Author: radish*rose, adapted from Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker
Serves: 4
Equipment: Medium skillet, 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. (If you have the kind of slow cooker that also sautees things, no need for the skillet.)
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. chipotle adobo sauce from can of chipotle peppers in adobo (depending on how spicy you like it, you can also mince and add a pepper or two, to taste, but that was too much for me - I just used the sauce)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juices (fire-roasted are really nice)
5 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
Fine sea salt & freshly ground pepper
½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish if you like)
Multi-grain tortilla chips, lightly crushed
Sour cream, regular, light, or vegan, optional
Guacamole or sliced avocado, optional
2 T. toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), optional
Method
Mix together the garlic, tomato paste, chipotle adobo sauce, and cumin in a small bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, chipotle, and cumin mixture and saute another minute longer. (Note: This smells EXTREMELY smoky and made me cough for some reason. You might want to open your windows!)
Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, the vegetable broth, and season with a little sea salt and pepper (taste it to be sure you like the seasoning level). Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Shortly before serving, stir in the cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. To serve, crush a handful of multi-grain tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl, then ladle the soup over the top, and garnish with sour cream, guacamole or avocado, and toasted pepitas, and any remaining fresh cilantro. Enjoy!!
Recipe by radish*rose at https://radishrose.net/2015/03/12/spicy-vegan-slow-cooker-tortilla-soup/