This easy vegetarian taco soup is cozy comfort food at its best. It's super nutritious, easy to make, and you can serve it with all your favorite taco toppings!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
I'm practically in love with simple soups that burst with protein, fibre and vitamins and this vegetarian soup is one of our favorite dinners.
Yes, it's so hearty we often have it for dinner, loaded with toppings such as avocado slices, radishes, scallions, grated cheese, sour cream and with a generous handful of tortilla chips on the side. The perfect meal for a chilly day, if I might say so.
If you're looking for more vegetarian soups, try my Curry Potato Soup and Potato Dill Soup next!
Why you'll love my vegetarian taco soup
- It has a nice combination of beans, quinoa and vegetables for a balanced yet super tasty bowl.
- It's not overly spicy as written, but you can adjust that according to your preferences.
- You can easily make it your own by switching up the beans and veggies.
What you'll need
Onion + red bell pepper - These build the flavour base and give the soup that taco-style flavor.
Taco seasoning - Use your favorite store-bought blend or homemade. Mild works great here since you can always add heat later.
Ancho chillies - These add a deep, smoky warmth without making the soup overly spicy.
Beans - A mix of black beans and kidney beans keeps things hearty and filling.
Tomatoes - Canned diced tomatoes give the soup body; you can use fresh tomatoes if you're making this in summer.
Quinoa - Adds protein and helps thicken the soup slightly as it cooks.
Vegetable broth - Low-sodium is best, so you can control the seasoning as it simmers.
Pro tip
Rinse the quinoa really well before adding it to the pot to remove any bitterness and keep the soup tasting clean and balanced.
How to make vegetarian taco soup
This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. The full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Start by heating a bit of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Toss in your onion and red bell pepper and let them cook until the onion turns translucent and the pepper's getting nice and soft.
Then stir in your taco seasoning and a little ancho chili and give it about a minute.
After that, you're just going to add in everything else, your black beans, red kidney beans, your uncooked quinoa, frozen corn, the diced tomatoes, and the vegetable broth. Give it all a good stir and simmer until the quinoa is cooked.
If you notice it thickening up too much, just splash in a bit more broth to loosen it up. And that's it!
Substitutions and variations
- Other beans that work great in this soup include Great Northern, pinto beans and chickpeas.
- Add zucchini or sweet potato for extra veggies.
- Make it spicier with chipotle powder or a pinch of cayenne.
Recipe tips and notes
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil so the quinoa cooks evenly without bursting.
- Stir from time to time while it simmers to prevent the quinoa from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- If you're using very thick canned tomatoes, you may want a bit more broth.
What to serve with this vegetable taco soup
This soup is perfect for serving with all your favorite taco toppings, so everyone can build their own bowl just the way they like it.
Some great options include avocado slices, diced tomatoes, radishes, scallions, shredded lettuce, grated cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, jalapeños, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
To round things out, serve it with cornbread, cheesy toast, tortilla chips or warm tortillas on the side.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The soup will thicken as it chills, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
- This soup freezes well for up to 3 months.
More easy veggie soup recipes
If you've tried this vegetarian soup recipe, please rate it and leave a comment below! I'd love to hear how it turned out.
And for more yummy recipe ideas, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Vegetarian Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 dry ancho chili, rehydrated and sliced
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup (85 g) uncooked quinoa
- ½ cup (75 g) frozen sweetcorn
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes
- 5 cups (1.25 l) vegetable broth
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and sauté the onion and red bell pepper for four to five minutes until the onion is translucent and the pepper is soft.1 tablespoon olive oil1 medium red onion1 medium red bell pepper
- Stir in the taco seasoning and ancho chili and continue to cook for a further minute.3 tablespoons taco seasoning1 dry ancho chili
- Next add the black beans, red kidney beans, uncooked quinoa, frozen sweet corn, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth.1 can (14 oz / 400 g) black beans1 can (14 oz / 400 g) red kidney beans½ cup uncooked quinoa½ cup frozen sweetcorn1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes5 cups vegetable broth
- Stir everything well to combine and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. If you notice the soup getting too thick, add some more vegetable broth.
- Finally, stir in the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve hot with your favorite toppings such as sliced radishes, grated cheese, sliced scallions, avocado or tortilla chips.Juice of half a lemonSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Notes
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil so the quinoa cooks evenly without bursting.
- Stir from time to tile while it simmers to prevent the quinoa from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- If you're using very thick canned tomatoes, you may want a bit more broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving and is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Leave a Reply