Dinner detente: Tortilla soup two ways satisfies carnivores and vegetarians alike

I live in a house divided.

No, I am not talking about what you think I am talking about. I am referring to a carnivore versus vegetarian situation. And while we peacefully coexist most nights at the dinner table, there are times when it’s a bit difficult to come together with one cohesive meal.

That’s the beauty of soup. It’s so easy to take one recipe and make it two — even three — ways. This recipe for Tortilla Soup is a perfect example. The tomato-based broth works for both a vegetarian version, as well as one where you add chicken. In this case, I used rotisserie chicken to make life even easier.

Another potential area of conflict — at least in my house — is the level of spiciness. This soup calls for two tablespoons of adobo sauce from canned chipotles. This is going to be quite spicy, so reduce or eliminate this ingredient if you have a more sensitive palate. You might want to consider adding a half-cup of mild salsa instead of the adobo sauce.

Once the soup is nearly done, I just divvy it up into two smaller pots, adding the chicken to one of the versions and playing with the spice level in each. To that end, use three cups of chicken if you are making one recipe, but only half that if you are dividing the soup in half.

You can also switch out types of beans, too. Garbanzo beans, for instance, would be a great addition here.

This recipe is so adaptable and forgiving. Plus, the toppings can be tailored to everyone’s taste. It’s win-win with no cause for any disagreement; and for that, we can all be grateful.

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Tortilla Soup — Two Ways

4 corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips

2 tablespoons olive oil, one for the tortilla strips and one for the pot

1 medium red onion, diced; reserve ⅓ cup for topping

1½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 (14-ounce) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes

2 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo sauce (optional)

4 cups water or vegetable broth, plus more as needed

3 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1½ to 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (if using)

1½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, from about 2 ears fresh

Freshly ground black pepper

For serving

Diced avocado

Fresh cilantro

Crumbled Cotija cheese

Lime wedges

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the tortilla strips to the baking sheet and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 12 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until softened. Add the cumin, coriander and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the adobo sauce, vegetable broth, beans and chicken (if using). (If making a vegetarian version, split the soup into two pots at this point before adding the chicken.) Cover and simmer for 20 more minutes. Add the corn and heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy tortilla strips, reserved diced onion, avocado, cilantro, and Cotija cheese. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Serves four.

— Adapted from The Love and Lemons Cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews

• M. Eileen Brown is a retired journalist and media executive, and an incurable soup-a-holic.