I’m coming up for air. I’ve spent the past couple of days working on the redesign of Fatfree Vegan Recipes, the website that spawned this blog. Although the really tricky stuff like coding and css and, for all I know, nuclear particle acceleration was done by a very talented web designer at E. Webscapes, I’ve had the incredibly mind numbing (and eye straining and finger cramping) job of copying and pasting all of the old recipes into the new format. I’ve had my daughter helping me, and so far we’re only up to number 76 of 1300, a realization that makes me want to run screaming into the street. I don’t trust myself to do any more right now (letters are starting to slide around on the screen), so I thought I’d take a break from all that and post you a recipe.
Unfortunately, posting a recipe requires looking at a screen, and the letters are starting to slide around here too (a few are even break dancing). So excuse me if I’m too brief or misspell or suddenly start swearing like Gordon Ramsay. This soup was delicious, and it deserves better treatment than I can give it right now, but thems the breaks.
The short story behind it is that I saw it, or the one it’s based on, in Eating Well magazine, and couldn’t resist making it, with a few changes: 1) Instead of tofu I used pinto beans. 2) Then I doubled the amount of pinto beans because I wanted it main-dishier (see, I’m making up words; swearing can’t be far behind). 3) I used Mexican oregano instead of epizote because I like Mexican oregano and don’t have any epizote. 4) I added chipotle powder because I wanted it to be spicier (without it, it’s deeply chile-flavored but not spicy at all). 5) I divided it into 6 servings instead of 8 because my family and I eat like pigs (only messier) and because I wanted it to be main-dishier (see #2).
I hope you’ll enjoy it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go take a walk before I get back to swearing at my computer screen.
Tortilla Soup with Pinto Beans
(printer-friendly version)
Adding pinto beans makes this more of a main dish soup, but it could be even heartier with more greens and vegetables added.
3 large dried New Mexico chiles (or pasilla or ancho chiles)
1 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (or to taste)
4 cups vegetable broth or no-chicken broth
4 cups water
3 cups pinto beans, cooked
salt to taste
6 corn tortillas
1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges
1 ripe large avocado, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 cups chopped spinach, chard, or kale leaves (packed)
Toast the chiles. If you have a gas stove, you can hold them with tongs over the flame one at a time for a few seconds until fragrant. But if like me you use an electric stove, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat and press them flat for a few seconds on each side.
When the chilies are cool enough to handle, stem and seed them, tear them into pieces, and put them in a blender along with tomatoes and their juice.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Spray lightly with olive oil (optional) and add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Pour it all into the blender along with the chipotle powder and process until smooth.
Return the pot to medium heat. When hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. (Careful–watch for hot, bubbling “eruptions”!) Add broth, water, oregano (if using), and drained pinto beans. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, prepare the tortillas. Preheat oven to 375F. Cut each tortilla in half (can be done in a stack if you have a sharp knife). Then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Place the strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Bake for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool uncovered until soup is ready.
Add spinach (or chard or kale) to the soup and season with salt to taste, depending on the saltiness of the broth. Cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes for spinach, longer for chard or kale.
Ladle the soup into 6 soup bowls. Divide avocado and tortilla chips among the bowls. Serve warm, with lime wedges.
Servings: 6 large servings
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 282 calories, 53 calories from fat, 6.3g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 489.1mg sodium, 799.2mg potassium, 47.8g carbohydrates, 13.7g fiber, 3.7g sugar, 12.4g protein, 5.4 points.
Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Though MyPoints are calculated using a formula similar to Weight Watchers Points TM, this site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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I'm SusanV, and I love good food. Join me as I create delicious dishes made with whole foods and without a lot of processed fat and sugar. 
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{ 67 comments… read them below or add one }
I've been looking for some good new soups to try and this one looks amazing. Thanks so much! I can't wait to try it.
Your recipes are always wonderful, and I'm sure this one will not disappoint!! Your blog/website is always the first place I go when I am in need of a good vegan recipe.
This sounds great. I have some black beans (with extras for later) on and I may substitute them for the pintos just because I'll have them ready.
I can't imagine transferring that many recipes over. I think I'd try to bribe my "techy" daughter into it…lol.
