Martha Stewart quick tortilla soup with black beans is a 15 minute weeknight dinner from your pantry: canned tomatoes, frozen corn, and chili powder. Garlic and crushed tortilla chips give the broth its kick and body, so the pot comes together while you set the table.
Top each bowl with sour cream, cilantro, and shredded cheese for a loaded comfort food supper the whole family asks for. Drain and rinse the beans first, since that step cuts sodium and keeps the broth clean.
Martha Stewart Quick Tortilla Soup With Black Beans
Course: SoupCuisine: American, MexicanDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes10
minutes400
kcalSpicy, brothy, and loaded with tender black beans and sweet corn, this soup gets its body from crushed tortilla chips stirred right into the pot and a bright hit of fresh lime at the end.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup crushed tortilla chips, plus more for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
Directions
- Cook garlic and chili powder: In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and corn: Add tomatoes (with juice), beans, broth, corn, and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer and add tortilla chips: Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips; cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Finish with lime juice: Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve soup with lime wedges and, if desired, more chips.
FAQs
Can I add chicken to this tortilla soup?
Shredded rotisserie chicken works best here. Stir in about 2 cups of shredded chicken along with the beans and corn in step 2, since it only needs to heat through. The extra protein bumps each serving to roughly 500 calories.
How long does leftover tortilla soup keep?
Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, and add a fresh squeeze of lime before serving because the acid fades after sitting. Skip adding extra tortilla chips until you reheat, because they turn mushy overnight.
Can I make this tortilla soup ahead of time?
You can make the base through step 2 up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. When ready to eat, bring it to a simmer and stir in the crushed tortilla chips and lime juice at that point so the chips keep some texture. The soup gets better overnight as the beans absorb the chili-spiced broth.
What can I use instead of chicken broth to keep it vegetarian?
Swap in an equal amount of vegetable broth, and use a low-sodium version so you can season to your own taste. The black beans and tomato juice carry enough flavor that the switch barely changes the final bowl.
Why is my tortilla soup too thin?
The crushed tortilla chips are the thickener here, so add another 1/2 cup if the broth feels watery after 2 minutes of simmering. You can also mash a few spoonfuls of the black beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, which releases starch and thickens the broth in about 30 seconds.
