Whether it’s soup season or you are looking for a delicious one-pot meal, this Plant-Based Salsa Verde Soup is for you. Mexican-inspired flavors using vibrant ingredients and bold spices, this hearty soup serves 3-4 and requires just 10 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes of cooking, making it the perfect go-to recipe for a quick and flavorful meal. It’s also a great dish to make ahead. The soup tastes even better the next day because the flavors have more time to settle. If you like to batch cook, this soup works beautifully for freezing, too. Just make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to an airtight container and putting it in the freezer.
The salsa stew starts with a base of sautéd diced onion and green bell pepper. We then layer in the warmth of garlic and the optional kick of jalapeño. Next, we stir in the earthy notes of cumin and the citrusy essence of coriander powder. I promise your kitchen will smell amazing at this point! Adding a few more simple ingredients and simmering is all that’s left to create this simple yet satisfying dish.
For Protein, I have used cannellini beans, but any canned beans you have on hand would work. Chickpeas, kidney beans, or black beans (or a combination!) are all great options.
For the salsa verde, make sure to check your ingredients. There are brands out there that add sugar. My go-to compatible brands are Chalula and Herdez.
I strongly recommend using a vegetable broth and not just water for the liquid in this dish. It adds a great depth of flavor. You can use a compatible store-bought broth or make your own. (This is my simple recipe for making vegetable broth at home.)
Finish off the salsa verde soup with your garnish of choice. I love sliced avocado, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 small jalapeño finely chopped (optional)
- 1.5 tbsp ground cumin powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander powder
- 2 tbsp green chilis in brine drained and chopped
- 2-14 oz can of cannellini beans or chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 jar of compatible salsa verde
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- avocado
- fresh cilantro
- sliced jalapeños
- lime wedges
Instructions
- HEAT the olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Once hot, sauté the onion and green bell pepper for 3-5 minutes over medium heat.
- ADD the garlic and jalapeño (if you are using it) and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- STIR in your dry spices (cumin & coriander powder) cook for 1 minute while stirring often to prevent sticking.
- ADD the green chilis, cannellini beans, or chickpeas, along with the compatible salsa verde and vegetable stock.
- BRING your soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- STIR in the lime juice to finish, add baby spinach if using, and season to taste with salt & pepper.
- POUR your soup into bowls, top with garnish of choice, and enjoy.
