Vegetarian Taco Soup Recipe

Spray the tortilla strips/quarters with olive oil spray and salt. Turn them out onto a baking sheet, arrange them across the pan and bake in a 350F degree oven for 10 minutes or until golden and crispy. (Mine might have taken a little longer than 10 minutes to get fully crispy). Set aside when done. (You can also just leave them in the turned-off oven to keep them warm and crispy!)

Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and put them in a small roasting pan, oven proof dish, or rimmed baking sheet. Spray lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a 350F degree oven for 40-45 minutes (less time if you use smaller tomatoes), or until the tomatoes are shrunken and golden around the edges. Set aside.

In a big pot over medium-high heat cook the garlic and onions using 1/2 Tbsp olive oil along with a couple pinches of salt for just a minute or so. Stir in the spices and then the tomatoes. Cook down for about five minutes or so, it should thicken a bit.
Remove from heat, add two cups of the broth and puree with a hand blender (or puree in a traditional blender). Add the remaining 0.5 cups of broth (you can add more if you want a thinner soup) and puree until smooth. Bring the soup back up to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Option 1: With Cojita Cheese, Roasted Tomatoes, and Tortilla Strips. Top soup with 1-2 Tbsp cojita cheese, a handful of roasted tomatoes, and a handful of tortilla strips.
Option 2: With any combination of these toppings -- Mexican Shredded Cheese, diced avocados or guacamole, lime juice, cilantro, diced onions