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This Crockpot Spicy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with Quinoa is just what every cold January day needs. It’s the easiest tortilla soup recipe to prepare, full of good for you ingredients, and so delicious. Just toss everything into your crockpot (or your instant pot) and cook low and slow all day. No extra steps, and nothing fancy. Just one thing…be sure to top each bowl off with plenty of tortilla chips, some good cheese, and an avocado. Tortilla soup perfection.
Hey, hi and happiest Monday to you all!
I spent my weekend endlessly working away on the computer, and I have to say, I am sooo glad Monday is here. I finished most of what I needed to, which makes me so happy. This week will be all about getting back into the kitchen and staying very far away from the computer. Well, at least during the day anyway.
I may or may not have had a mini 30 minute breakdown Saturday night, thanks to a very tired mind. But I’ve recovered, and like I said, I am so ready to conquer this week. It’s going to be a good one. Really going for the positivity today! Fake it till you make it true, right?!
Yup.
I’m very excited to tell you about this soup. Over Christmas break I made two brand new soup recipes, and both turned out SO GOOD! This is one of those soups. The other will be coming soon (should it come this week or shall I save it for next week?). Either way, keep an eye out for it.
It’s nothing like this tortilla soup…
Which is truly so good. Let me explain. This tortilla soup is vegetarian, has a good amount of heat, a smoky flare, some quinoa for heartiness, and the best toppings ever.
Plus, it’s so easy. Simply take all of your ingredients and add them to your crockpot and cover. Slow cook for a few hours until everything has had a chance to cook down and turn into a spicy, flavorful tortilla soup. There’s no pan searing anything first, no extra dishes, and quite honestly, no matter how challenged you may think you are in the kitchen, I feel confident that just about anyone can make this.
I hope I don’t get into trouble for saying that, but I’m sticking to it. This soup is that easy.
But the very best part? While this soup is easy, it’s also really, really good…and healthy too. I used a combination of onion, garlic, poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers, and chipotle peppers to flavor the soup, in addition to fire roasted tomatoes. The quinoa helps to tame the heat, and provides a healthy filling grain.
As with any tortilla soup, it’s all about the toppings. I like to add crushed tortilla-chips, sliced avocado, plenty of crumbled feta, and maybe even a dollop of Greek yogurt. Oh, and some fresh cilantro too. It’s a lot, but man, it’s all so good.
Bonus points if you also top your soup with slices of sweet mango like I did. I know it might seem weird, but if you trust me, you’ll try it too. And I’m very confident you’ll greatly enjoy it.
If you make this tortilla soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Spicy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with Quinoa.
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 1489 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2-3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
- 1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
- tortilla chips, diced mango, sliced avocado, feta, and yogurt, for serving
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the your crockpot, combine the onion, poblano, jalapeños, garlic, cumin, oregano, broth, tomatoes, and chipotle peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the quinoa. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. If the soup is thick, you can thin with additional broth.2. Just before serving, stir in the lime juice, and cilantro. Season with salt, to taste. 3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with tortilla chips, mango, avocado, feta, yogurt, and cilantro. Enjoy!
Instant Pot
- 1. In the your instant pot, combine the onion, poblano, jalapeños, garlic, cumin, oregano, broth, tomatoes, and chipotle peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the quinoa. Cover and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function. 2. Stir in the lime juice, and cilantro. Season with salt, to taste.3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with tortilla chips, mango, avocado, feta, yogurt, and cilantro. Enjoy!
I won’t be home in 6 hours of cook time and I’m worried about the quinoa soaking up all the delicious juice. Can I wait too cook quinoa later and add it in or should I add some extra liquid beforehand?? Can’t wait!
HI! Yes, you can wait to cook the quinoa, Just stir it in before you are ready to eat. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I had to comment because I made this last night and we had it today for lunch and it was sooo good and so easy to throw together in the slowcooker. And I’m realizing I forgot the lime juice at the end. Still amazing. I added a can of drained/rinsed black beans to stretch the recipe a bit and served with homemade corn tortilla chips. Highly recommended!
Thank you so much Laura! I am so glad you loved this soup! xTieghan
Made this last week, and it was really delicious and super easy. Might even let my dad have a shot at this (if I put everything he needs to put in in a basket with the recipe) and that poor guy once tried to bake a frozen pizza with plastic still on. Taste was spicy but not spicy enough you can’t taste anything else going on, and even my quinoa hating friend loved it so much he took home the leftovers! I couldn’t find fire roasted tomatoes, so I replaced them with regular canned diced tomatoes and added some smoked paprika powder to add in the smokey flavor.
I am so glad you loved this Elena! Thank you so much!
This is in my slow cooker right now making my apartment smell amazing. I can’t wait to have it for dinner on this chilly evening! I too thought the feta sounded weird so I am going to use shredded Monterey Jack. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes, this is quickly becoming my favorite food blog!
I hope you love this Barb! Let me know how it turns out for you! Thank you so much!
awesome recipe dear thanks for sharing
Thank you! I am so glad you like this!
Made this exactly as directed but used two chicken breasts instead of quinoa. Amazing! Perfect for a week of lunches
I am so glad this turned out amazing for you, Natalie! Thank you!
Made this tonight and it was amazing! I cooked it in a Dutch oven since I didn’t have time for the crock pot, which came out great! I also added beans and a red pepper for added veggies!
I am so glad you loved this Britta! Thank you so much!
Wondering if you use the Adobo sauce or just the peppers? And when do you add the lime zest? Thanks! Make in the instant pot tonight.
HI! I just use the peppers, but some of the sauce usually stays on the peppers. Add the zest at the end. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Looks great! Can’t wait to try it. I know in the crockpot you said to add the black beans with 30 min left- would you just add them at the end for the instant pot? Or would they hold up ok adding them
In the beginning?
Thanks!
I think they would hold up fine in the instant post. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Had this for dinner over the weekend. I omitted the chipotle peppers, because I have several non-spicy eaters. It was still really good. I will totally make it again. All of my family members loved it.
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Bethany!
Do you think I can use a combo of quinoa and brown rice? Love all your recipes!
Do you think I can do a combo of brown rice and quinoa? Love all your recipes!
Sure! That sounds great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Yum!! This will be perfect to prep for my lunches. Thanks for another awesome recipe!
I am so glad you loved this Bre! Thank you so much!
I made this yesterday in the Instant Pot and the overall flavor is great but mine turned out way too spicy. (And I’m a Texan who loves heat). My alterations were using chicken broth instead of vegetable broth, cut back to 1.5 jalapeños, and I already had cooked quinoa so I added that at the end, and then I used immersion blender to purée it. The flavor was really good but I could barely eat it since it was so spicy. Jalapeños can be so unpredictable, next time I will only add one jalapeño (or a half) and can always add more as garnish. It was really easy to make using Instant Pot directions.
Hi Stephanie! I apologize that this was too spicy for you. I hope you try this again with less heat and enjoy it! Thank you!
Any recommendations for stovetop instructions? My crockpot was tragically left behind at a holiday party!
Just simmer everything on the stover for 25-30 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan