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Mexican Lentil Tortilla Soup

This Mexican Lentil Tortilla Soup is an absolute favorite at my house these days. I make a huge pot of it at the beginning of the week, and it lasts me a couple of days. It makes the perfect lunch when it’s reheated and topped off with half an avocado. I love how simple and easy it is to make too – it’s fast on the stove or works in a slow cooker very effortlessly.

Utilizing filling ingredients such as lentils, that are packed with fiber and protein is a great way to lose excess pounds. Also, soups are super nourishing but easy on the waistline because they naturally help you eat less (if the soup doesn’t have hidden MSG which can make you eat more! – so watch out for that – see video below for more details). I made this soup on NBC’s Charlotte Today – which is always fun to do on live TV.

Lentil Tortilla Soup

Mexican Lentil Tortilla Soup
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup lentils rinsed
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (14 ounce) jar crushed tomatoes
  • ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt, more as needed
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper, more as needed
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 sprouted corn tortillas, cut in ½ inch wide pieces
Optional Toppings:
  • sliced avocado
  • goat cheese
  • a squeeze of fresh lime
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the lentils, vegetable broth, tomatoes, jalapeno, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cilantro and tortilla strips. Bring to a boil and turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes.
  2. To serve, place some of the soup in a bowl and top with the sliced avocado and goat cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
***Please use all organic ingredients if possible***
This recipe can also be used in a slow cooker, just throw all ingredients into the pot, and cook on high for 4-6 hours

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If you want to make this soup (or any soup for that matter) in a slow cooker, you’ve got to check out my partner VitaClay – they are giving the entire Food Babe Army 10% off right now with code: FOODBABE on their website here. They have one of the safest slow cookers on the market because their pot is made out of clay! It’s non-stick chemical-free and perfect for health-conscious living. I have one and love it.

Hope you enjoy this recipe with friends and family – it’s a crowd pleaser, those melted tortillas get them every time. 

Xo,

Vani 

 

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86 responses to “Mexican Lentil Tortilla Soup

    1. At the bottom of the recipe it says you can cook in a crock pot by simply adding all the ingredients together and cook on high for 4-6 hours 🙂

  1. Steve: I noticed a note at the end of the recipe that answers your question. Combine all ingredients in the pot on High for 4-6 hours.

    1. I couldn’t find sprouted corn tortillas at Whole Foods. They had sprouted ancient grain tortillas or corn tortillas. I got the corn tortillas, but they didn’t have organic or GMO free. Wish everything was organic and GMO free!!

  2. Oh yeah, Vani, that’s what I’m talking about! I Love Lentil Soup! It brings back such great memories of my childhood. I’m preparing my grocery list as we speak and will try your recipe this week. I’ve been trying to learn how to calculate the calories in recipes, so I decided to practice my math skills on your Mexican Lentil Tortilla Soup recipe. I hope you don’t mind. Using a reputable nutrition calculator, here’s what I came up with:
    Total Servings = 4
    Total Calories of Recipe= 1108
    Total Fat of Recipe= 32 grams
    Total Carbohydrates of Recipe= 394 grams
    Total Protein of Recipe= 34 grams

    Calories per Serving = 277
    Fat per Serving =8 grams
    Carbohydrates per Serving =98.5 grams
    Protein per Serving =8.5 grams

    Conclusion: Low Calorie, Low Fat, High Carbohydrate, Medium Protein

    I included my calculations below. Please correct any errors if you see them.
    Math calculated to match each portion size of your recipe. Numbers are rounded up for simplicity.

    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil * [Cal.=238; Fat=27g; Carbs=0g; Protein=0g]
    1 cup diced yellow onion * [Cal.=60; Fat=0g; Carbs=14g; Protein=2g]
    ½ cup diced celery * [Cal.=7; Fat=0.1g; Carbs=1.5g; Protein=0.35g]
    1 cup diced carrots * [Cal.=52; Fat=0.3g; Carbs=12.3g; Protein=1.2g]
    2 cloves garlic, minced * [Cal.=8; Fat=0.04g; Carbs=2g; Protein=0.3g]
    ½ cup lentils rinsed * [Cal.=339; Fat=1g; Carbs=58g; Protein=25g]
    6 cups vegetable broth * [Cal.=90; Fat=0g; Carbs=18g; Protein=0g]
    1 (14 ounce) jar crushed tomatoes * [Cal.=126; Fat=0g; Carbs=252g; Protein=0g]
    ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced * [Cal.=2; Fat=0g; Carbs=0.4g; Protein=0.1g]
    ½ teaspoon ground cumin * [Cal.=4; Fat=0.2g; Carbs=0.5g; Protein=0.2g]
    ½ teaspoon ground coriander * [Cal.=1; Fat=0g; Carbs=0.2g; Protein=0.1g]
    ½ teaspoon sea salt * [Cal.=0; Fat=0g; Carbs=0g; Protein=0g]
    ¼ teaspoon pepper * [Cal.=0; Fat=0g; Carbs=0g; Protein=0g]
    ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro * [Cal.=1; Fat=0.02g; Carbs=0.15g; Protein=0.1g]
    3 sprouted corn tortillas * [Cal.=180; Fat=3g; Carbs=34.5g; Protein=4.5g]

      1. Good question. I’ll have to figure out how that math is calculated (still learning). High Carbs aren’t necessarily a bad thing as long as the source is clean and your lifestyle is active.

