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Vegan Taco Soup is a cozy and comforting soup that is just bursting with the best flavor. With soy curls made to taste just like beef, a broth filled with tomato and spices, and lots of amazing toppings, you have the perfect meal in no time. Feeds the entire family or is great for meal prep!
Hey Internet, we have another great recipe to add to our growing list of vegan soup recipes. We LOVE soup and in our house it's always soup season.
We have a large list of very popular vegan soups and stews. From our Vegan Dumpling Stew, to our Vegan Matzo Ball Soup, to our Vegan Tom Kha, and so many more; you guys really like a good soup!
And it's not hard to see why; it's super easy to make a delicious soup. Beans, soy curls, dumplings, etc. are AMAZING to build a soup around and with a little know-how, you can develop so much flavor with the right spices and a good simmer. Whether in an instant pot, slow cooker or a stove top pot, a hearty soup doesn't take much effort. That's true with this new recipe.
Our vegan taco soup recipe is super filling with a ton of protein. With both soy curls turned into a vegan beef replacement and a tons of beans, there's about 40 grams of protein per serving! If you want a meal packed with plant-based protein, you've got to try this soup!
This soup makes for great meal prep, freezes perfectly, and is easily adaptable for kids. If your kids don't love spicy food, just use bell peppers instead of jalapeño (and omit the cayenne pepper). That's all it takes to make this amazing vegan taco soup recipe to be kid-friendly (or if you have a sensitive stomach!).
And if you love this kind of flavor profile, you might also like our: Vegan Taco Salad, Vegan Birria Tacos, Vegan Chorizo, Vegan Carne Asada, Vegan Guacamole, Nut-Free Vegan Queso, Loaded Vegan Potato Nachos, Vegan Sheet Pan Quesadilla, Vegan Elote with Vegan Cotija, and Vegan Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice!
Why You'll Love this Vegan Soup
- Big Pot of Soup: Great for meal preps or families with a big appetite!
- Lots of Flavor: With a broth made with a vegan beef bouillon replacement, tomatoes, chiles, and lots of spices, you'll love every bite.
- Tons of Protein: Soy curls are essentially soy beans dried whole. They are packed with protein and easy to cook with.
Ingredients
Pick up these simple ingredients the next time you're at your local grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutrition information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet a certain daily value of any nutrient). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!
- 3 Cups Soy Curls: You can easily purchase soy curls online. We prefer to buy them in bulk from Butler Foods' website since we eat a lot of them. They are shelf stable, though they last even longer in the freezer!
- 6 cups Hot Water and 2 Tablespoons Better than Bouillon No Beef Broth Paste: Note that some of this is for the soy curl soak. You're going to need to reserve 3 cups of the mix for the soup's broth. Don't worry, it'll make sense in the instructions. This way we don't let any broth go to waste!
- 1 White or Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1-2 Jalapeños, Seeded and Finely Chopped
- 2-3 Large Cloves of Garlic, Pressed
- 2 10oz cans Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
- 1 - 14oz can of Tomato Sauce or Tomato Puree
- 1 - 15oz Can Pinto Beans
- 1 - 15 Can Black Beans
- 2-4 Tablespoons Oil: We used grapeseed oil, but any oil such as olive oil will work.
- Spices: Of course feel free to experiment with the spices (at your own risk, hah!), but we used 1.5 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 Teaspoon onion powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (to taste), and 1 bay leaf
- Frozen or Canned Sweet Corn, Optional
Also, you'll love this these garnishes on top of this taco-inspired soup.
- Creamy Avocado Slices
- Crispy Tortilla Strips or Tortilla Chips: These can be made easily with corn tortillas in an air fryer!
- Vegan Cheese Shreds
- Our Homemade Vegan Sour Cream (or your favorite store bought brand)
- Sliced Green Onions
- Lime Juice
- Fresh Cilantro
Substitutions
- Soy Curls: More beans can be a great replacement for the soy curls! You could add kidney beans or cannellini beans to shake things up and it will still be a hearty vegan taco soup.
- Better Than Bouillon No Beef Broth Paste: Any vegetable broth can work to replace the No Beef, one to one. But we think this concentrated stock paste is economical, lasts a long time, and provides so much better flavor than vegetable broth.
- Spices: You could always buy your favorite taco seasoning packet if you don't have all the spices listed above.
How to Make Vegan Taco Soup
- Soak the Soy Curls: Fill a large bowl or large measuring cup with hot water. Add the No Beef to the water and mix well. Add the soy curls and make sure to get them covered in the broth. Let soak for 10 minutes.
- IMPORTANT: For the next step, make sure to reserve at least 3 cups of the broth. DO NOT DUMP IT. It is ok if you do not get every bit of soy curl out of the broth: they will still be delicious and they will help thicken the soup.
- Brown the Soy Curls: Heat a large pot on medium-high heat. Add oil and let it come to heat (let it shimmer). Squeeze out excess water from the soy curls by hand and add them to the pot. Stir often to make sure they get an even cook. If you want to go the extra mile, you can add about half of the spices now to coat and flavor the soy curls. When done, remove from pot and set aside for now.
