Vegetarian Tortilla Soup with Avocado

Ingredients

• 3 flour tortillas, cut into strips
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil, or as needed
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes with juice, chopped
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 2 cups frozen sweet corn
• 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado – peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Arrange tortilla strips on a baking sheet and lightly with cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.

Heat peanut oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat; saute onion, red bell pepper, and garlic until onion is translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, zucchini, corn, and mushrooms; saute until zucchini is slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Mix vegetable broth, chili powder, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into vegetable mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir cilantro into soup and remove stockpot from heat.

Ladle soup into serving bowls; top with tortilla strips, avocado slices, and Monterey Jack cheese.