    1. You might need to double check the carbs in your crushed tomatoes. I would expect the count to be a lot lower than 252 on that.

      1. Great catch. You’re right, that number was way too high. Fourteen ounces of crushed tomatoes has only 29 grams of carbohydrates, not 252 grams (my bad). So, using the new data, my new calculations are as follows:

        Total Carbohydrates of Recipe = 171 grams
        Carbohydrates per Serving = 42.75 grams

        Updated Conclusion: Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Carbohydrates, Medium Protein

        Thanks for pointing out my error.

  3. I live in Portugal where flour tortillas are available ( at a fancy price) but corn tortillas are a very rare commodity and sprouted corn tortillas are unheard of! What happens if I use regular corn tortillas? Will they fall apart? Once in Texas I was served a lovely chicken soup with fried corn tortillas strips in it to help retard sogginess. Would that be of benefit here? We use a lot of lentil soup in the winter, at least once or twice a week, two days running ( ah, the joys of a very large pot! Not to mention it’s always better the second day) and I would love to try this one. Thank you for any suggestions.

    1. I think the concern with the tortillas is strictly from a health standpoint, as most regular corn tortillas in the US are made with GMO corn. Sprouted grains are also more nutritious and easier to digest. I don’t know if regular corn tortillas in Portugal are non-GMO or not, but I don’t see why you couldn’t use them once you verify they are safe (if they’re imported from the US I honestly wouldn’t use them unless they’re organic). I haven’t made the recipe yet, but I would think you could use 2-3 tablespoons of non-GMO corn starch to thicken the soup since the tortillas would be dissolved after 20 mins anyway. It may not taste quite the same, but at least you could make it without the tortillas. If you’re feeling really industrious you could always make your own sprouted corn tortillas. Hope you find a way to make the soup. Good luck!

    2. Made this last night with a few unavoidable alterations. I added some strips of corn tortillas as I cooked the soup then fried some to use as garnish. There was no dried cilantro in the house and non fresh in the garden, only parsley and thyme, so that element was missing. One other unavoidable was too much water, added when another household chef decided to muck around in my soup! Nontheless, it was delicious, two nights in a road. Thank you!

    1. some are… it depends, if it’s not properly coated safely – it can leak heavy metals like lead!

      1. How can you tell if the crockpot you have is/isn’t coated properly? I received one from my shower–don’t really use it, but would like to make sure it is safe if I use it. Otherwise I will get rid of…

  4. I was wondering if it would be possible to substitute quinoa in place of lentils for protein (quinoa is pretty rich in protein) as I’m not really a huge fan of beans and lentils.

    1. Joseph, have you tried French green lentils? They are amazing! They are so healthy, full of fiber, b vitamins, etc. I can make a whole meal with these little guys. My family loves it when I make a pot of lentils and top them off with avocado such as in this recipe. Please give them a try them as they help prevent colon and other cancers.

  5. Thanks so much!!! Trimming down to look our best for our wedding….with wonderful, healthy food. Thanks for your awesome support.

    1. i was wondering, Where did you hear all corn was gmo? Some is labled usda organic. Am I missing something here?

  6. Hi Vani,

    Can organic tortillia chips be used instead of sprouted tortillias? I realize this might not be as healthy, but I dont want to have to wait to try this recipe and am on a tight food budget till next month.

    1. I didn’t use any tortillas in the soup and it was great. I had about a cup of cooked quinoa to use up, so I threw that in. Dont wait to try this!

  7. Curious as to the temperatures being used in this crockpot to make this Mexican Lentil soup? How much nutritional value would be left, after 6 hours?
    I’ve read that cooking temperatures over 114-116 degrees destroys the enzymes; and without enzymes the vitamins and minerals in the food can’t be utilized.

  8. love this recipe, but you probably should be using coconut oil instead of olive oil to saute’. overheating olive oil kills most of the things in it that are good for you. i never use for higher heat cooking.

  9. Just made a big pot of lentil stew. I added lots of chopped kale & it is so filling. I never use oil to saute; water or broth works fine.

  10. Tasty recipe. I think that I would like to use sprouted lentils and add to your wonderful soup at the very end for better nutrition. Thanks Food Babe

  11. What would be the salt content on this? I need to watch my salt intake. The soup sounds delicious and I want to try it.