- Cook the Diced Onions, Jalapeno, and Garlic: Add more oil if needed. Add the diced onion and cook until they turn translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Then add the jalapeños and lightly soften them, about 1 minute. Finally add the garlic and lightly brown it, about 1 minute.
- Add the Liquids and Flavoring: Add the reserved broth, canned tomatoes and chilies, tomato sauce, beans, bay leaf, and spices to the pot. Let come to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the Corn and Soy Curls: Add the corn (if using) and cooked soy curls to the pot and let cook for 5 to 10 minutes more.
- Garnish and Enjoy: Ladled some of the hot soup into a bowl and then garnish with your favorite toppings. There you go! Vegan Taco Soup!
Storage Instructions
Wait until the soup has cooled to store. Add contents to a large airtight container and store in a refrigerator. This soup should last about 4-5 days if you don't eat it all too quickly! You can also freeze the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We did that a few times and the soup still turned out great. The soy curls are just a pinch better adding them later (browned and not soggy), but do not panic. Your soup will still be delicious.
It depends on your spice tolerance. Paul says it was barely a medium heat, but Liz thought it was a bit too spicy.
If you want things less spicy, just reduce the cayenne pepper and chili powder and swap the jalapeño for bell peppers. For more spiciness, add more cayenne or add more jalapeños!
More Great Vegan Soups and Stews
- Vegan Dumpling Stew
- Vegan Beef Stew
- Vegan Zucchini Soup
- Vegan Gnocchi Soup
- Vegan Zuppa Toscana
- Butter Bean Stew (Vegan)
- The Best Vegan Matzo Ball Soup
Vegan Taco Soup
- Total Time: 35 Minutes
- Yield: 10 Cups
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Taco Soup is a cozy and comforting soup that is just bursting with the best flavor, with soy curls acting as a beef sub!
Ingredients
For the Vegan Taco Soup
- 3 cups Soy Curls
- 6 cups Hot Water and 2 Tablespoons Better than Bouillon No Beef Broth Paste: (see Note 1)
- 2-4 Tablespoons Cooking Oil, as needed
- 1 White or Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 Jalapeño, Finely Chopped (see Note 2)
- 2-3 Large Cloves of Garlic, Pressed
- 2 - 10 ounce cans Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
- 1 - 14 ounce can of Tomato Sauce or Tomato Puree
- 1 - 15 ounce can Pinto Beans
- 1 - 15 ounce can Black Beans
- Frozen or Canned Sweet Corn, Optional
Spices (or use Taco Seasoning packet)
- 1.5 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¾ Teaspoon Salt
- ¾ Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ⅛ Cayenne Pepper Powder
- 1 Bay Leaf
Optional Garnishes
- Creamy Avocado Slices
- Crispy Tortilla Strips or Tortilla Chips (See Note 3)
- Vegan Cheese Shreds
- Our Homemade Vegan Sour Cream
- Sliced Green Onions
- Lime Juice
- Fresh Cilantro
Instructions
- Soak the Soy Curls: Fill a large bowl or large measuring cup with hot water. Add the No Beef to the water and mix well. Add the soy curls and make sure to get them covered in the broth. Let soak for 10 minutes.
- IMPORTANT: For the next step, make sure to reserve at least 3 cups of the broth. DO NOT DUMP IT. It is ok if you do not get every bit of soy curl out of the broth: they will still be delicious and they will help thicken the soup.
- Brown the Soy Curls: Heat a large pot on medium-high heat. Add oil and let it come to heat (let it shimmer). Squeeze out excess water from the soy curls by hand and add them to the pot. Stir often to make sure they get an even cook. If you want to go the extra mile, you can add about half of the spices now to coat and flavor the soy curls. When done, remove from pot and set aside for now.
- Cook the Diced Onions, Jalapeno, and Garlic: Add more oil if needed. Add the diced onion and cook until they turn translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Then add the jalapeños and lightly soften them, about 1 minute. Finally add the garlic and lightly brown it, about 1 minute.
- Add the Liquids and Flavoring: Add the reserved broth, canned tomatoes and chilies, tomato sauce, beans, bay leaf, and spices to the pot. Let come to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the Corn and Soy Curls: Add the corn (if using) and cooked soy curls to the pot and let cook for 5 to 10 minutes more.
- Garnish and Enjoy: Ladled some of the hot soup into a bowl and then garnish with your favorite toppings. There you go! Vegan Taco Soup!
Notes
- Note 1: Any vegetable broth can work to replace the No Beef, one to one. But we think this concentrated stock paste is economical and delicious. Note that some of this is for the soy curl soak. You're going to need to reserve 3 cups of the mix for the soup's broth. Don't worry, it'll make sense in the instructions. This way we don't let any broth go to waste!
- Note 2: If you want things less spicy, just reduce the cayenne pepper and chili powder and swap the jalapeño for bell peppers. For more spiciness, add more cayenne or add more jalapeños!
- Note 3: These can be made easily with corn tortillas in an air fryer!
- Note 4: If you accidentally add the soy curls too early, don't panic. The recipe will still turn out great!
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Soup, Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican
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