Ha! Walmart Vegan, that's exactly what I'm doing: I'm paying my (nearly) 13-year-old to do it. I'm paying by the recipe and it's a bargain; the kid is so fast and conscientious. But I'm still going over each one and adding a couple of things before they're ultimately posted, so even having a fast teenager help it's a big job.
I keep telling myself that I put all those recipes there to begin with and I can do it again. But I'm not as young as I used to be so I'm slowing down.
this looks wonderful, and i'm going to try it tonight. the thing i like best about your recipes is how adaptable they are. i really dislike chipotle, but there are ways to get around this. and THANKS for the great tip on charring peppers (put them in a hot pan and press them down, first one side, then the other). it's much easier than trying to char them over the flame. and i don't see why a person can't use a gas stove for this just as well as an electric.
anyway, looking forward to this!!
Well if it's any consolation for all your hard work…I took a peek at the recipe site and it looks SOOOOO good!! Almost as good as the soup!
Yum – this looks great. Since its winter I'm on a soup kick.
I'm looking forward to the swearing like Gordon Ramsey, actually…
This recipe sounds great, but I prefer to limit the amount of work I put into my food prep. Is there a product you can recommend so I don't have to toast my own chiles?
Kathy G
Misty, I could set up a microphone by my computer….
KathyG, you can use ancho chile powder instead of dried chiles. It's not exactly the same, and you may have to play around with measurements, but it's worth a try. I've read that 1 tablespoon of chile powder is equal to one dried chile, but I would probably try less than that and add it to taste.
I'm not making this tonight, and now I wish that I was! This soup will definitely make the list for next week. It looks delicious.
Hi! I love your site and this is the first time that I have written in. Fabulous recipes!!
A friend of mine just redid her blog, and found someone on e-lance to copy all the material for her. Their rate was super cheap too. Might be something to consider…to save your eyes, and fingers, and keep those recipes coming.
Best,
G.
Wow what a job- that's a lot of recipes!! Your recipes are great though, so it'll be worth it
YUM!! I cant wait to try this. I always loved the tortilla soup from El Torito when I was a kid . . . now it just doesn't appeal to me and it's hard to find a good recipe for it!
This looks (and reads) absolutely amazing, Susan! I'm always looking for more bean/legume recipes. I'll definitely try this over the weekend. And thank you for all your amazing, inspiring hard work on the website and blog–you make healthy vegan living a joy to behold.
As someone who has done site redesign for my business you have my biggest sympathy.
Hang in there and Big hugs for the fine job. I know you will have a big celebration when its done.
I cannot wait to try your adaptation of the recipe.Everything I have made from your site has been wonderful.
Thank You for your diligent hard work.
mmmm sounds amazingly delicious, I can't wait to try this soup – I loved your post!
Cute post. It's funny to think of you stomping around swearing like Gordon Ramsay!
Poor you, that sounds like a hellish amount of tedious work, but the soup is great. i love the chunks of avocado floating on top.
That looks really good.
THANK YOU FOR THIS! I absolutely love tortilla soup and haven't had it in years. Very Exciting!
New design looks good and so does the soup!
HI Susan,
This looks really good, and I have to put it on my "to make" list! Hang in there with the recipe transfers. . I love the image of letter break dancing. . your wit is remains sharp despite the exhaustion!
xo
moonwatcher
Oooooh, this looks delicious! I'm definitely trying it soon. The avo cubes and tortillas strips did me in. Thanks, Susan.
Posting is not taking a 'break' so thank you for being so dedicated to you readers even when swamped with website work!!
My husband and I are geting ready to move my websites to a dedicated server and I am quite worried about the process (as is he- and he is the computer whiz kid).
This soup looks great. I don't know if I have ever used pinto beans before!
This soup looks AMAZING. Can't wait to try it out next week. Glad I came here before I went grocery shopping.
Susan, one thing my father-in-law told my dh when he was just a boy when picking cotton was to not look at the acres and acres of cotton, but to only look at the one row.
When that row was done, then only look at the next row and so forth. And it worked. The job didn't seem so gigantic anymore.
And my dh still remembers that when he comes across a task that seems overwhelming.