  12. I would greatly appreciate you using the words Organic or in the least non-GMO when posting recipes using corn or soy products, or canola oil. We all know this is vital to health to not consume pesticide and herbicide laden foods. To repeat this in recipes reinforces the importance to folks who may be new to healthy eating and work to spread the word of how these foods need to be avoided. Thank you.

  13. Hello Vani,
    thank you for this amazing recipes of yours.
    it is pity in Africa some of these ingredients are not available.
    i would appreciate if there is any substitutes.

    thanks

  14. If you cut the broth by one cup (making it 5 cups) and use one pound of lentils, you will have a vegetarian chili.

  15. I cannot wait to try this! Vani, what a blessing you are. Book is pre-ordered and look forward to soaking it all in. I am new to all this information.

  16. WOW got the email today and made the soup. This soup is quick and delicious. Will try th avocado topper tomorrow when I reheat it. Double YUMYUM!

  17. I finally found decently priced organic corn tortillas at Whole Foods. They were $0.99 for 10 or 12, elsewhere I can’t find anything close that’s not over $4 for the same amount.

    I need a tortilla making class, starting from popcorn. I grind first then soak in cal water, but I just can’t make thin things, everything else is fantastic.

  18. I made this tonight and blended everything with my Vitamix to make nice and smooth. I don’t like chunks. It was SO good!!! My husband loved it, too. Thanks again for another awesome recipe, Vani! You were too cute in the recipe video!

  19. Is there a way to make this soup without using store bought vegetable stock? Is there a recipe to make our own stock?

  20. I used an immersion blender and pureed most of it. I think that is the way to go. Pureed melted tortillas….mmmm. DE-LISH

  21. This recipe sounded so yummy, I had to make it. Being ME, I just CAN’T leave a recipe ALONE so I added farmer’s market bought home-roasted chicken leftovers ,Avocado Oil (LOVE this oil!), red pepper and PURPLE carrots from my garden (soup turned a beautiful “borscht” color), garden tomatoes that I had frozen in chunks (easiest and BEST way to save up all those summer tomatoes), Non-GMO tortilla chips left over from Sharkey’s and shredded GRASS-FED jalapeño jack cheese instead of goat cheese ~ it was DELICIOUS!!! THANK YOU, Vani, for being my INSPIRATION! 😀

  22. I love the food babe but I am still so surprised that she posts recipes with dairy. Every reliable source that I know of says that dairy causes inflammation. Most people can’t tolerate dairy. I’m confused as to why she thinks it is okay to eat.

  23. Hi vani, you rock girl. I am so proud of you. You save lots of lives. I love your nailpolish, make up and jewelry. Where do you purchase your organic cosmetics?

  24. I bought everything but forgot to get the jalepeno pepper! 🙁 what would be your best substitution to create the spice flavor? Thanks again Vani! It’s a freezing rain day in CT

  25. This was delicious. But, I’m wondering if it was just the tortillas I bought, or if they are supposed to completely dissolve when the soup cooks? I ended up adding some at the end for garnish as well. So, I think next time I will only add them as garnish and save on the calories and carbs that dissolved into the soup. Otherwise, I LOVE this recipe.

  26. This soup was amazing! Bought all my ingredients at Whole Foods, the broth is a little spicey but tolerable.

  27. This was fantastic!! I made it in a crockpot, and left out the tortillas, the cumin, coriander and cilantro (because I don’t like it) and it was wonderful!! I used long hot peppers instead of the jalapeno, so it had quite a kick!! Mine was more like a lentil/vegetable spicy soup, but we all loved it!!!

  28. Where (what brand?) can I find JARRED crushed tomatoes? I would love to not use canned tomatoes (because of the can lining), but I have not been able to find crushed or diced tomatoes in glass jars. I can only find tomato paste in glass. (I scanned through the previous comments on this page and didn’t see anyone else had talked about this, so I hope I’m not repeating something that someone else has already asked.)

  29. What if the crock pot has a ceramic inside pot. Do you have a list of the ones considered unsafe or how do I find that out?

  30. I just made the second batch of this recipe tonight. But this time, I added more carrots, celery, and onion. Also a bit more lentils. All organic vegetables used including the spices and vegetable broth. I also added a bit more jalapeno pepper with some seeds-added just a nice gentle heat to the final soup. And upped the amount of cilantro. Instead of 3 corn tortillas, I used 4 “Food for Life” sprouted corn tortillas cut into strips. And man, was this soup ever delicious! Can’t believe how super delicious it is! I topped my soup with some organic corn chips and freshly, grated Italian parmasan cheese. This recipe is a keeper in my household for sure!!!!

  31. This was awesome. Threw everything in the crockpot and let it cook. My husband and daughter enjoyed it as well. This is a keeper.

  32. EXCELLENT!! I made this with more of all the organic veggies, more of the spices. I used organic chicken and veggie stock. I left out the tortillas as well. To top off the soup I used avocados, cheddar cheese, TJ’s organic tortillas chips.
    This made enough to last through lunches and dinners for a couple days. I just made a second pot it’s that good!

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