This flavor-packed vegan taco soup is made with a mix of Tex-Mex spices, red lentils, sweet corn, and black beans. It all gets topped off with luscious avocado crema and crispy tortilla strips!
Coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and cook it for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic, jalapeño pepper, cumin and ancho chile powder. Cook the mixture for about 1 minute, until very fragrant, stirring constantly.
Stir in the broth and lentils. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to boil, then lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the lentils are very soft. Prepare the tortilla strips and crema (instructions below) while the soup simmers.
Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, and corn. Let the soup continue simmering for about 3 minutes, just to heat everything up.
Remove the pot from heat and stir in the lime juice. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
While the soup cooks, preheat oven to 400º.
Slice the tortillas into ¼ to ½ inch wide strips, then brush or spritz both sides of each strip with olive oil.
Arrange the strips on a baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt.
Bake the strips until lightly browned and crispy, about 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on them while they bake, because they can burn quickly.
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Taste-test the mixture and make any adjustments to suit your taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a dollop of crema and a few tortilla strips, as well as any additional toppings you'd like.