Spicy Vegan Salsa Verde Soup

Inspired by Mexican pozole, this vegan salsa verde soup is packed with plant-based protein and fiber! A simple, gluten-free soup that comes together quickly.

this Recipe

If you like spicy, bold flavored soups then this hearty salsa verde soup is for you. It’s an unexpected flavor explosion featuring fresh lime juice, jalapeño, tomatillo, zucchini, hominy and our favorite canned beans– S&W Garbanzos. 

Simple enough to throw together on a weeknight, yet fancy enough to take to a potluck or share with company. 

Inspiration for Salsa Verde Soup

The inspiration for this soup came from pozole, a traditional Mexican soup, that our local taqueria makes only for the Christmas season. A bowl of that alongside their homemade tamales is one of my favorite things to eat this time of year, and knew I wanted to create my own spin using salsa verde and chickpeas. 

One part tortilla soup, one part pozole, one part veggie soup, this salsa verde stew is guaranteed to be a hit in your home. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you’d like, and I think the warm, jalapeño-infused broth is the best thing to help clear out your sinuses and kick any head-cold symptoms to the curb. 

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for this salsa verde soup recipe. 

• Olive oil, or other neutral oil for cooking 
• Jalapeño peppers
• Onion and garlic
• Zucchini
• Yukon gold potato
• Vegetable broth 
• S&W Garbanzos (or chickpeas)
• Golden hominy
• Salsa verde
• Fresh lime juice 

Prepping The Vegetables

You can make this salsa verde soup as spicy as you’d like depending on how you prep the jalapeño peppers. As most of the heat is in the seeds, removing the seeds and ribs before chopping will make a milder soup than leaving them in. 

Since I like things with a little kick, I chop one pepper without removing the seeds and then one with the ribs and seeds removed. If you don’t want any heat in this soup, then I’d recommend swapping in a bell pepper instead of the jalapeños. 

From there, chop the rest of the vegetables to make soup prep time go quicker. 

Substitutions

Instead of S&W Garbanzos, you can use other S&W Beans varieties like their white beans or their cannellini beans for a creamier soup. For a more pronounced Mexican-inspired flavor, consider adding in spices like chili powder, dried ground cumin and/or smoked paprika. 

Instructions: How to Make the Soup

Start by heating the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the jalapeños, onion, and garlic cloves and cook until just softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the zucchini and potatoes and cook another 8-10 minutes until potatoes are just softened and slightly crisp on the edges.

Next, add in the vegetable broth, beans, hominy and jarred salsa verde then simmer for another 15 minutes. Depending on the taste of your broth and salsa, you may need to adjust for flavor by adding in salt and freshly ground pepper. 

While most pozole and salsa verde soups use chicken, as a vegetarian I consider chickpeas to be my chicken, which is the swap I’ve made here. You know what a big fan I am of beans, and chickpeas are one of my go-to hearty beans to use in soup and stews. 

For this recipe, I’m using my favorite brand, S&W Beans. With 6g of fiber and 7g of protein per serving, chickpeas are a healthy, inexpensive way to enjoy more plant-based proteins. 

Any jarred salsa verde will work in this soup as long as you like the flavor. While you are welcome to make your own from fresh or canned tomatillos, using a ready-made jarred salsa makes this soup weeknight friendly. 

To finish, remove ~2 cups of the soup, place in a blender and puree until creamy and smooth. Add the creamy soup back into the stock pot and stir in the fresh lime juice; divide into soup bowls and top as desired. 

Garnish your soup

Now comes the fun part! Garnish your soup however you’d like. My family loves this with crushed tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream or avocado, cheese shreds (regular or dairy-free), more fresh lime wedges and cilantro. 

All of the toppings on top remind me of tortilla soup, especially the crunch of crushed tortilla chips. 

Instructions for the Slow Cooker

To make this recipe in the crockpot, sauté the onion and jalapeño first on the stove top then add to the base of the slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients except for the lime juice. 

Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours until potatoes are softened. For a thicker stew, remove ~2 cups of the soup and puree, then add back to the crockpot along with lime juice. 

How to store

To store, cool the soup then place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

More Hearty Vegan Soup Recipes:

• Pumpkin Chili 
• Slow Cooker Taco Soup
• Black Bean Soup
• Red Lentil Soup
• Lentil, Potato and Sausage Stew

More Healthy Bean Recipes: 

• Marinated White Bean Salad
• Vegan Black Bean Soup
• Sweet potato and black bean enchiladas
• 10-minute black bean tacos
• Smoky Black Bean Tostadas 

Spicy Vegan Salsa Verde Soup

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, soup, healthy, vegan, gluten free
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: Mexican Inspired, Plant-Based
• Diet: Vegan

Description

Vegan Salsa Verde Soup! A spicy jalapeño chickpea soup with hominy, lime, zucchini and potato. Plant-based and gluten-free.

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Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, soup, healthy, vegan, gluten free
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: Mexican Inspired, Plant-Based
• Diet: Vegan

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, soup, healthy, vegan, gluten free
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: Mexican Inspired, Plant-Based
• Diet: Vegan

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 jalapeños, seeds removed for a less spicy soup, finely chopped
• 1/2 white or yellow onion, minced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yukon gold potato, diced
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans S&W Garbanzos (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can golden hominy
• 1 16–ounce jar salsa verde
• 2 limes, juiced
• Toppings of choice: like dairy-free or regular sour cream, dairy-free or regular shredded cheese, lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

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Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the jalapeños, onion, and garlic cloves and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the zucchini and potatoes and cook another 8-10 minutes until potatoes are just softened and slightly crisp on the edges.
3. Stir in the vegetable broth, chickpeas, hominy and salsa verde and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, until potatoes are completely tender. Taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
4. Remove ~2 cups of the soup and place in a blender, then puree until creamy and smooth. If soup is very hot, you may need to tent the lid for steam release. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree some of the soup to add a chunky texture.
5. Just before serving, add in the lime juice and season to taste. Divide into 4 bowls and top with desired toppings.

Notes

For dairy-free toppings, I’m partial to the brands Violife, Miyokos, Chao (from Field Roast) and Kite Hill’s sour cream or this homemade version. 

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