Vegan Tortilla Soup with Hominy

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

To make the Sofrito: In a large soup pot, combine the onion and jalapeno. Begin sweating over medium heat. Zest the lime and add it to the pot.  Separate the cilantro leaves from the stems.  Save the leaves for serving and the end of cooking.  Chop the stems and add them to the pot.  Add the cumin, marjoram, coriander, annatto, and garlic.  Cook until aromatic, about 7-8 minutes.

Add the canned tomatoes, water, and hominy.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer.

To bake the Tortilla Strips: While the soup is simmering, thinly slice tortillas. Spread them into an even layer on a baking sheet.  Bake at 375 until golden and crispy, about 20 minutes. Toss every 7-8 minutes or so to ensure even cooking.

To Serve the Vegan Tortilla Soup with Hominy:

Slice the lime into wedges.

When the soup is ready, ladle it into bowls.  Garnish with the fresh cilantro.  Top with tortilla strips and serve with lime wedges.

Top with 5 Minute Guacamole and finish the meal with Spicy Mexican Chocolate Sauce with Pineapple

Chef Katie’s Tips:

What is Hominy? Hominy is made from dried corn kernels that been treated with alkali so that they puff up and become tender.  It provides chunky texture, a satisfying substitute for the typical chicken used in this soup.  You can also substitute with canned chickpeas, frozen corn, or even cooked black beans.

What is Sofrito? Sofrito is a Caribbean and Latin American sauce of tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs. It used as the base of this soup.

What is Annatto? Do I need it? Annatto is a red seed. It is often used for its strong red color.  In fact, annatto seed is used to give cheddar cheese its orange hue.  It can be challenging to find.  If you don’t have it, don’t worry – the soup tastes great even without it!

Yield: 8 cups