Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup -crock pot recipe - Life Currents (2024)

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Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup is really easy to make in the crock pot, and deliciously creamy and comforting while being vegan and healthy. It’s perfect for a Meatless Monday or for eating while watching the game!

Recipes like my Crock Pot Chili andSlow Cooker Pot Pie are great for when you want a family pleasing meal with minimal effort. I love the slow cooker,and this is one of myCrock Pot Recipes you’ll want in your recipe box!

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup -crock pot recipe - Life Currents (1)

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup -crock pot recipe - Life Currents (2)

Meatless Monday

I originally made this recipe back in 2015 for a “Sideline Meat Taste Challenge” from Meatless Monday and Silk plant-based milk. I’ve updated it here for a better user experience.

Of course, I’ve been “sidelining” meat for over 30 years now. And, as a happy vegetarian I can tell you it’s possible to eat a variety of yummy foods.

It’s soup season!

Taking their inspiration I decided I wanted to make a creamy tortilla soup, and, well, it would be even better if it was made in the crock pot so you can watch the football game while the soup cooks.

So I tossed it all in the crock pot, and boy does it smell awesome as it cooks!

You can also take this soup with you to the game or to a potluck.

So easy to make!

This vegan recipe is one of the easiest meal ideas. All you have to do is toss ingredients into the slow cooker, and you can make this soup; it’s that easy!

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup -crock pot recipe - Life Currents (3)

Place the ingredients in the slow cooker, and cook.

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup -crock pot recipe - Life Currents (4)

Blend 3 cups of cooked soup in blender, and add in sliced wheat bread to thicken. Blend, and add back to crock pot.

Let the slow worker do all of the work, and just smell the delicious dinner as it cooks while you watch the game. Or, let it cook while you’re out running errands, and come home to already made dinner. It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights.

It’s easy, yummy, full of flavor, and everyone from vegetarians to vegans to meat eaters will love it!

This soup makes a big batch, so you have delicious leftovers for a quick meal the next day (or days), and it’s a great way to sneak in veggies to the day.

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Recipe notes

I give instructions on how to toast the corn tortillas in a dry skillet for this recipe; it’s really easy! But if you want to save yourself some time, simply use some bagged tortilla chips.

And, heck, any football party is bound to have some tortilla chips.

What kind of salsa should I use?

Use your favorite salsa in this soup. I find that mixing salsa into this soup is a great way to boost flavor easily, because the salsa is bursting with flavor.

Keep the salsa mild for a mild soup; use hot if you like it spicy! Or, feel free to mix two different kinds of salsa for even more layers of flavor.

You might even want to try adding a southwestern corn salsa to the soup. The added sweetness of the corn would be a lovely addition here.

What about those onions?

There are two options for the onions in this recipe.

1) The first option is that you can sauté the onions with a little bit of oil to make them soften, less pungent, and a little sweeter.

2) The other option is to toss them into the slow cooker, raw, and let them cook with the rest of the ingredients. You’ll get a little crunchy texture in the soup from the lightly cooked onions.

Depending on your time and your family’s preference, you may like it one way or the other.

What kind of milk can I use?

This soup is deliciously creamy with the help of a little milk. To keep the soup vegan, use a neutral flavor plant based milk, like unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, or soy milk.

If you don’t need the soup to be vegan, you can use dairy milk if you’d like. Whole milk or half & half will give a nice creamy texture, while using skim milk will save on calories.

Of course, you can also leave the milk out entirely, if maybe you go to the fridge and you find you’re all out of milk. Yep, that’s happened to me!

Budget friendly

You can really stretch your budget with this recipe. The ingredients are inexpensive, and at can easily feed a crowd or your hungry family.

Can you make this ahead?

Yes! It’s delicious made ahead, and makes great leftovers! Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 or 4 days.

Can you freeze this tortilla soup?

Absolutely! Allow the soup to cool fully. Then package it in a container with an airtight lid, and pop it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Topping ideas

Go toppings crazy! Like most tortilla soups, you can top this recipe with so many delicious things, and it might just be my favorite part of the soup!

Tortilla strips, jalapenos, sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, green onions, avocados, hot sauce, lime wedges, etc.

