This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Easy Tortilla Soup with Red lentils. 1 Pot 30 Minutes! Make it in a saucepan or Instant Pot. Add veggies of choice, garnish with tortilla chips or avocado. Vegan Gluten-free Soyfree Nut-free Recipe. Jump to Recipe Â
This easy 1 pot tortilla soup has red lentils, peppers, tomato, veggies that you want and a few spices. Put everything in a saucepan and simmer until done. I like red lentils in this soup as they cook quicker and make for a lighter dinner. Beans can be an issue for some for dinner, and this works out perfectly. You can also add in some uncooked washed quinoa while simmering. Add veggies of choice and serve with garnishes of choice. See Video Below.
Few ingredients, 1 pot, filling and quick. whats your favorite addition to tortilla soups?Â
Serve this with 100% Whole Grain Dinner Rolls, Gluten-free Garlic rolls, tortilla strips or biscuits.
More 1 Pot SoupsÂ
- Broccoli Slaw Soup,Â
- Turkish lentil soup,
- Turmeric Laksa Curry Soup with fresh turmeric root,
- 15 min Indian Spiced tomato Soup,Â
- Minestrone
- Mushroom chickpea greens soup.
If you make this simple soup, do tag me on Instagram!
What lentils to use in this tortilla soup
There are so many different lentils and names for them. Red Lentils come in various varieties. Red whole and unskinned lentils look brown and are called Indian brown or brown lentils, which take about 30 minutes to cook in a saucepan. When skinned, they are whole red lentils, called red lentils(!), take about 18 to 22 minutes. These are not as easily available. When skinned and split, they are called red lentils or masoor dal, which are quick cooking (11 to 13 mins) and are easily available. I use the split red lentils in this tortilla soup.
In recipes and shops the split and whole red lentils are often used interchangeably. There are many recipes on the blog that use red lentils by which I mean the split red lentils. Either will work here, the whole red lentils will just take a few minutes longer to cook.Â
Video:
1 Pot Lentil Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot or Saucepan)
Ingredients Â
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, minced (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp oregano and thyme
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne or chipotle pepper powder or both
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup red lentils, quick cooking lentils - masoor dal, washed and drained
- 2 cups water or broth
- 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped, or 1.5 cup crushed tomatoes from a can
- 1 to 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 to 1 cup water or broth
- 1/2 tsp or more salt
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- Crumbled tortilla chips for garnish, avocado and other garnishes and lime juice
InstructionsÂ
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes Add jalapeno, bell peppers and mix and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the spices and herbs and mix in. Add a pinch of allspice or loves for additional flavor if you wish. Add the washed and drained lentils and water and cook for 11 to 12 minutes or until al dente.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well. Add other additions such as 1/2 cup corn or cooked black beans or other beans, veggies, some chopped up corn tortilla at this point. (I make the soup with or without beans , pictured without beans). Cook for 10 minutes or until desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
- Add a dash of lime juice, garnish with chips, avocado, cilantro. See IP instructions in Notes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was just wondering how I was going to convert it to the Instant Pot when I saw your note at the bottom! Thank you! I can’t wait to try it!
Yum! Huge hit with the whole family.
Amazing even using onion powder instead of onion. Added chick peas too!
AWesome!
Super easy and satisfying. I used poblano peppers instead of jalepenos and used chickpeas as my add in. Turned out really well!
Just made this, and … wow! Delicious. Richa you are my favourite cook by a long way. Every recipe I have made of yours has been outstanding. Whenever my non-vegan family comes to visit I cook up something new of yours, and they are always bowled away. Indeed, they often say their favourite food is when they come to visit me. Needless to say, though, they wouldn’t consider becoming vegan for even a minute. Interesting logic. Anyhow, as I always say: let the world travel its path, and we will travel ours.
Thank you, Richa, for all the inspiration, and the endlessly yummy food.
Hey Muchi, too bad that Richa didn’t reply to your comment, I loved it : )
Thank You!!!
yay! thanks!
Hi Richa!
The stars aligned today, I got all the ingredients and some time to cook (it doesn’t always happen, especially both at the same time) and made this.
Easy, simple and delicious, as are many of your recipes.
Thank you!
Where is the tortillas? Its name is Lentil Tortilla Soup.
They are the garnish. Not in the pictures, coz I ran out 🙂
Just wondering what makes this a tortilla soup?
I forgot to mention Tortilla Chips in the garnish. Added now. I used some corn noodly strips instead for the pictures.