I'm glad you took a break by the way. This recipe looks fabulous. I'm from New Mexico and just wanted to say that it's also very authentic. Can't wait to give it a try. It would go great with your confetti cornbread!
We appreciate YOU!
I've been eating a lot of (almost)this exact same dish! I love pinto beans, and since I recently acquired a magical thing called a pressure cooker, I've been making this a lot, and adding greens to it.
P.S. Your blog makes me laugh! Love your wit!
Sooz!
this is the kind of soup i could happily make while sleepwalking over the kitty-cat. I adore Southwestern and Mexican cooking,as you know,but I am an exile in England, with a woman who doesn't much like chilies, smoked or unsmoked. What's a po'veg-boy to do? Work around it! If you made me this soup I'd have to work along-side you, giggling and swearing as much as that damn Ram(sey). But he loses out big time:I have no need to buy his cook books (or Jaime Oliver's,or any hot mouthy chef. they have some good ideas, but they are meat-eaters and I am not.I was going through a few foodie e-mails today, and chuckled that you & I and a few others can make great food for vegetarians faster than they can edit and present. Food Heroine? You, Mollie Katzen and Julia Child. Good company.Torilla soup? Oh YUM! Might have to print this one…at least when Lesley wants to cool down the chilpotles or smoked paprika or a too-hot NM pepper or white pepper, she goes for tortilla chips or sour cream…, I am Southwestern-izing her,but oh so slowly.That's when I reach for something Italian or Hunan or Polynesian, and "pray". it is hard to change a person's cultural eating tastes!
Yum! I think I would really, really like this. Now to track down some chipotle chili powder…
I just found your blog- I think I love you!
Beautiful! Keep up the hard work, the new site looks great!
lol–i'm enjoying your frazzled, made up words post
since you have over 1200 recipes to go (not to remind you)…looks like you'll be in this mode for some time
I made this soup last night (more or less)–so thanks for the inspiration! :0
In case it helps anyone, I used regular chili powder (what I had), but the tomatoes I used were fire-roasted and adobo seasoned (thank you, Muir Glenn). The dried chiles I used were from an Indian grocer, so probably not a New Mexican variety. And, I used a mix of pinto & black beans.
And, lastly, I served it with arepas, since i had no tortillas. And, being out of avocado, I added some cubed sweet/ripe plantain, that I had already cooked and leftover. It added a really nice & unique flavor dimension to the soup.
…the leftovers were even better for lunch today.
so thanks!
Yummy! This soup looks so tasty and easy to make. Cheers, thanks for the recipe.
Great sounding recipe! Oh, and good luck with the nuclear particle acceleration
Good thing I checked my email before going to the grocery store. It sounds really yummy, so I will be making it today.
Beautiful picture, as usual. I am still trying to get there with the quality of my food pics…
Thanks for taking the time to redesign the other site- it looks great so far!
I recently posted a Baja-stye tortilla soup on our new collaborative veggie blog. Your recipe sounds excellent.
Lori Lynn
http://thegreatvegproject.blogspot.com/2010/02/baja-style-tortilla-soup.html
HI Susan,
I just made your blueberry banana bread and a conventional non-vegan banana bread for a friend to taste. My family gave thumbs up to yours, thumbs down to the conventional! Thanks for creating such a delicious and healthy bread.
Kristina
Took these to church today and they were devoured. High percent of vegans/veggies but everyone seemed to enjoy them. Not overly sweet but very flavorful.
Just made this tonight for dinner and it was WONDERFUL. I only made two minor changes: I didn't use chipotle powder (I live in NM so I can get hot dried chiles) and I added two diced green chiles. Fantastic recipe, keep up the good work!
Made it! I used a little 7.5 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce instead of the dried peppers – probably too spicy for most people but I loooove it that way. Followed everything else except I was too lazy to do the tortillas… so I used Fritos instead! :> Very very very yummy!!!!
Awesome idea to sub beans for tofu! I am not a fan of tofu, and don't digest it very well, and always sub it for something else – usually tempeh, but beans are a superb thought. Thanks!
I love this!!!! I am a veggie, but not yet a vegan (I just love fish and cheese too much). I am always trying to do new things with beans…thank you! You can find me at cooleatsandhottreats.blogspot.com
Soup making is really a good one. that gives pleasure to drink it .. veg soup s very good for the health..