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If you love soup, check out these popular soup recipes

Southwestern Corn Chowder
Caramelized Onion Roasted Garlic Bisque
Tomato Parmesan Slow Cooker Soup

Kitchen items you may need for this soup

Note: these are affiliate links

Crock pot
ladle
Knife
cutting board
can opener
measuring spoons & cups

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Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup Recipe

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup -crock pot recipe - Life Currents (8)

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup

Debi

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup is really easy to make in the crock pot, and deliciously creamy and comforting while being vegan and healthy. It’s perfect for a Meatless Monday or for eating while watching the game!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 145 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 large red onion chopped
  • 1 red pepper chopped
  • 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • ½ cup salsa
  • 19 ounce can Ro-tel
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 cup Milk plant based or dairy
  • 4 slices wheat bread
  • Corn tortillas cut into strips

Instructions

  • Optional: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil and chopped red onion. Cook for 5-10 minutes to soften.Remove and place in the slow cooker. You may skip the onion cooking and throw the raw onion into the slow cooker if preferred.

  • Place all ingredients except milk and wheat bread in the bowl of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker, and stir until combined. Cover, and cook on low for 4 hours.

  • Remove 3 cups of the soup and place in the bowl of a blender. Add the wheat bread to the soup in the blender, and blend until pureed and smooth. Return pureed soup to the crock pot, and add the milk, cover, and allow to heat through, about 10-15 minutes.

  • While the soup finishes cooking, toss the tortilla strips into an ungreased (dry) cast iron or other skillet, and toast until golden and browned.

  • Serve the Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla, hot, garnished with toasted tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro, red onion, sour cream, or shredded cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 736mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 8gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1099IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword tortilla, vegan

Tried this recipe?Mention @LifeCurrents or tag #LifeCurrents!

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Slow Cooker Creamy Tortilla Soup -crock pot recipe - Life Currents (2024)

FAQs

What can I use to thicken my tortilla soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Why is it called tortilla soup? ›

Known in Spanish as Sopa De Tortilla, Tortilla Soup is a humble Mexican soup that is consumed by the nation's populace every day. It is in no way a celebratory dish, but a simple comfort food that derived its name from the generous topping of crispy tortillas on top of the soup.

How do you make soup creamier and thicker? ›

6 ways to thicken soup:
  1. Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
  2. Add cream or yogurt. ...
  3. Add flour or cornflour. ...
  4. Use a butter and flour paste. ...
  5. Blend in bread. ...
  6. Add lentils or rice.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Why do Mexicans use two tortillas? ›

Double up your corn tortillas on your tacos.

Mexicans fondly refer to this as 'la copia' (literally: the copy). If you ask around, you'll be given many reasons for this. But a popular explanation is that the second tortilla can be used to make another taco with any fillings that spill out the side.

What do Spanish people call tortillas? ›

Tortilla” is an omelette in Spain, but also a diminutive of “torta”, a round and flat cake or bread, and we know what the Mexicans call “tortilla”.

Why do Mexicans eat so many tortillas? ›

Tortillas have been a fundamental part for Mexicans because it is what accompanies most of their dishes, it has always been part of their traditions and gastronomic culture.

How do you thicken tortilla soup without cornstarch? ›

Yes, you can use flour to thicken chicken tortilla soup. To do so, create a slurry by combining equal parts flour and cold water. Whisk the slurry into the soup gradually, allowing it to simmer for a few minutes until the desired thickness is achieved.

What is the best ingredient to thicken soup? ›

Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.

How do you thicken watery soup? ›

6 Ways to Thicken Soups or Stews
  1. Puree the vegetables. The most straightforward way to thicken soup is to puree the vegetables. ...
  2. Mash beans, lentils, rice, or bread. ...
  3. Add some dairy. ...
  4. Add an egg. ...
  5. Whisk in a bit of flour or starch. ...
  6. Blend in some silken tofu.
Nov 15, 2021

What can you use instead of flour to thicken soup? ›

If you're looking for an alternative to flour in your soup and stew recipes, these four ingredients can act as a thickening agent.
  • Grated Potato. For each cup of soup or stew, add about 3 tablespoons of thinly grated potato during the last 15 minutes of your soup's cooking time. ...
  • Egg Yolk. ...
  • Starch Thickener. ...
  • Blended Soup.
Aug 4, 2012

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