Backpacking Meal: Vegan Tortilla Soup Recipe

Loaded with lots of different layers of flavors, this recipe will really put your dehydrator to work. We start off by dehydrating black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, a small onion, roasted corn, jalapenos, and fresh cilantro. You can't overdry any of these ingredients, so its best to just let it run overnight. The jalapenos will spice up the air in the beginning, so make sure the dehydrator is in a well-ventilated location. Once everything is fully dehydrated, divide all the ingredients in half and combine to create individual portions.For each portion, add a bouillon cube, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. In a separate container, pack along store-bought tortilla chips or you can toast your own by cutting up a corn tortilla and frying the strips in a little bit of oil.At camp, place all of your soup mix and spices into a pot and add 12 ounces of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer until all the dehydrated ingredients are tender and the bouillon cube has been fully dissolved. Add a little bit of olive oil to the top, sprinkle some tortilla chips on top, and serve immediately.This tortilla soup is pretty simple to make at home with a dehydrator, but it feels super impressive to eat when you're out on the trail.Backpacking Vegan Tortilla SoupYield: 2 servingsDehydrating time: 8-12 hoursIngredients1 15-ounce can black beans1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes1 cup frozen roasted corn1 small onion2 tablespoons fresh cilantro1 jalapenoPer serving:1 vegetable bouillon cube1/4 teaspoon chili powder1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon cuminTortilla chipsOil, packed in a squeeze bottleDirectionsStep 1Dice the onion, de-seed and chop the jalapeno, and drain the black beans. Place beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno on dehydrator trays. Keep everything in thin and even layers. Dehydrate at 135°F for 8 to 12 hours, until everything has dried.Step 2Divide the dried ingredients into 2 servings, adding 1 vegetable bouillon cube, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cumin per serving. Pack tortilla chips and oil separately.Step 3At camp, add the soup ingredients into a pot with 12 ounces of water. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, until the beans and corn are soft, adding more water if needed. Stir in a tablespoon of oil and top with the tortilla chips.