By
Omg, great recipe, looking forward to trying it out!!!Yummy!
good luck with redoing your website – sounds like something to do in front of a movie on the telly – but then the mistakes creep in don't they – well am glad you are still sharing your lovely soup with us despite little energy for all things computers
This looks DELICIOUS! Thanks for this, it's going on my grocery list for next week for sure!
You are brilliant at healthy Vegan food!!!
What a daunting task! The Tortilla Soup with Pinto Beans looks fabulous! Especially garnished with avocado! DELICIOUS!
thanks for sharing this lovely soup recipe, a very comforting one on a cold day.
thanks
OMG Susan, the new site is going to be fabulous! And thanks to Laina for passing on the wisdom to "only look at the one row". Jeez, if we all did that every day of our lives think of what could be accomplished.
I love tortillas and pintos. Plus chipotle chile rules. For some reason avocados have been on special here and there locally too. Synchronicity?
Another great recipe, Susan. We're getting the first taste of autumn here with some cooler nights so I jumped at the chance to make soup after weeks of salads. Chipotle chilli powder is not something that's available here so I did without, but a friend suggested either smoked paprika or liquid smoke to try and replicate the smokiness. Do you think either of those would work?
Sarahk, the Mew Mexico chiles and roasted tomatoes really make it smokey enough, but the chipotle adds heat, so instead of smoked paprika or liquid smoke, I would suggest using cayenne or another hot red pepper. But you should make it to your taste, so if you prefer smokey to spicy, one of those ingredients might suit you better.
I made this the other night for my omni-husband and two friends and everyone loved it. Thanks so much for all of your wonderful recipes. I just celebrated my one year anniversay of eating completely vegan. I would never have been able to do it without your blog. – Kathleen
i made this, and i happily discovered goya's chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. since i don't really like the taste of chipotle peppers in the ubiquitous salsa dips, i spooned out just two of the smallish peppers, and chopped them very fine. with the adobo sauce that clung to the peppers, it made about 1/4 cup on my chopping board…but i scraped it into the soup pot, stirred it up, and then let the soup cook for quite a while. well! the effect was magical! i could taste only a hint of the smokey chipotles, but there was this wonderful HEAT–like the first warm day in spring. absolutely delicious!
I made this with your confetti cornbread. They were both delicious!
Oh, I love tortilla soup and I'm thrilled to find a veg version! This rocks, I can't wait to make it. Thanks!
http://thedailygrindchopandfry.com
Thanks for this recipe. I finally made it tonight (I printed it off a while back meaning to make it) when I realized i had everything I needed. While it wasn't a huge hit with the kids (they are tough with stuff mixed together, so soups generally don't win) my husband and I both loved it. It tastes very "restauranty" but I found it very simple to prepare (it helps to have a vitamix that I like to use). Thanks for the recipe and I can't wait to try more!
I saw that recipe in Eating Well as well. Yours looks (and sounds) even better!
Oh and swearing is definitely allowed. lol
When I switched platforms, I didn't need to retype anything. Not sure what kind of magic my husband used, but it all just transferred. He even said it was easier than he thought it would be. Sorry your process is A LOT more painful
I'm always coming back here and finding great recipes to try! Great stuff!
This soup was delicious. Most soups are better on the second day but this one was perfect immediately off the stove. I want to tell you how much I enjoy your site and recipes, especially the soups! Yummy, healthy, and not too hard to make! Thank you.
This was delicious!
This was a yummy week-night meal. Thank you!
What a great variation on tortilla soup!
Hello
Thank you for this information useful ordination
Thank you very much
I have made a tortilla/taco soup with my high powered blender. Of course it does not make this much, and I have to add the veggies, beans and chips last so they are chunky and just ‘pulse’ a few times, but the clean up is quick and easy.
I have not used greens in my tortilla soup before, I like that idea. It’s kinda like a “sneaky – green game” to see how much greens you can sneak into your families tummies with out them knowing. ;0
However, tonight, I caught my 7 yo actually sneaking some spinach leaves out of the container and chomping down on them!!! Sweet moments!