, this vegetarian Black Bean Tortilla Soup features a crazy flavorful broth with the irresistible combo of sweet potato and black beans!

Given our current state of craziness, I’ve been challenging myself to make more recipes with a hearty base of pantry staples.
This tasty tortilla soup features fragrant sautéed onion and garlic with a base of canned black beans and tomatoes, store bought veggie broth, tender sweet potato, and salsa.
For maximum flavor, the soup is spiced with chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and sea salt.
To take things to the next level, packaged soft corn tortillas are easily transformed into the most crispiest and crunchiest topping! Gah! I’m so excited for you guys to get a bowl of this deliciousness into your face!
If you happen to have some cilantro and limes handy, they’re a fantastic addition, but not at all required.

Depending on what y’all have handy, here are some toppings to mix and match for your soup. Use your favorites and have fun with it. The topping possibilities are as endless as they are tasty!
Tortilla Soup Topping Options:
- fresh sliced jalapeños
- sour cream (regular or vegan)
- sliced or cubed avocado
- pico de gallo
- grated cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija cheese (skip for vegan)
- fresh cilantro
- tortilla chips
- homemade tortilla strips (see recipe card below)
Vegetarian Black Bean Tortilla Soup with Crispy Tortilla Strips

Vegetarian Black Bean Tortilla Soup
A fiesta in a bowl, this vegetarian Black Bean Tortilla Soup features a crazy flavorful broth with the irresistible combo of sweet potato and black beans!
Ingredients
- 1 small onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 2-3 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 15 oz canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 TBSP chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (spicy)
- sea salt to taste
CRISPY TORTILLA STRIPS
- 5-6 soft corn tortillas
- avocado oil for frying as needed
- sea salt for seasoning
Instructions
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First make your crispy tortilla strips. Cut tortillas in half horizontally, then into thin vertical strips. Heat the oil in a small but sturdy stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Working in 5 or so batches, add tortilla strips and fry in the hot oil for a few minutes until golden and crispy. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. While still hot, season strips with salt, to taste. Repeat for remaining batches of tortilla strips.
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Next prep your veggies. Peel and dice onion, peel and mince garlic, dice jalapeno (removing seeds if less spice is preferred) and peel and dice sweet potatoes into half-inch cubes.
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Heat a large pot or dutch oven to medium-high heat with 2-3 tsp oil. Sauté onion and jalapeño until tender, adding garlic towards the end.
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Add diced sweet potato, broth, crushed tomatoes, salsa, and spices and bring to a light boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are nice and tender. Add black beans at the end to prevent cracking and heat until warmed through.
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Stir in half the tortilla strips, saving the rest for topping each bowl of soup. Add all your favorite toppings from the list in the notes below and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tasty Topping Options:
- fresh sliced jalapeños
- sour cream (regular or vegan)
- sliced or cubed avocado
- pico de gallo
- lime wedges, to add a burst of lime juice
- fresh cilantro
- tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips
- grated cheddar cheese or crumbled queso fresco cheese (skip for vegan)
Nutrition Facts below are estimated for the soup and tortilla strips using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on toppings chosen and enjoy!

If you get a chance to try this vegetarian black bean soup recipe, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Darlene
All I can say is WOW! So tasty and it comes together beautifully! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Fern
Absolutely amazing! Great flavor and texture! I did add cheese and sour cream to my bowl thus rendering it non vegan. I made as directed with the exception of using diced tomatoes rather than crushed as that is what I had. We are not total vegans but I do like finding vegan recipes to incorporate into our menu. Thank you for sharing.
Claudia L
I am a huge fan of this soup its so good and actually addicting a keeper for sure!
Jenn
Thanks so much Claudia! xo
Taryn
SO good. The homemade crispy tortilla strips were the best.
Jenn
Yay! Thanks Taryn!
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